AVERROËS
 |
| Statue of Averroës in Córdoba (Spain) |
Averroës is one of the major Islamic
scholars of the Middle Ages. He was a Spanish-Arab philosopher and physician.
He wrote commentaries on the Greek
philosophers Plato and Aristotle. These works contributed to the development of
both Jewish and Christian thought in the following centuries.
Averroës was born in Córdoba, Spain, in
1126. He was educated in Muslim science, medicine, philosophy and law. He
became chief judge at Córdoba and personal physician to the city rulers.
Between 1169 and 1195 Averroës wrote a
series of commentaries on most of Aristotle's works and on Plato's Republic. His penetrating mind enabled him to
present the thought of these philosophers and to add considerably to its
understanding. His writing influenced Christian thought in the Middle Ages.
 |
| Detalle del fresco de Andrea de Bonaiuto El triunfo de Santo Tomás, con la imagen de Averroes sentado. |
Averroës wrote several original works.
His first book, General Medicine, was written from 1162 to 1169. Three
religious-philosophical treatises written in 1179 to 1180 have survived, but
most of his legal works and all his theological books have been lost. He died
at Marrakesh in North Africa in 1198.
Information taken from Britannica Kids and Wikipedia.
Read the text and answer these questions:
- When and where was he born?
- What subjects did he write about?
- Why was he important?
- When did he die?
