Book of Causes

D. B. Haneberg believed he could complete Munk's verification of Ibn Gabirol's sources and point out traces of influence from the encyclopedia of the "Brethren of Purity and Faithful Friends" original: "Ichwân uҫ çafâ" in the "Fountain of Life." 1

A characterization and delimitation of the influence of the "Fountain of Life" on Scholasticism that goes beyond Munk’s execution has not yet been undertaken. Recently, J. Bach illuminated Albert the Great’s position regarding Ibn Gabirol. 2

Sharing the Neoplatonic fundamental direction of Ibn Gabirol’s speculation, but otherwise not to be compared with the "Fountain of Life" in terms of independent significance, content, or scope, the book de causis Book of Causes nevertheless found much richer use in Christian and Jewish philosophy and theology of the Middle Ages. It experienced far more approval and recognition, and in general enjoyed much greater authority. For this very reason, this book never disappeared from view in the way that happened to the "Fountain of Life." The Latin translation that the Scholastics used—to leave aside the various translations into Hebrew for the time being—is still available today in an almost immeasurable series of manuscripts; it was also printed as early as 1482 and has been printed again and again since then.

With regard to this Latin translation, B. Hauréau felt that, concerning the book de causis, it was not difficult to heed Jourdain's call. But with a summary of the contents of the individual chapters, as Hauréau...