The Influence of Ibn Sina's Opinions on European Philosophy in the Middle Ages or Medieval Period

With considering the importance of the current of thoughts in the evolution of human thought, this paper has tried to examine the influence of the philosophical opinions of Ibn Sina on European philosophy on the Middle Ages. Although Christians had no codified philosophy but for their theological determination of their notions they turned to the current Greek philosophies in the Middle Ages. But for the limitations and conflicts between philosophical teachings and religious ones, they obliged to turn to look to other philosophies such as Islamic philosophy. Because the philosophy opinions of Muslims and at the top of them Ibn Sina’s opinions being able to establish the Adaptation between intellect (aql) and the Sharia or Islamic law, they could help the European thinkers in solving problems. The translation of Ibn Sina’s works to European languages was begun shortly after his death. His opinions about ontology, theism, psychology and eschatology were considered by European Christian philosophers and theologians. Scholars such as Gundisalvus, John Duns Scotus, Dionysius ,Eckhart and Roger Bacon were deeply affected by Ibn Sina’s philosophy and and although scholars such as Albert the Great, Thomas Aquinas, Alexander Of Hales, and Larusian did not accept some opinions of Ibn Sina, but their thoughts were profoundly influenced by Ibn Sina’s philosophy. Three of Ibn Sina’s theories which had the most influence on scholastic philosophy of the Middle Ages are: knowledge, ishraq (the wisdom of illumination), the relationship between essence (dhat) and existence (wujud), the primal origin of individuation of matter.