Avicenna’s Theory of Color Perception in Context

The research will concentrate on Avicenna’s theory of color perception, which is one of Avicenna’s most refined discussions, in the third book of Kitāb al-Nafs in Kitāb al-Šifāʾ and interpret it in context. one part is to identify Avicenna’s Greek and Arabic sources. Accordingly, the second part will draw upon the first part to elaborate his theory comprehensively, since his own account is often buried in his sophisticated counter-arguments. One further part of this research is to locate this theory into his whole philosophical project, and to evaluate and to defend the merits of his theory in the landscape of relevant philosophical discussions of color. In other words, I endeavor to offer a historical, philological as well as philosophical account of Avicenna’s texts.