Paperback | ISBN 1-85168-269-4 | 224pages | £12.99 | $20.95

Reviewed by: Macksood Aftab

In a tribute to one of the greatest Islamic philosophers, Majid Fakhry lays out  an exquisite biography of Averroes (Ibn Rushd), in his book entitled Averroes: His Life, Works and Influence (Oneworld Publications Ltd., 2001). Focusing mainly on his philosophical views, this book is a concise yet powerful representation of Averroes’ thought and Islamic philosophy in general. Averroes coincided with the peak of Islamic philosophical thought, when the Islamic neo-platonic cannon was established, and al-Ghazali had offered a powerful intellectual rebuke of it. Averroes is considered the last great classical Islamic philosopher of that era, which concluded a period of rich philosophical discourse that had been taking place throughout the Muslim world.. Thus, studying his thought allows us to not only appreciate his philosophy but also review centuries of  Islamic thought. Majid Fakhry, a recognized philosopher in his own right, does this wonderfully.

A recurrent theme in Fakhry’s book is Averroes’ profound impact on western philosophy and thought, the Renaissance, scholastism, and theology. In his chapter on Ashariite theology, Fakhry briefly reviews Averroes’ entire refutation of al-Ghazali’s Tahafut . Although the arguments presented here lack the completeness of a philosophical work, they do accurately and historically represent the views of these two giants.

In the chapters on epistemology and logic, Aristotle’s influence upon Averroes is obvious. An interesting discussion is found in the chapter on the soul. Modern students of philosophy of mind will appreciate the evolution of this discipline in its very primitive stages during the medieval era. In the chapter on the creation of the world, Fakhry explores the controversy of simultaneously associating the eternity of the world with the recognition of God as the creator. Fakhry presents Averroes arguments for the existence of God, including the famous First Cause argument.

Fakhry also explores Averroes’ less philosophical work, including his role as a politician, jurist, and physician. He also compares Thomas Aquinas with Averroes, pointing to the similarity of their influences on their respective religious bodies.
Averroes’ stubborn adherence and dedication to Aristotle, and critique of al-Ghazali is illustrated throughout the book. Taking advantage of the open academic environment in al-Andalus, Averroes thus represents the bridge between medieval and modern western philosophy. This book is highly recommended for any student of history or philosophy looking for a good overview of the work and influence of Averroes. The reader will also gain an appreciation of the depth of academic discourse in the medieval Islamic era and the evolution of both Islamic and western philosophy.

About the author from the publisher:
Majid Fakhry is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University, Washington D.C. He has been a lecturer in philosophy in Lebanon and the UK, as well as in the US. His publications include A History of Islamic Philosophy and Islamic Philosophy, Theology and Mysticism: A Short Introduction.

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