AREB · The Arabic Roots of European Biology

The Arabic Roots of European Biology

AREB investigates how Avicenna (Ibn Sīnā, d. 1037) articulated a new paradigm for biological inquiry centred on the organic body—a multifaceted concept encompassing the full range of biological diversity. This paradigm integrates all living forms and stages, including not only the supposedly standard male body but also the female body, and not only the mature organism but also the embryo. Avicenna’s innovative approach combines a medical, bottom-up perspective—based on the direct observation of bodily properties and activities—with a philosophical, top-down framework grounded in coherent theoretical principles that both challenge and encompass theological concerns. The project’s main hypothesis is that Avicenna developed a genuine philosophy of the organic body through his works on botany and zoology—traditional disciplines which he redefined to serve his new scientific agenda. In doing so, Avicenna established a conceptual foundation for the life sciences that remained influential well beyond the Middle Ages, extending into the seventeenth century, when figures such as Descartes continued to study his medical writings closely. However, the significance and impact of Avicenna’s 'new biology' on subsequent intellectual traditions have never been systematically examined. AREB addresses this gap in scholarship. Methodologically, the project combines philological and philosophical approaches. On a specific level, the close examination of primary sources allows for the disentanglement of key theoretical issues at the heart of Avicenna’s biology. This entails first-hand analysis of untranslated, unedited, or poorly edited Greek, Arabic, and Latin texts that remain largely unexplored. On a broader level, AREB challenges long-standing Eurocentric narratives that locate the origins of biology exclusively in the modern West. By demonstrating the continuity between medieval Islamic and Renaissance science, the project redefines the history of biology and counters stereotypes portraying Islam as hostile to scientific innovation. Through this dual contribution—advancing knowledge in the history and philosophy of biology, and promoting a more inclusive understanding of the scientific tradition—AREB aligns with the MSCA objectives of fostering excellence, interdisciplinarity, and societal impact.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union