Self-Awareness in Islamic Philosophy
Avicenna and Beyond

This book investigates the emergence and development of a distinct concept of self-awareness in pre-modern Islamic philosophy.

Jari Kaukua (Author)

9781107088795, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 1 January 2015

268 pages
23.8 x 16 x 2.2 cm, 0.43 kg

'Jari Kaukua's Self-Awareness in Islamic Philosophy covers much uncharted territory, probing the problem of self-awareness as conceived by Avicenna and as received and reformulated by his illustrious successors, chief among them Shih?b al-D?n al-Suhraward? (d. 1191) and Mull? ?adr? (d. 1640). Although the premodern, non-European occupation with the self has already been aptly demonstrated by Richard Sorabji, Kaukua seeks to fill in the gaps with a more sustained account of Islamic models of self-awareness. He approaches this topic with impressive historical range, sensitivity to the many technical nuances inherent in the subject matter, sound philological skills, and forensic philosophical precision … a major feat and a serious scholarly accomplishment.' Mohammed Rustom, Journal of the American Oriental Society

This important book investigates the emergence and development of a distinct concept of self-awareness in post-classical, pre-modern Islamic philosophy. Jari Kaukua presents the first extended analysis of Avicenna's arguments on self-awareness - including the flying man, the argument from the unity of experience, the argument against reflection models of self-awareness and the argument from personal identity - arguing that all these arguments hinge on a clearly definable concept of self-awareness as pure first-personality. He substantiates his interpretation with an analysis of Suhraward?'s use of Avicenna's concept and Mull? Sadr?'s revision of the underlying concept of selfhood. The study explores evidence for a sustained, pre-modern and non-Western discussion of selfhood and self-awareness, challenging the idea that these concepts are distinctly modern, European concerns. The book will be of interest to a range of readers in history of philosophy, history of ideas, Islamic studies and philosophy of mind.

Introduction
1. Preliminary observations: self-cognition and Avicennian psychology
2. Avicenna and the phenomenon of self-awareness: the experiential basis of the flying man
3. Self-awareness as existence: Avicenna on the individuality of an incorporeal substance
4. In the first person: Avicenna's concept of self-awareness reconstructed
5. Self-awareness without substance: from Ab? al-Barak?t al-Baghd?d? to Suhraward?
6. Self-awareness, presence, appearance: the ishr?q? context
7. Mull? Sadr? on self-awareness
8. The self reconsidered: Sadrian revisions to the Avicennian concept
Conclusion: who is the I?
Appendix: Arabic terminology related to self-awareness
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Islamic studies [JFSR2], History of ideas [JFCX], Islam [HRH], Philosophy of mind [HPM], Islamic & Arabic philosophy [HPDC], Non-Western philosophy [HPD], Western philosophy: Medieval & Renaissance, c 500 to c 1600 [HPCB], History of Western philosophy [HPC], Philosophy [HP], History [HB]