Avicenna's Physics: Recovering the Islamic Intellectual Tradition

FAIN: FT-51618-03

Jon McGinnis
University of Missouri, St. Louis (St. Louis, MO 63121)

The medieval Muslim scientist and philosopher Avicenna’s treatise on physics, at-Tabîcyyât, as-Samâ’ at-Tabîcî remains without any complete and English translation. The thirteen chapter long work propounds his account of such physical concepts as motion, void, space and time. I have a polished translation and commentary of four chapters, as well as an initial translation of the remaining nine chapters. I intend during the grant period to refine this initial translation both in respect of philosophical and scientific accuracy as well as general readability. This work belongs to a larger project of investigating medieval Islamic physical theory, a subject that has been under studied by both Islamicists and historians of science.