Long Commentary on the De Anima of Aristotle
ISBN: 9780300164794
Platform/Publisher: JSTOR / Yale University Press
Digital rights: Users: unlimited; Printing: chapter; Download: chapter
Subjects: Health Sciences ; Philosophy;

Born in 1126 to a family of Maliki legal scholars, Ibn Rushd, known as Averroes, enjoyed a long career in religious jurisprudence at Seville and Cordoba while at the same time advancing his philosophical studies of the works of Aristotle. This translation of Averroes' Long Commentary on Aristotle's De Anima brings to English-language readers the complete text of this influential work of medieval philosophy. Richard C. Taylor provides rich notes on the Long Commentary and a generous introduction that discusses Averroes' most mature reflections on Aristotle's teachings as well as Averroes' comprehensive philosophical views on soul and intellect. It is only in the Long Commentary that Averroes finally resolves to his satisfaction the much vexed issue of the nature of intellect, Taylor shows.

Averroes is the name in the West of Abu al-Walid Muhammed ibn-Ahmad ibn-Rushd al-Qurtubi, an influential Muslim thinker who integrated Islamic tradition with Greek philosophy. Born in Cordoba, Spain, and educated in Muslim religious, medical, and philosophical studies, he became the chief judge of Cordoba and later personal physician to two caliphs. He wrote a series of summaries and commentaries on Aristotle, Plato's Republic, as well as attacks on Avicenna's view of existence. Western Christian philosophers drew inspiration from his interpretation of Aristotle, especially his assertion that reason and philosophy are superior to faith and knowledge founded on faith.

Averroes died in Marrakesh, Morocco.

(Bowker Author Biography)


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