Averroes

Philosopher, Author

1126 – 1198

50

Who was Averroes?

ʾAbū l-Walīd Muḥammad bin ʾAḥmad bin Rušd, commonly known as Ibn Rushd or by his Latinized name Averroës, was an Andalusian Muslim polymath, a master of Aristotelian philosophy, Islamic philosophy, Islamic theology, Maliki law and jurisprudence, logic, psychology, politics and Andalusian classical music theory, and the sciences of medicine, astronomy, geography, mathematics, physics and celestial mechanics. Averroes was born in Córdoba, Al Andalus, present-day Spain, and died in Marrakesh, present-day Morocco. He was interred in his family tomb at Córdoba. The 13th-century philosophical movement based on Averroes' work is called Averroism.

Averroes was a defender of Aristotelian philosophy against Ash'ari theologians led by Al-Ghazali. Averroes' philosophy was considered controversial in Muslim circles. Averroes had a greater impact on Western European circles and he has been described as the "founding father of secular thought in Western Europe". The detailed commentaries on Aristotle earned Averroes the title "The Commentator" in Europe. Latin translations of Averroes' work led the way to the popularization of Aristotle and were responsible for the development of scholasticism in medieval Europe.

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Born
Apr 14, 1126
Córdoba
Also known as
  • Ibn Rushd
  • Abū 'l-Walīd Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Rushd
  • Averroës
  • ʾAbū l-Walīd Muḥammad bin ʾAḥmad bin Rušd
  • Averroès
  • Averrhoës
  • Averroës
  • Filius Rosadis
  • Ibn-Rusid
  • Den-Resched
Parents
Religion
  • Islam
Ethnicity
  • Andalusian people
Nationality
  • Spain
Profession
Died
Dec 10, 1198
Marrakesh

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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