Avicenna's Theory of Science - (Berkeley Postclassical Islamic Scholarship) by Riccardo Strobino (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Avicenna is the most influential figure in the intellectual history of the Islamic world. This book is the first comprehensive study of his theory of science, which profoundly shaped his philosophical method and indirectly influenced philosophers and theologians not only in the Islamic world but also throughout Christian Europe and the medieval Jewish tradition.

A sophisticated interpreter of Aristotle's Posterior Analytics, Avicenna took on the ambitious task of reorganizing Aristotelian philosophy of science into an applicable model of scientific reasoning, striving to identify conditions of certainty for scientific assertions and conditions of adequacy for real definitions. Riccardo Strobino combines philosophical and textual analysis to explore the scope and nature of Avicenna's contributions to the logic of scientific reasoning in his effort to recalibrate Aristotle's model and overcome some of its internal limitations. Focusing on a broad array of philosophical innovations at the intersection of logic, metaphysics, and epistemology, this book casts light on an essential aspect of the thought of the preeminent philosopher and physician of the Islamic world.

From the Back Cover

"An extraordinary resource for scholars working across Avicenna's vast oeuvre. It sets out in clear terms the framework within which Avicenna organises the sciences and the methods by which he establishes and assesses the knowledge-claims each discipline makes. Strobino shows time after time the crucial role logic plays in shaping Avicenna's work, dispelling forever the worry that it might be a theory without real and far-reaching impact. All who work on Avicenna's philosophy should read this book."--Tony Street, University of Cambridge

Review Quotes

"Strobino's Avicenna's Theory of Science: Logic, Metaphysics, Epistemology is, perhaps, the most important monograph on Avicenna's philosophy."-- "Vivarium"

"Strobino's Avicenna's Theory of Science: Logic, Metaphysics, Epistemology is, perhaps, the most important monograph on Avicenna's philosophy."-- "Vivarium"

"This is a rich and carefully argued work... that will be a great resource to anyone interested in the philosophy of Avicenna."-- "Religious Studies Review"

"Strobino's remarkable book does not simply present Avicenna's theory of science; it also highlights the importance of demonstration not only for logic but also for metaphysics and epistemology... essential to appreciate and better understand Avicenna's philosophy as a whole."-- "Journal of the History of Philosophy"

"The merit of Strobino's ground-breaking work lies not only in the thorough reconstruction of the fundamentals of Avicenna's theory of science it provides, but also in the lines of research for which it paves the way."-- "The Heythrop Journal"

About the Author

Riccardo Strobino is Mellon Assistant Professor in the Departments of Classical Studies and Philosophy at Tufts University. His research interests include the history of ancient and medieval philosophy and the history of logic in the Greek, Latin, and Arabic traditions.