İbn Sînâda Benlik
April 10, 2026 DOI: 10.70458/fcr.9786258596199 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Avicenna's concept of the self is a fundamental existential problematic, not a mere psychological faculty, and that self-consciousness is the constitutive principle building the truth of human existence. Proposes that Avicenna transformed the Greek doctrine of the soul by establishing the soul's substantial unity independent of the body, thereby providing original contributions to the understanding of human ontological reality. |
Abstract
This study, investigates the concept of the self within the thought system of Avicenna, one of the founding philosophers of the Islamic philosophical tradition, treating it as a fundamental existential problematic rather than a mere psychological faculty. The existential characterization here in aims to explain that self-consciousness, which manifests in the ontological, psychological, and epistemological aspects of man as a concrete being, is the constitutive principle building the truth of human existence, rather than referring to contemporary existentialist philosophy. To achieve this goal, the historical and conceptual origins of the problem of the self are first examined within a broad perspective, ranging from the Miletus natural philosophers to Platonic dualism, the Aristotelian hylomorphic conception of the soul, and the Plotinian metaphysics of emanation. Through the presentation of this historical background, it is demonstrated how Avicenna reached an original synthesis by blending the Greek heritage he inherited with the early Islamic thought. Subsequently, the ontological position of man, existing as a temporal being in the world of generation and corruption, is determined based on metaphysical foundations. Following this, through an investigation into the quiddity of the soul as an abstract substance, it is proven that the soul possesses a substantial unity independent of its attachment to the body. In this context, by holistically presenting how Avicenna established the soul-body relationship along the axes of spirit and heart, and how the souls attachment to the body, its individuation, and its perfection take place, the study identifies how he transformed the doctrine of the soul inherited from the Ancient Greek heritage and provided original contributions. Thereby, it is established that the self is not merely a biological or psychological faculty, but a fundamental basis that constructs the ontological reality of man. Keywords: Avicenna; Self; Soul; İntellect; Flying Man; Self-Consciousness; Perfection