An Analysis of Avicenna's Ideas Using the Hermeneutic Methodology of Quentin Skinner

Obtaining a profound insight into the ideas of thinkers of different periods has always been a great concern, because of which numerous methodologies have been developed. This article aims to analyze Avicenna’s ideas, especially the political ones, using the hermeneutic methodology of Quentin Skinner. According to Skinner, meaning is closely related to the author and is the same as the motivations, intentions and purposes of the author, and can be understood only by taking into consideration the political and social currents and the discourses of the time of the creation of a specific work. Therefore, it can be claimed the author’s writings are an embodiment of his purposes and mental patterns in the historical context and his way of dealing with the issues of his time. In this article the methodological issues are first studied, and then the political, social, thinking and discourse context of the mid-Islamic period is analyzed and finally Avicenna’s ideas on the issues of his time, which are embodied in his writing are discussed.