Averroes, the Arab-Spanish philosopher and scientist who is renowned in the West mostly for his commentaries to Aristotle's thought, was one of the most controversial figures in the philosophy of his time. Scion of a reputable family, for many years he faithfully served Almohad dynasty, whose reign in Africa and Muslim Spain began in 1147. After Averroes fell out of favour and was exiled, his doctrines were condemned and the study of his philosophy was forbidden. Shortly before his death, however, he was rehabilitated and welcomed back to court. A multi-faceted, versatile scholar, he has left us with texts that deal not only with philosophy, but that also address topics in theology, jurisprudence, and science. Massimo Campanini offers an exhaustive portrait of this important personality of medieval culture, highlights the key aspects of his work, and analyses the specific features of a philosophical legacy that strongly influenced Western Latin thought. The author shows that the "militant" nature of Avorroes's cultural undertakings was the most modern trait of his entire opus.

Contents: Foreword - Part One: A Militant Intellectual - 1. Averroes and the Alhomads - 2. The Theologian - 3. Aristotle's Commentator - Part Two: Averroes's Thought - 1. Religion and Philosophy, or of the Double Truth - 2. In Search of Immortality: The Cosmos, Intellect, God - Part Three: Averroes and Averroisms - 1. The Middle Ages - 2. The Renaissance - 3. The Contemporary Arab-Islamic World - Bibliography - Index of Names

Massimo Campanini teaches History of Arab Countries at the Western University Institute in Naples and Islamic Civilisation at the San Raffaele University in Milan.