First French edition of the Kitab al-Najah

Ibn Sina (Avicenna) / Vattier, Pierre (transl.). [Kitab al-Najah - French]. La logique du fils de Sina, communément appellé Avicenne, prince des philosophes et médecins Arabes.

€ 15,000.00

First French edition of the Kitab al-Najah ("The Book of Salvation"), the part on logics from Ibn Sina's great scientific and philosophical encyclopedia Kitab Al-Shifa' ("The Book of Healing"). Translated by the French oriental scholar Pierre Vattier (1623-67), himself a physician like Avicenna.

Ibn Sina's system of logic is known as "Avicennian logic", in contrast to Aristotelian logic. By the 12th century, Avicennian logic had replaced Aristotelian logic as the dominant system in the Islamic world; after the Latin translations of the 12th century, his writings were also an important influence on Western medieval writers such as Albertus Magnus.

Light browning throughout; occasional faint waterstains to the lower margin. Very prettily gilt morocco binding; tools attributable to the binders of Macé-Ruette (cf. Esmerian, La reliure au XVIIe siècle). From the library of the French neurologist Maurice Villaret (1877-1946) with his memento-mori style bookplate to front pastedown.