The Metaphysics of the Healing

Masterpiece work !

As all the other volumes published under the Islamic Translation Series by Brigham Young University, 'The Metaphysics of the Healing' is a superb achievement both in content and in appearance.We are given here a parallel text with the English translation on the left and the original Arabic on the opposing right side. This has the reading order of the Arabic reversed from the original but as the prospective audience are westerners it makes sense to me.The work itself is divided into ten books in which Avicenna attempts a great synthesis of Aristotelian methods and (neo) Platonic and monotheistic premises. I would recommend more than a passing acquaintance with Avicenna's intellectual predecessors and even then it is hard going at times but for anyone trying to understand the development of high-medieval western or Jewish philosophy it is vital.

The Book of Healing (or the Book of the Remedy) is the longest encyclopaedia ever written by one man. It covers all aspects of science known at the time of the author, a thousand years ago. The title may be somewhat misleading, in that it is not a medical work at all; it is intended to cure the 'illness of ignorance'. Complete translations of the work are available in French, German and Italian. The present book is one part of that work dealing with metaphysics, and is all that is currently available in English.

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In the 11th Century Physicians were jurists and philosophers. Today they are businessmen. The ethical principles outlined in this work make it required reading for all medical students, those involved in the budgets of medical care, and those involved in the marketing of Pharmaceutical products. When profits matter more than patients we have lost our way morally.