Averroes

Averroës (also known as Ibn Rušd or Ibn Rushd; 14 April 1126 – 10 December 1198) was a Muslim polymath from Al-Andalus. He was a scholar of Greek and Islamic philosophy. He also studied Islamic theology, law, politics, classical music, and the sciences of medicine, psychology, physics, astronomy, geography and mathematics.

Averroes was born in Córdoba, Al-Andalus. He lived during a unique period in academic history. Interest in philosophy and theology was failing in the Muslim world but just beginning to become influential in Christian Europe. Averroes himself was influenced by the ideas of Aristotle. His philosophy was often criticised by fellow Muslims.^[1] He had a larger influence on Western European society. He has been described as the founder of secular thought in Western Europe.^[1][2][3]

Averroes is most famous for his commentaries of Aristotle's works. Aristotle had been mostly forgotten in the West since the 6th century. Averroes' interpretations of Aristotle's ideas revived Western scholarly interest in Aristotle and ancient Greek philosophy in general. They also led to the development of scholasticism in medieval Europe.^[4]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "Averroës (Ibn Rushd) > By Individual Philosopher > Philosophy". Philosophybasics.com. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
2. ↑ "John Carter Brown Library Exhibitions - Islamic encounters". Retrieved 30 October 2012.
3. ↑ "Ahmed, K. S. "Arabic Medicine: Contributions and Influence". The Proceedings of the 17th Annual History of Medicine Days, March 7th and 8th, 2008 Health Sciences Centre, Calgary, AB" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
4. ↑ Sonneborn, Liz (2006). Averroes (Ibn Rushd): Muslim Scholar, Philosopher, and Physician of the Twelfth Century. The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 89. ISBN 1404205144. Retrieved November 3, 2012.