Avicenna on Forgetting and Recalling

Perception and issues related to the quality of its attainment are crucial in Avicenna's philosophical discussions. He stands as the lone Muslim philosopher attempting to present a coherent theory on forgetting and recalling. Examining the possibility of forgetting and recalling in any scientific subject, and their occurrence for all people, is of utmost importance from the standpoint of epistemology in Avicennan philosophy. This aspect has been investigated in the present research in an analytical-descriptive manner. The questions addressed in this research include: What is the truth behind recalling and forgetting, the degrees of each, and the distinction between recalling and learning? Avicenna's discussions in this field are grounded in his theory about obtaining forms and their entrance into the mind from the outside world, as well as his categorization of different types of sensory, imaginary, apprehensive, and intellectual perceptions. Forgetting is a common attribute among humans and some animals, while recalling scientific forms is unique to humans. The non-materiality of imagination power and its perceptions, coupled with sensory evidence, fundamentally challenges Avicenna's perspective in this field. Learning is the acquisition of a new scientific form, marking a transition from the unknown to the known. On the other hand, recalling involves re-perceiving the scientific form that was previously apprehended.