Philosopher · 1126 – 1198
Averroes
Key Takeaways
- Averroes wrote the most influential medieval commentaries on Aristotle.
- He was known in Europe simply as "The Commentator."
- He defended the legitimacy of reason and philosophy alongside religious faith.
- His work shaped Christian scholasticism and Jewish philosophy.
Averroes — Ibn Rushd of Córdoba — was the greatest philosopher of the western Islamic world and a crucial bridge between ancient Greece and medieval Europe. To the Latin schoolmen he was known simply as “The Commentator”, just as Aristotle was “The Philosopher.”
Interpreter of Aristotle
Averroes devoted his life to recovering the authentic Aristotle from centuries of misreading. His systematic commentaries, translated into Latin and Hebrew, reintroduced the full range of Aristotelian thought to a Europe that had largely lost it.
Reason and faith
In works like The Incoherence of the Incoherence, Averroes defended the legitimacy of philosophy and reason against those who saw them as threats to religion. He argued that truth cannot contradict truth — that properly understood, philosophy and revelation agree. The position was bold, and it cost him a period of exile.
Legacy
Averroes’s ideas ignited fierce debate in the medieval universities, shaping — and challenging — the scholasticism of Thomas Aquinas. Honored by Christians, Jews and Muslims alike, he remains a symbol of the medieval dialogue between faith and reason.
Influence
Averroes reintroduced the full Aristotle to the Latin West, igniting debates over faith and reason that shaped the medieval universities and the scholasticism of Aquinas.
Legacy
Known to Europe as 'The Commentator', Averroes is a pivotal bridge between ancient Greek philosophy and the medieval Christian and Jewish traditions.
Major Works
- Commentaries on Aristotle
- The Incoherence of the Incoherence
Controversies
- His rationalism drew condemnation; he was briefly exiled, and 'Averroism' was later censured in Christian Europe.
Notable Quotes
“Ignorance leads to fear, fear leads to hatred, and hatred leads to violence.”
Connections
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Averroes?
Averroes (Ibn Rushd, 1126–1198) was a philosopher of Al-Andalus whose commentaries on Aristotle profoundly influenced medieval European philosophy.
Why was Averroes called 'The Commentator'?
Medieval European scholars gave him the title because his commentaries were the standard guide to understanding Aristotle, who was called simply 'The Philosopher'.
Citations & Sources
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