Ibn Tufayl
Ibn Tufayl, full name Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Abd al-Malik ibn Muhammad ibn Tufayl al-Qaysi, was a 12th-century Andalusian polymath. He is known for his philosophical novel 'Hayy ibn Yaqzan', in which he explores themes of autodidacticism, spirituality, and enlightenment through the story of a self-taught man who grows up on a desert island. Ibn Tufayl's work bridges classical philosophy and the emerging scientific thought of the medieval period.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
-
1. ḥayy Ibn Yaqẓān
"ḥayy Ibn Yaqẓān" is a philosophical novel that tells the story of Hayy Ibn Yaqzan, a child who is spontaneously generated on a desert island and raised by a doe. Growing up in isolation from human society, Hayy discovers knowledge through his own observations of nature and through rigorous reasoning. As he matures, he delves into profound inquiries about the nature of the human soul, the existence of God, and the path to true enlightenment. Eventually, he encounters another human being, which leads to a deep exploration of the differences between a life guided by pure reason and one shaped by societal norms and religion. The narrative serves as a meditation on the limits of human understanding and the pursuit of spiritual truth.
The 4688th Greatest Book of All Time