Ibn Sina’s Preliminary Interpretation of the Philosophy of Mind and its Genetic Origin with a Focus on the Unique Mediating Role of the Active Intellect

Abstract

Magdy Mohamed Zaabal

Philosophy of mind is one of the tremendous axes of philosophy that dedicated to the study of a wide spectrum of conceptual and metaphysical issues regarding categories of mind, soul, representation, intentionality, thinking, consciousness, self- consciousness. Moreover, from a historical perspective, this term can be traced back to the ancient Egyptian philosophy, which based on the heart as the seat of thought, emotion, and memory rejecting the brain as the center of cognitive function. While, in Greek philosophy, the term was associated with the writing of Plato and Aristotle, both of whom put forward theories of the human person and made distinct proposals dedicated to understanding and analyzing the nature of the soul and its characteristics. The pioneers of rationalism in European philosophy are Rene Descartes (1596-1650), Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), and Gottfried Wilhelm (1646-1761).

It is worth noting that the first primitive seeds that embody the initial implicit concepts of genetics came to us from the depths of the centuries through the imagination of Ibn Sina almost ten centuries ago. In his pioneering manuscript, "Treatise on Cardiac drugs," Ibn Sina presented a unique text that reinforced his absolute faith in the theory of divine creation. The soul, according to Ibn Sina was created by God of gentle “subtle/fine/delicate” mixtures “chromosomes/genes that encode intelligence/thought), while the body was created of dense mixtures “chromosomes/genes that encode the body organs).

According to Ibn Sina's philosophy, there is no separation between the soul and the intellect; the theoretical intellect, in particular, is the essence of the soul. Together, they form a duality in which the mind is the active core of the soul, but in the same time the mind is also subject to its creative influence and divine commands.

The philosophical notion of mind/body dualism denotes either that mental phenomena are non-physical or that the mind and body are distinct and separable. Thus, it encompasses a set of views about the relationship between mind and body (brain), as well as between subject and object. Therefore, the logical question that imposes itself to understand and explain this duality is: How does “the mental” interact with “the physical”? This question and its answer represent the main focus and the original material of this article.

In contrast to all philosophies that affirmed the property of contradiction in the duality of mental and physical substances, we understand this duality as two complementary, not contradictory, entities. Each provides a reason for the existence of the other within a functional, interconnected, dialectical relationship overseen by the Creator. This duality is a natural, real, and undeniable. “Can we use our minds to deny our own minds”, as the great Descartes expressed it with utmost sincerity?

Additionally, can we ask a hypothetical question about a certain and self-evident truth embedded in man itself? Isn't man the greatest, most conclusive, tangible proof of the success of the interaction between mind and brain, regardless of whether this human being is a physical creature or a divine creation.

Immanuel Kant contributed to solving the mystery of how theoretical and practical intellects communicate by assuming the existence of a “practical principle” within the theoretical (pure) mind itself, which represents the will which leads to convert the practical mind into an effective one. We believe that Kent's contribution represents a huge intellectual leap in an attempt to fill the interpretive gap regarding the nature and the method of communication between the theoretical mind and its practical counterpart. Then, according to Ibn Sina, mind represents the conscious thinking faculty of the soul, and together they form a single, integrated unit from the first moment of creation.

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