Avicenna: Sielos Anatomija
Avicenna: Anatomy of Soul

Summary/Abstract: The article considers the concept of human soul as it is presented in the works of Avicenna. In proving the existence of the soul, Avicenna relays exclusively on the teaching of Aristotle but, explaining the mechanism of its functioning, he employs some Neo-Platonist ideas as well. The article focuses attention mainly on the anatomy of human soul and its intellectual activity. Thinking, as intellectual activity of the soul, exalts human beings above animals and relates with the separated substances. By means of this relation Avicenna intends to show, that the origins of human intellectual activity belongs to the external principle that is to the tenth intelligence or to active intellect. This active intellect, giving forms to the human soul, enables him to understand better the fundamental structure of the world and himself. In his epistemology, Avicenna preserves the spirituality of human soul and relates it to intellectual work and creativity.

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