Ibn Ruschd, who became known in the West as Averroes, was an eminent scholar of his time. He was active in many areas, but he was particularly interested in philosophy, theology and medicine.
Youth
Ibn Ruschd was born in 1126 in Cordoba, Spain. In this city his father and grandfather had been ‘qadi’ (judge) and had played a major role in the city’s history. Ibn Ruschd studied here and focused on medicine, philosophy, mathematics, theology and law.
At court
He soon became a prominent figure at the court of Caliph Abu Jacub Yusuf and his son Jacub al-Mansour. He was offered jobs in Cordoba, Seville and Morocco. Later he, along with other scholars, fell from grace. Just before his death, the law against philosophers was revised. However, it was too late for much of his work, which had already gone up in flames, especially works on logic and metaphysics. At the same time, the era of the Moors in Spain was coming to an end and the surviving works of Ibn Ruschd ended up in the hands of Latin and Hebrew speakers. Ibn Ruschd died in Morocco in 1198.
Aristotle
Ibn Ruschd became known as ‘the commentator’ when his great medical work ‘Culliyyat’ was included in a Latin-language series on the work of Aristotle. His work became a major influence in the scientific and philosophical interpretation of Aristotle’s work. Ibn Ruschd felt great veneration for Aristotle.
Truth
For Ibn Ruschd there was a twofold truth, that of philosophy and that of religion. Religion was for the illiterate majority of the population. Philosophy was for a small, chosen minority. Religion introduces people to the truth through symbols and signs. Philosophy reveals the truth itself. Therefore, philosophy transcends religion. He did not disapprove of religion, he saw it as the only possibility for the illiterate majority to come into contact with the truth. As with all Arab philosophers, Ibn Ruschd’s theory was also influenced by neo-Platonism.
Intellect
Avicenna/Ibn Sina believed that the ‘active intellect’ is universal and separate and the ‘passive intellect’ is individual and part of the soul. Ibn Ruschd, however, believed that both the active and passive intellects are separate from the soul and that they are universal, equal to all. He believed that there is such a thing as the ,acquired intellect,, by which he meant the individual brain in communication with the active intellect. The ‘active intellect’ is therefore universal, but each individual has his/her own ‘acquired intellect’.
Influence
Ibn Ruschd’s greatest influence was as a commentator. Initially his theories found support in the West, but over time they were seen as incompatible with the Christian faith. During the Renaissance his theories found new followers. His comments, however, were and remained a success. St. Thomas Aquinas used his commentaries and although he disagreed with him on many things, he continued to have great respect for the thinker Ibn Ruschd, the same was true for Dante. In the period after Aquinas and Dante, Ibn Ruschd was often portrayed as the archenemy of faith.