Towards an Avicennian theodicy : Avicenna on natural evil and the question of indeterminism in the natural world

Abstract

This thesis argues that Avicenna’s distinction between that which is necessary in itself and that which is possible in itself-necessary through another, in conjunction with his emanation cosmology, allows for indeterminism in the natural world. Moreover, what Avicenna describes as evil is subjective. The presence of evil in Avicenna’s system is related to the good of a multitude of existents, for such existence can only be realized through the creation of the corruptible, sublunary world where incidents of subjective or “accidental” evil occur. It is also argues that within Avicenna’s thought there is room for both compatibilist and incompatibilist views of freedom. This investigation into Avicenna’s views on natural evil and the question of indeterminism in the natural world is a first step towards the larger project of articulating an Avicennian theodicy, a neglected subject of research on the Persian philosopher. The study focuses on texts from Avicenna’s Physics and Metaphysics of the Healing, as well as other texts in which Avicenna addresses the question of evil.