Averroes's theory of the unity of the intellect
The unity of the intellect (also called the unicity of the intellect or monopsychism),[1] a philosophical theory proposed by the medieval Andalusian philosopher Averroes (1126–1198), asserted that all humans share the same intellect. Averroes expounded his theory in his long commentary on Aristotle's On the Soul to explain how universal knowledge is possible within the Aristotelian philosophy of mind. Averroes's theory was influenced by related ideas propounded by previous thinkers such as Aristotle himself, Plotinus, Al-Farabi, Avicenna (Ibn Sina) and Avempace (Ibn Bajja).
Once Latin translations of Averroes's works became available in the 13th century, this theory was taken up and expanded by
Background
The idea of a single, universal intellect associated with all human knowledge had been proposed by philosophers before Averroes.
Averroes's idea is different from the previous theories because the other ones hold that the universal intellect is superhuman and that each human individual has its own intellect, while Averroes identifies the single intellect with the mind of all humans.[4] While Averroes propounds his general ideas on human intellect in all of his three commentaries on Aristotle's On the Soul, this theory only appears in his final long commentary. He provides different theses for explaining human knowledge in his previous two commentaries, suggesting that the notion of unity of the intellect is his most mature theory after having considered other ideas.[2]
Theory
Averroes's original thesis
Averroes argues, as put by the historian of philosophy
For Averroes, this explains how universal knowledge is possible: it is because there is a universal capacity for knowledge.[7] He also uses it to interpret passages in Aristotle's On the Soul, and this exegetical value is seen as the theory's strong point by Averroes and the theory's later proponents.[8]
Latin Averroists
Starting from the thirteenth century, Western European writers translated Averroes's works into
Reaction
Reception
While Averroes's works have very limited influence in the Islamic world, the Latin translation of his works enjoyed a wide audience in Western Europe.
Criticisms
Other thinkers, however, were opposed to the theory. Many scholastic thinkers, including the Italian Thomas Aquinas criticized it for not being able to explain how humans can think individually,[2] and how this single intellect is associated with human body.[5] They also criticized the thesis from the theological standpoint. If there is only one eternal soul, and individualized thinking only happens through a lower faculty which will perish with the body when a person dies, then the theory fails to provide for a person's immortality and afterlife.[6][5]
Thomas Aquinas wrote a treatise De Unitate Intellectus, Contra Averroistas ("On the Unity of the Intellect, against the Averroists"), which contained detailed arguments to reject this theory.[12] He used the philosophical and theological oppositions mentioned above, and used his own reading of Aristotle to show that Averroes misinterpreted what Aristotle said.[6] Catholic Church authorities condemned the theory, along with other ideas of Averroes, in 1270 and 1277 (by Bishop Étienne Tempier of Paris) and again in 1489 in Padua by local bishops.[5]
Modern evaluation
Present-day historian of philosophy
See also
References
Footnotes
- ^
"5.4: Averroes' Unicity Thesis", in: Hasse, Dag Nikolaus (12 August 2021) [19 September 2008]. ISSN 1095-5054. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
Averroes' best known philosophical doctrine holds that there is only one intellect for all human beings. The doctrine is sometimes labelled 'monopsychism', but this is a problematic term, since Averroes' unicity thesis concerns the intellect, not the soul.
- ^ a b c d e f g Adamson 2016, p. 188.
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica 1911, p. 279.
- ^ a b Adamson 2016, p. 189.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Hasse 2014, Averroes' Unicity Thesis.
- ^ a b c d e f Adamson 2016, p. 192.
- ^ Adamson 2016, p. 191.
- ^ a b Adamson 2016, pp. 188–189.
- ^ Fakhry 2001, p. 134.
- ^ a b c Fakhry 2001, p. 135.
- ^ Fakhry 2001, pp. 166–167.
- ^ Fakhry 2001, p. 151.
- ^ Adamson 2016, p. 187.
- ^ a b c d Adamson 2016, p. 193.
Works cited
- ISBN 978-0-19-957749-1.
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 276–283.
- Fakhry, Majid (2001), Averroes (Ibn Rushd) His Life, Works and Influence, ISBN 978-1-85168-269-0
- Hasse, Dag Nikolaus (2014). "Influence of Arabic and Islamic Philosophy on the Latin West". In Edward N. Zalta (ed.). The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University.