The reception of the aristotelian doctrine of the intellect in Al-Fârâbî and the problem of the immortality of the human soul

Abstract

Classic Arabic philosophy constitutes a clear example of the reception of classical Greek philosophy in the eastern world. In this article we examine the reception of the Aristotelian thinking in al-Fârâbî, one of the most remarkable Arab philosophers. We prove three points: first, that the problem of the immortality of the individual human soul constitutes an aporia in Aristotle; second, that the solution offered by al-Fârâbî contains elements that are far from what Aristotle stated and have a clear Neoplatonic echo; and third, that Farabian philosophy constitutes a synthesis between Aristotle and Plato. To achieve this, we will briefly review the characterization of the intellect the Greek philosopher makes in Book III of the De Anima and the reception these ideas had in al-Fârâbî’s philosophy which, in turn, allowed him to state the immortality of the soul.