Books by Jon McGinnis
“There are lots of good books on Avicenna. The reason that I’ve picked this one is because I think it is the best introduction to all aspects of his thought. It’s a very readable, solid, reliable introduction that is also very interesting…I really had to have a book on Avicenna because he’s the most important figure in the philosophy of the Islamic world…He had his own distinctive vocabulary and arguments which set the agenda for the whole remaining Islamic tradition, but were also very influential in Jewish and Christian medieval thought. For me, he’s the most important medieval thinker of any religious persuasion.” Read more...
The best books on Philosophy in the Islamic World
Peter Adamson, Philosopher
Interviews where books by Jon McGinnis were recommended
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1
Greek Thought, Arabic Culture
by Dimitri Gutas -
2
Great Medieval Thinkers: Avicenna
by Jon McGinnis -
3
Avicenna's 'De Anima' in the Latin West
by Dag Nikolaus Hasse -
4
Maimonides in His World: Portrait of a Mediterranean Thinker
by Sarah Stroumsa -
5
The Teleological Ethics of Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī
by Ayman Shihadeh
The best books on Philosophy in the Islamic World, recommended by Peter Adamson
The best books on Philosophy in the Islamic World, recommended by Peter Adamson
Arabic philosophy was hugely influential during the Islamic Golden Age; at one point, the Persian polymath Avicenna’s influence outstripped that of Aristotle. But a strong tradition has continued in the centuries since, explains Professor Peter Adamson, as he selects five of the best books on the subject.
