Avicennian essentialism

Bibliographic Data

ID21597675
AuthorsFedor Benevich (0000-0001-7338-6731, University of Edinburgh, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume30
Issue3
Pages410-433
Publication date2022-05-04
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBritish Journal for the History of Philosophy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0960-8788 • E-ISSN: 1469-3526
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09608788.2021.2007845
OpenAlexW4205736397
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited23

Essentialism can be defined as a metaphysical theory according to which things have essential and accidental properties. In this paper, I will address Avicennian essentialism, that is, essentialism as we find it in Avicenna’s own writings and the writings of the immediate post-Avicennian philosophical tradition of the Islamic world. I will consider a number of primary sources, summarize the state of recent scholarship regarding Avicennian metaphysics of attributes, and I will draw comparisons between Avicennian essentialism and modern essentialism. As a result, I will show that Avicennians endorse two different types of essentialism: conceptualist essentialism and de re essentialism. Avicennian conceptualist essentialism only applies to kinds, while Avicennian de re essentialism only applies to particular individuals

Epistemology · Essentialism · Metaphysics · Political science · Scholarship · Sociology · Families in Therapy and Culture · Islamic Thought and Society Studies · Law · Medieval and Classical Philosophy · Philosophy

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