Self-Awareness in Islamic Philosophy

Avicenna and Beyond

Jari Kaukua

• Editorial: Cambridge University Press
• Año: 2015
• ISBN:
  9781316191910
• Categoría: Philosophy
• Categoría: Medieval & Renaissance Philosophy

This important book investigates the emergence and development of a distinct concept of self-awareness in post-classical, pre-modern Islamic philosophy. Jari Kaukua presents the first extended analysis of Avicenna's arguments on self-awareness - including the flying man, the argument from the unity of experience, the argument against reflection models of self-awareness and the argument from personal identity - arguing that all these arguments hinge on a clearly definable concept of self-awareness as pure first-personality. He substantiates his interpretation with an analysis of Suhraward?'s use of Avicenna's concept and Mull? Sadr?'s revision of the underlying concept of selfhood. The study explores evidence for a sustained, pre-modern and non-Western discussion of selfhood and self-awareness, challenging the idea that these concepts are distinctly modern, European concerns. The book will be of interest to a range of readers in history of philosophy, history of ideas, Islamic studies and philosophy of mind.