The Metaphysics of The Healing by Avicenna
David Bennett
REVIEWS 213 (87). Arnaldi complicates the idea of national identity by distinguishing between its use in writing and existence action. His strategy examining evolution Italian considering invasions Apennine Penninsula those who eventually voice act upon their collective experience being invaded, sheds much light on this complicated issue. considers other far reaching motifs, such as influence Christianity Italy, wax wane papal power, enduring not-so-enduring legacies various invaders, from Ostrogoths to Muslims Napoleon. is professor emeritus Medieval History at University Bologna Rome, La Sapienza, and, one would expect, most fascinating chapters book—those discussing invaders Longobards, Carolingians, Frederick II— coincide with author’s area expertise. However, despite professed attempt write what he refers introduction a “readable” book, convolutions text, perhaps part owing English translation, makes for dry, academic reading. Take instance following sentence: “The correspondence creation ‘temporal dominion’ Church Rome transformation primacy morality reputation, which had attained second third centuries, into practical jurisdictional nature—at least over churches West (for Eastern churches, course, question quite different)—changed time something informal, because chronological, it actually was, foundation thesis that justified church state, was propounded late 1929 speech parish priests Pope Pius XI” (5). Such sentences require slow, considered re-readings , are not apt attract sort general readership rush book onto best seller list. Furthermore, reader does take slog through few tortuous greeted end an elegant summation important themes revealed prior 200 pages, but no conclusion whatsoever; faithful left empty, abandoned feeling, if date whom things were going well just excused herself go bathroom never came back. DANIEL WALLACE MAZE, Art History, UCLA Avicenna, The Metaphysics Healing, ed. trans. Michael E. Marmura (Provo, UT: Brigham Young Press 2005) xxvii + 820 pp. Avicenna’s among very significant works philosophy . It ingenious synthesis reformation Aristotelian Neoplatonic strains ancient philosophy; classic expression fundamentals Islamic rationalistic theology; fount medieval Latin metaphysics. Together parent-compendium, al-Shifâ’ (The Healing), has exerted singular Latin, Arabic, Persian traditions. This publication, latest installment University’s Texts Series, consists Arabic text Marmura’s translation. handful parallel-text volumes series admirably constructed accessible student limited (or no) familiarity language. As such, they herald increasing importance Muslim philosophers English-language history 214 curriculum. presents critical edition (21 vols., I. Madkûr et al, Cairo 1952–1983; section Metaphysics: alIl âhîyât, 2 Anawati 1960); variants manuscripts have been noted, specialists referred apparatus edition. Until now, non-Arabists rely Anawati’s French translation (2 Paris 1978, 1985; there older German recent— 2002—Italian translation); study reception Avicenna facilitated excellent prepared S. van Riet...
Comitatus-a Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies