A Compendium on the Soul

"A Compendium on the Soul" by Avicenna is a philosophical treatise written in the early 11th century. The work focuses on the nature of the soul, its faculties, and its relationship with the body, contributing to the fields of philosophy and psychology. Avicenna, also known as Ibn Sina, aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the soul, referencing various philosophical traditions including Aristotle and Platonic thought. At the start of the text, Avicenna introduces the purpose of his work as an offering to a prince, hoping to secure his patronage. He discusses the importance of understanding oneself as a pathway to understanding the divine, linking this self-knowledge to the faculties of the soul. The beginning also outlines the book's structure, detailing the ten sections that will explore the existence and functions of the soul, the division into its various faculties, and the relationship between body and soul—emphasizing both philosophical and scientific inquiries into the nature of consciousness and perception. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Ibn Sina, commonly known in the West as Avicenna, was a preeminent philosopher and physician of the Muslim world, flourishing during the Islamic Golden Age, serving in the courts of various Iranian rulers. He is often described as the father of early modern medicine. His philosophy was of the Peripatetic school derived from Aristotelianism.