the logic of avicenna from the viewpoint of nicholas rescher

Avicenna is the most influential logician in the arabic tradition. logic for avicenna is said to be what “prevents the mind from errors”. although his work can be traced back to the ancient logic (aristotle and peripatetic tradition), his studies are accepted to be central as it includes re-definition of a cluster of problems and doctrines that are part of the ancient and late ancient logic. avicenna differs as he introduces new distinctions. among others, he added new concepts and distinctions that are not found in the writings of the ancient logicians. for one thing, he improved aristotelian categorical and modal syllogistics.as such, avicenna’s logic is still one of the most fruitful and important destinations for studies conducted in the field of logic both in eastern and western worlds. in this context, nicholas rescher takes an important place as he is one of the most important philosophers introducing and explaining the arabic logic into the west. for instance, among others, rescher takes into consideration avicenna’s contradiction and conversion, hypothetical propositions, contrariety, subcontrariety and subalternation (karimullah, 2014, 24). rescher has also more general claims about the origins and development of the arabic logic. for instance, analyzing avicenna and arabic logic, he claims that arabic logic “ … developed wholly in the wake of the classical greek tradition as preserved in, and transmitted through hellenistic aristotelianism” ( 1963, 13).accordingly, in this presentation i will examine rescher’s treatment of avicenna’s logic. using rescher’s studies on arabic logic in general and avicenna’s logic in particular, my main aim is to draw a frame concerning the virtues and criticisms about rescher’s interpretation of the avicenna’s logic. this will provide a frame as to how avicenna’s logic is conceived in western world. in addition, at the end of my analysis i aim to shed a light into the place avicenna takes in the history of logic in general and arabic logic in particular.