The Encyclopedia of Philosophy in Avicenna (Ibn Sīnā)

Titolo in italiano: L'enciclopedia filosofica in Avicenna (Ibn Sīnā)

2 Research Collaborator positions
(Deadline July 9th, 2024 13:00 )
Fields

 

History of Medieval Philosophy; Arabic philosophy; Arabic-Islamic studies; Avicenna (Ibn Sīnā)

Profile

 

In the framework of the Research Grant FIS 2021 “SPACE: The System of Philosophy in Arabic: Charting the Encyclopaedias”, the selected research collaborators will provide a structural and doctrinal analysis of a representative sample of the encyclopedias of philosophy written by Avicenna (Ibn Sīnā, d. 1037), the champion of Arabic-Islamic philosophy in its formative phase and inventor of the literary genre of the philosophical summa. Special attention will be devoted to Avicenna’s masterpiece Kitāb al-Šifāʾ (Book of the Cure /Healing), an integrated collection of 22 treatises (of logic, 9; natural philosophy, 8; mathematics, 4; and metaphysics, with an appendix on practical philosophy) of more than 5000 printed pages, which will serve as meter of comparison with two other minor summae of Avicenna – al-Ḥikma al-ʿArūḍiyya (Philosophy for ʿArūḍī) and the Dānešnāme-ye ʿAlāʾī (Book of Science for ʿAlāʾ ad-Dawla), chosen for their chronological and linguistic relevance. Main goal of the research scholarships is the analysis of these encylopedias from the point of view of their format and arrangement, with special focus on the systematic interrelation of the distinct philosophical sciences constituting them, and on the structure of the encyclopedia of philosophy underlying them.

Activity

 

The contract holders will deal with the following topics, in synergy with the further personnel hired in the framework of the aforementioned Research Grant. I) A systematic search of the references to authors/works/disciplines that can be found in the Šifāʾ, in the form of: i) quotations of authors and works; ii) “internal” cross-references connecting the various parts of the work; iii) expressions used by Avicenna to refer to philosophical and scientific disciplines and their performers, as well as to the corresponding canonical texts in the ancient tradition. The aim is to grasp from Avicenna’s own words his consideration of authors, fields, and topics relevant to the structuring of the Šifāʾ. II) A comparison of the results obtained in the case of the Šifāʾ with the data obtainable from al-Ḥikma al-ʿArūḍiyya and the Dānešnāme-ye ʿAlāʾī, with the possibility of extending the analysis to Avicenna’s great encyclopedia of medicine, the Qānūn fī l-Ṭibb (Canon of Medicine). III) An assessment, with recourse to the manuscripts of Avicenna available in the databases of IMT, of the philological correctness of the various passages of the Šifāʾ considered. IV) A mapping, through techniques of digital humanities and with the assistance of specialized technical personnel, of the number and frequency of Avicenna’s various kinds of quotations in the distinct parts of the Šifāʾ and in the other works of Avicenna considered, sorting references similar to one another, and matching Avicenna’s references to other authors/works with corresponding passages in available database of works of authors whom Avicenna might have had in mind.

Formal requirements

 

  • PhD in a relevant field to the project, including, but not limited to, History of Philosophy, Medieval Philosophy, Religious Studies, Islamic Studies, Arabic;
  • The contract holders should possess a solid command of Arabic thought, with special reference to Avicenna's philosophy;
  • Fluency English

 

Specific requirements

 

  • Solid command of Arabic;
  • Acquaintance with Persian and familiarity with the tools of digital analysis of texts will be considered valuable complementary skills
Gross amount

€ 19.455,00 per year each single position

Duration

12 months, renewable

SSD

M-FIL/08 – HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY

Project

FIS 2021 - SPACE - A_BERTOLACCI codice P0340, CUP D53C23002710001, titolo: “The System of Philosophy in Arabic: Charting the Encyclopaedias” - codice FIS00002501

Job Research Unit: 
PhiBor
Job Contract Type: 
Assegno di ricerca
Full call

 

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Application

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Before starting prepare the application attachments and information as listed below.

Info

  • Personal info and contact info (compulsory)
  • Number of your Identity Document (Passport or Identity Card) (compulsory)
  • University degree and ongoing PhD (compulsory)

Attachments

  • Your CV in English (compulsory)