Public notice of expression of interest for n.1 Incarico di ricerca in "Astronomy and Mathematics in the Arabic tradition: Avicenna's Kitāb al-Shifa’"

Fields:

Arabic Philosophy; Ptolemy; History of science; Astronomy; Mathematics;

Profile:

Avicenna's Kitāb al-Shifa’ [Book of the Cure/Healing] is a structured reworking of Aristotle's corpus of philosophical works, including a full set of mathematical writings going back to Nicomchus of Gerasa (arithmetic), Euclid (geometry), Ptolemy (astronomy), and Aristoxenus (or Ptolemy again: music). In the mathematics of the Shifa’, Avicenna examines key concepts of Greek mathematics, providing inter alia a novel interpretation and treatment of Ptolemy’s Almagest. The mathematics of the Shifa’, however, is not an autonomous part of this summa, but rather forms an integral part of the whole. The study of the important doctrinal achievements in astronomy, within mathematics, should thus not be disjoined from the examination of its links with the other sections of Avicenna's masterpiece, namely logic, natural philosophy, and metaphysics. In synergy with the goals and overall activity of the FIS 2021 project SPACE - The System of Philosophy in Arabic: Charting the Encyclopaedias, the links and cross-references between mathematics and the other sections of Avicenna's summa of philosophy will receive specific and innovative attention.

Activity:

The contract holder will be responsible for examining in detail the structure and content of the mathematics of Avicenna's Kitāb al-Šifāʾ, with special reference to the section on Astronomy amd the textual links (quotations, cross-references, backward and forward references) that connect it to other sections of the summa. The contract holder will organize this Arabic material and examine all the relevant linked passages, also using techniques of digital humanities, with special regard to the digital tools and repositories already on stage in the Research Unit PhiBor, and in synergy with the other collaborators of the SPACE project.

Formal requirements:

Master degree in Philosophy;

The contract holder should possess documented competence in the history of medieval philosophy, with special reference to Arabic mathematics and astronomy, as well as a solid acquaintance with Arabic language and basic familiarity with the techniques of digital humanities.

Specific requirements:

Knowledge of Arabic and English;

Competence in the history of medieval philosophy and science.

Gross amount:

€ 22.500,00 gross per year

Duration:

1 year

SSD:

PHIL-05/C – HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY