Chance and Determinism in Avicenna and AverroësThis book examines the question whether medieval Muslim philosophers Avicenna (Arabic Ibn S?n? 980-1037) and Averroes (Arabic Ibn Rushd 1126-1198) are determinists. With a focus on physics and metaphysics it studies their views on chance events in nature, as well as matter, in particular prime matter, and divine providence. In addition it sets their positions against the historical/philosophical background that influenced their response, the Greco-Arabic philosophical tradition - Aristotelian and Neoplatonic - on the one hand, and the tradition of Islamic theology ("kal?m") on the other. In comparing their philosophical systems, it lays emphasis on the way in which Avicenna and Averroes use these traditions to offer an original answer to the problem of determinism. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Chapter One Avicenna on chance | 21 |
Chapter Two Avicenna on matter | 55 |
Chapter Three Avicenna on celestial causation and providence | 91 |
Chapter Four Averroes on chance | 121 |
Chapter Five Averroes on matter and necessity | 159 |
Chapter Six Averroes on celestial causation and providence | 187 |
Conclusion | 225 |
| 233 | |
| 241 | |
| 251 | |
Other editions - View all
Chance and Determinism in Avicenna and Averroes Catarina Carriço Marques de Moura Belo,Catarina Belo No preview available - 2007 |
Common terms and phrases
accident accidental cause according to Averroes according to Avicenna action actualised actually existing agent Àl Yàsìn al-ˇabì'ì al-Ilāhiyyāt al-Najàt al-Samà al-Shifa Alexander of Aphrodisias Alfarabi Aristotelian Aristotle Aristotle's Ash'arite Avicenna and Averroes Bergh Caelo causality celestial bodies celestial spheres chance event chapter comes concept contingent corruptible creation Cruz Hernandez definition deny desire determinism deterministic discussion divine effect efficient cause emanation process essential cause eternal everything evil example exis external causes final cause follows God’s God's omnipotence Goichon ḥadīth Hence human Ibid Ibn Rushd inhere intellect Islamic issue Kashf Long Commentary matter and form means Metaphysics Michot Middle Commentary motion mover Mu'tazilites natural processes neces necessarily existent necessary Neoplatonic non-existence occur particular passage passive philosophers Physics position potentiality prime matter principle privation qadar Qur'ān rare realm relation sake seen sense soul specific sublunar substance supralunar Tahàfut al-tahàfut tence term Themistius theory things tion