
Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, InspiringThis book provides an introduction to the most important philosopher of the Islamic world, Ibn Sīnā, often known in English by his Latinized name Avicenna. After introducing the man and his works, with an overview of the historical context in which he lived, the book devotes chapters to the different areas of Ibn Sīnā's thought. Among the topics covered are his innovations in logic, his theory of the human soul and its powers, the relation between his medical writings and his philosophy, and his metaphysics of existence. Particular attention is given to two famous arguments: his flying man thought experiment and the so-called “demonstration of the truthful,” a proof for the existence of God as the Necessary Existent. A distinctive feature of the book is its attention to the relationship between Ibn Sīnā and Islamic rational theology (kalām): in which we see how Ibn Sīnā responded to this tradition in many areas of his thought. A final chapter looks at Ibn Sīnā's legacy in both the Islamic world and in Latin Christendom. Here Adamson focuses on the critical responses to Ibn Sīnā in subsequent generations by such figures as al-Ghazālī, al-Suhrawardī, and Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
This work investigates the philosophical contributions and intellectual legacy of Ibn Sīnā, the preeminent thinker of the medieval Islamic world. Peter Adamson, a professor specializing in late ancient and Arabic philosophy, utilizes historical context and textual analysis to examine how Ibn Sīnā synthesized Aristotelian logic, metaphysics, and medicine. The book argues that Ibn Sīnā’s systematic approach to rational inquiry fundamentally shaped both Islamic theology and the subsequent development of Western scholastic thought.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Experts recognize this volume as a concise and accessible entry point for students and general readers interested in Islamic intellectual history. Readers frequently note that Adamson successfully distills complex metaphysical arguments into clear, manageable prose without sacrificing academic rigor.
Page Count:
128
Publication Date:
2023-10-27
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192846981
ISBN-13:
9780192846983
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