The thought of Ibn Rushd and Ibn Sina and its impacts on St Thomas and Descartes

Abstract

This thesis addresses the question of the influence of Islamic legal philosophy on European legal philosophy, in particular the influence of Ibn Rushd on St. Thomas and of Ibn Sina on Descartes. Since the research is historical in nature, the research method is primarily archivaL Through the examination of the transmission of knowledge from the Islamic world to Europe the contribution of Islamic legal philosophical scholarship to the sum total of universal legal scholarship has been firmly established. There is clear evidence that, in addressing the question of the harmonization between Revelation and reason, St. Thomas of Aquinas followed the line of thinking that had been set out by Ibn Rushd in the latter`s Kitab Fa# al-Maql (Decisive Treatise on the Harmony of Religion and Philosophy). This study has also found that St. Thomas was indirectly influenced by Ibn Rushd through the work of the Jewish translator and philosopher, Maimonides. Similarly, the research has shown that originality in the foundational ideas of Rene Descartes` theory of knowledge is lacking and that he was greatly influenced by the thought of both Ibn Sina and alGhazali. It is hoped that in uncovering some of the common threads in the both Christian and Islamic traditions, in particular as regards the harmony of Divine Revelation and human reason, this study will serve to foster greater dialogue amongst civilizations and greater cross-cultural understanding. In a world today dominated by the power of human reason and the neglect of the Divine, this study has highlighted the need for the human race as a whole to urgently rethink the need for Divine Revelation to guide human reason.