Self-Awareness in Islamic Philosophy

This important book investigates the emergence and development of a distinct concept of self-awareness in post-classical pre-modern Islamic philosophy. Jari Kaukua presents the first extended analysis of Avicenna''s arguments on self-awareness - including the flying man the argument from the unity of experience the argument against reflection models of self-awareness and the argument from personal identity - arguing that all these arguments hinge on a clearly definable concept of self-awareness as pure first-personality. He substantiates his interpretation with an analysis of Suhraward''s use of Avicenna''s concept and Mull Sadr''s revision of the underlying concept of selfhood. The study explores evidence for a sustained pre-modern and non-Western discussion of selfhood and self-awareness challenging the idea that these concepts are distinctly modern European concerns. The book will be of interest to a range of readers in history of philosophy history of ideas Islamic studies and philosophy of mind.