Abstract

Ibn Sina, the ‘Avicenna’ of the Latin West, is arguably one of the most significant thinkers and original system-builders in the history of western philosophy. Indeed, his renown in the Islamic world has brought him the title al-Shaykh al-Ra’īs (‘the leading eminent scholar’). We are fortunate that Avicenna, in an uncustomary fashion, wrote an autobiography detailing his early education. Additionally, one of his students, al-Juzjani, chronicled the later part of Avicenna’s life. Thus we are on fairly sure ground concerning the details of much of his personal life.