The Prince of Physicians: The Life and Legacy of Avicenna (Ibn Sina)
Episode 1062
Join us as we explore the life of the preeminent philosopher and physician of the Islamic Golden Age: Ibn Sina, known in the West as Avicenna. Born in the village of Afshana around 980, Avicenna was a child prodigy who memorized the Quran by age ten and mastered medicine by age eighteen.
In this episode, we cover:
- The Father of Early Modern Medicine: We discuss The Canon of Medicine, his massive encyclopedia that diagnosed invisible organisms as causes of disease and served as the standard medical text in European universities as late as 1650.
- The Floating Man: We break down his famous thought experiment that proves self-awareness and the immateriality of the soul by imagining a person suspended in air, isolated from all sensation.
- Metaphysics & Theology: Learn about his distinction between "essence" and "existence," and his "Proof of the Truthful" argument for the existence of God.
- A Turbulent Life: From serving as a vizier in Hamadan to being imprisoned in a fortress where he wrote the Book of Healing, Avicenna’s intellectual output persisted despite political chaos.
Discover why this Persian polymath influenced thinkers like Thomas Aquinas and was honored by Dante alongside Homer and Plato.
Published on 1 week, 1 day ago