Algazel on the Soul: A Critical Edition

ALGAZEL ON THE SOUL: A CRITICAL EDITION By EVA ST. CLAIR Modern scholars of medieval philosophy have had access to the work of Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghâzalï (1058-1111) since 1933, when Joseph T. Muckle published an edition of the great Muslim theologian's Maqäsid alfal äsifa ("The Opinions of the Philosophers"). In this work, al-Ghäzall (known to the West as Algazel) summarized ideas proposed by Avicenna (940-1036) in his Danesh Nameh. Algazel's Maqäsid al-faläsifa was composed of three parts, the Metaphysics, Physics, and Logic; medieval authors read and referred to Algazel's work accordingly, as three separate works.1 Muckle's 1933 edition, Algazel's Metaphysics, furnished modern scholars with the medieval Latin translations of Algazel's Metaphysics and Physics as they were prepared by Dominicus Gundissalinus and his collaborator in Toledo in the latter half of the twelfth century.2 Muckle's edition is a lightly corrected transcription of a single manuscript, Vatican Latinus 4481 (V), which is, fortunately, the best of the tradition. However, the manuscript influenced not only Muckle's preparation of the text but also the punctuation and mis en page of his edition. Muckle's decision to reproduce Vs punctuation was not felicitous for a modern reader, who may be unaccustomed to paragraphs that go on for pages or lengthy sentences bound together with semicolons. The Latin text printed below is more accessible than Muckle's work since it delineates ideas using modern punctuation and paragraph/sentence layout. Finally, Muckle made several errors in reading his base text. Most obviously , he read omnis instead of ovis when describing the stock medieval philosophical example of a sheep apprehending the intentions of a wolf.3 Earlier Indeed, the Metaphysics, Physics, and Logic were not always copied together, and were always presented as three different, complete works in the manuscripts in which they survive . The editor is greatly indebted to Bega Wood, Neil Lewis, and Jennifer Ottman for their contributions to the preparation of this article and edition. The edition has particularly benefited from Neil Lewis's critical acumen. " Notes in the manuscripts and elsewhere designate Gundissalinus's collaborator as "Master John," whom Charles Lohr states was not John of Spain. John of Spain was indeed involved in the translation project at Toledo under Bishop Raimond through which many important works came to the West, but he would have been a very old man by the time Gundissalinus was translating Algazel's works. Charles H. Lohr, "Lógica Algazelis: Introduction and Critical Text," Traditio 21 (1965): 223-90, at 228. ' Algazel, Physics 4.2.3. 48traditio in the same section, Muckle misread conservation! as conservatoria changing the meaning of that word from an abstract to a concrete noun. A few other mistakes worth mentioning include several readings of quod for qui0 and one repercussionem rather than percussionem .b On occasion, he omitted words or did not correctly expand abbreviations. The text also contains typographical errors that do not obscure meaning but are, nevertheless, a distraction. The study conducted here suggests that, indebted as we are to Muckle and the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies for his edition, it would be useful to have a critical edition of Algazel's popular and influential work. There are more than thirty surviving manuscripts from the medieval tradition . The following list, not meant to be exhaustive, has been compiled from the work of Charles Lohr and Marie-Thérèse d'Alverny.7 Assisi, Biblioteca communale, 663, fol. 146-186 (Metaphysics and Physics) Basel, Öffentliche Bibliothek der Universität, D. III. 7, fol. 95r-166v (Metaphysics and Physics) Bernkastel-Kues, St. Nikolaus Hospital, 205, fol. 126r-133v (Metaphysics and Physics) Edinburgh, University Library 134 (D.b.II.7), fol. 6v-20v (Metaphysics), 20v-30r (Physics) Erfurt, Universitäts- und Forschungsbibliothek, CA. F. 331, fol. 82r-96r (Metaphysics), 96r-103v (Physics) Erfurt, Universitäts- und Forschungsbibliothek CA. Q. 291, fol. 63r-90r (Metaphysics) Florence, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Magliab. Cl. V. 45, fol. 15v-52v (Metaphysics), fol. 52v-72r (Physics) Göteborg, Universitätsbibliothek, lat. 8, fol. 189?—203v (Metaphysics, imperf.), 203v-207r (Physics, imperf.) Graz, Universitätsbibliothek, 482, fol. 141v-159r (Metaphysics...