Ibn Gabirol (Avicebron): Latin and Hebrew Philosophical Traditions

This volume dives into this plurality of voices bearing witness to Ibn Gabirol. Some criticise while others praise him. Some of their arguments in claiming allegiance or refusal are well-grounded, while other may appear quite naive. In any case, the voices of these historical actors constantly considered Ibn Gabirol’s speculation as a reference that could not be tacitly dismissed, even when it was considered to be erroneous. This volume should be considered as an invitation to reconsider Ibn Gabirol’s originality and his pivotal contribution to the history of philosophy in the Abrahamic tradition on the shores of the Mediterranean Basin. A reconstruction of the entire intricate history of Ibn Gabirol’s impact on both Latin and Hebrew traditions is impossible, for different reasons. Among them, the lack of studies on many medieval philosophers who interacted with Ibn Gabirol’s thought seems to preclude any comprehensive appreciation of his influence on the Latin Middle Ages. In some ways, the echo of Aquinas’s criticism against Ibn Gabirol still appears to be consequential for present-day scholarship. And it results in an unspoken tendency to neglect both the relevance and influence of this great Jewish philosopher.