Die philosophischen Abhandlungen des al-Kindi

for the existence of the Latin translation of that commentary, which Steinschneider 1 labeled as questionable.

The citations found in it suggest an author who possessed a certain familiarity with Aristotle's works. Accordingly, one might be tempted to attribute the work to al-Gazzali or even to ibn-Rośd, since both bear the name Muḥammad. But then one would naturally have to renounce an explanation of the epithet "student of al-Kindī." I have looked through the edited Latin editions of these authors for this purpose, but in vain, as no starting point can be found in them. The content of the "Liber introductorius" also shows a strong influence and a frequent utilization of Neoplatonic commentary literature, which is irreconcilable with the character of these philosophers, characterized by a purer Aristotelianism and at the same time by more original independence.

II.

Until our days, all philosophical works of al-Kindī had been considered lost. Munk 2, Hammer 3, and on the whole also Steinschneider 4 and, as it seems, also Wüstenfeld 5 were of this opinion. Admittedly, it was already

1) Steinschneider, Alfarabi, p. 5 note 8. It would be desirable if the relationship of this "liber introductorius" to the Arabic manuscript, Florence CCXLV (Assemani, p. 367; Wenrich, p. 132, who, however, do not recognize al-Fārābī in the Muḥammad b. Muḥammad b. Tarḫan whom the manuscript names as author) were determined.

2) Munk, Mélanges, p. 340: We now only have left of Al-Kendi a few treatises on medicine and astrology.

3) Hammer, Literaturgeschichte, III, pp. 250—251: Of el-Kindi's numerous works, which exceed the number of two hundred, only two have become known in Europe, and of these two only one in print (Alchindi de medicinarum compositatum gradibus), while the other has remained in manuscript (Alchindi de sex quantitatibus).

4) Steinschneider, Alfarabi, p. 7: Since almost nothing has been preserved of the philosophical [writings of el-Kindi] in the narrower sense of the word. But see further below p. 13 with note 8.

5) Wüstenfeld, Geschichte der arabischen Ärzte, p. 22, where philosophical writings are not indicated in the list of preserved works.