The Discussions

“The Discussion” (al- Mobahessat) is the name of a prominent book,  written by the great philosopher and scholar “ Avicenna”. it is written  inArabic concerning seven philosophical discussions, including the responses of Avicenna to the questions of his students. It is said that the one who asked the questions was “Bahaman yar Ibn Marzban”.

The author

Avicenna, one of the greatest Muslim scientists and philosophers, known in the East as Abu Ali Sina and also Ibn Sina (980 – 1037).
He was born near Bukhara, probably with Persian as his native language.
At the age of eighteen he had mastered all the then known sciences. After the death of his father, an official of the Samanid adminstration, and the overthrow of the Samanids by the Ilekhans in 1005, he first wandered through Persia and then, from 1021 until shortly before his death, he lived at Isfahan as court physician of the Buyid rulers Shams al-Dawla and Sama al-Dawla, who by then had come under Kakuid suzerainty.

He is known primarily as a philosopher and physician, Avicenna contributed also to all the sciences that were accessible in his day: natural history, physics, chemistry, astronomy, mathematics and music. He studied mathematics under “Abu Abdullah Natli”, then continued metaphysics, physics and medicine in the presence of “Abu Soheyl Masihi”.
 He wrote on economics, politics, moral and religious questions, Quranic exegesis and poetry.
In 1654, 131 authentic and 110 doubtful works were listed in his bibliography.
The following are his most famous works:

1-    Book of Healing ‘of the soul’ (a vast philosophical and scientific encyclopeida)
2-    The Canon of Medicine (one of the most famous books in the history of medicine)
3-    The Tale of Hayy Ibn Yaqzan (a philosophical allegory)

Avicenna’s influence on medieval European philosophers such as Michael Scot,  Albertus Magnus,  Rager Bacon,  Duns Scotus and Thomas Aquinas is undeniable.

He died as the result of colic, in Hamedan – Iran where a monument was erected to celebrate the millennium of his birth.

 ( Avicennas  student) but through the discussions presented in the book, we understand there are two other students of Avicenna who asked questions from him “ Abi Mansour  Ibn zila” sheikh kermani”
The book is considered to be important; due to the discussions   held between Avicenna and his students the real behaviour of the author could be seen.  For example his great trust in his own views and also his anger towards those who protest against his philosophical views. We do not see the views of other philosophers about the same subject , due to the manner of Avicenna who does  not intend  to cite the  views of  other philosophers in his philosophical discussions, therefore the philosophical views of the author are fairly obvious .
In the cases, the author has no knowledge about, he firmly declares, this characteristic   is hardly found in works.

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