Avicenna

I liked this week’s session a lot. We discussed the, probably, best known Middle Eastern Philosopher Avicenna and his work. Avicenna wrote between 40 – 275 titles, although the real number is unclear. He systemised philosophy and further introduced philosophy into theology. Avicenna suggests a tripartition of the soul into a Vegetative part, an Animalistic part and a Human part.

Avicenna also pointed out mistakes in Aristotles work De Anima, showing criticism. He suggests substance dualism to solve the problem of the three types of soul. Avicenna argues that the human existence is immaterial substance and he shows that he doesn’t like the idea of a human body.

Otherwise I’m hoping for more general information surrounding the interactions and similarities between the Middle Eastern and the Greek philosophers. I feel like if there were interactions between contemporaries we haven’t really talked about them. And if there weren’t in person interactions I think it would be interesting to learn more about interactions of Middle Eastern philosopher’s with Western material and Western philosopher’s, especially the more modern ones, with Middle Eastern material. This interests me because it will cast a better picture of the standards the contemporaries held each others at.