Die philosophischen Abhandlungen des al-Kindi (1897) - Page 23

This is the place to discuss the influence of Al-Kindi's works on the field of Arabic and Jewish philosophy, and subsequently to present the usage of the Latin translations in the Christian literature of the Middle Ages. However, this will only be possible once sufficient preliminary studies and good critical editions of medieval authors have been prepared; accordingly, it should be left to further research. While some citations in the works of Māsawīah, al-Razi 1, ibn-Sīna Avicenna, and ibn-Rośd Averroes 2 have indeed been highlighted by Tiraquelli 3 and reproduced by Fabricius 4, and others have been added by Steinschneider 5, all of these refer only to medical works.

Citations regarding precious stones are found in al-Birūnī and Taifaśi 6.

On the other hand, apart from the bio-bibliographical writings mentioned at the beginning by al-Nadīm, al-Qifṭī, ibn abi Uṣaibi‘a, Ḥağği Ḥalifah, and ibn Ḥallikān, Al-Kindi is also mentioned and cited occasionally regarding philosophical questions by ibn-Rośd 7.

In Hebrew, there are only the translations of three small astronomical and astrological treatises. Al-Kindi is cited by Abraham ben Esra 8.

In the Christian West, Al-Kindi was also known primarily as a mathematician, physician, and astrologer, and as such, he is praised by Bruno, Roger Bacon, and Cardanus 1, among others.

1) El-hawi, I ch. 3, 9. II ch. 3, IV ch. 1.
2) Colliget Vol. V ch. 57–58.
3) Andreae Tiraquelli, de nobilitate et de jure primigeniorum, Basel 1561, pp. 334, 364, 374 = Lyon 1566, pp. 254–255, 278, 286.
4) Jo. Alberti Fabricii Bibliothecae Graecae Vol. XIII. Hamburg 1726 pp. 48, 54, 175, 306, 368. — Compare Albert Haller Bibliotheca chirurgicae. Basel 1774. T. I, p. 123. Bibliotheca medicinae practicae. Basel 1776. T. I. p. 351.
5) Steinschneider, Baldi, Vite di matematici arabi, p. 11 note 3: Rasis, al-hawi, tract. XVI, ch. I (fol. 327 col. 2 ed. Venice 1506). Compare Journal of the German Oriental Society, T. XXIV, p. 588.
6) Steinschneider, Arabic Lapidaries (Journal of the German Oriental Society, 1895) p. 248.
7) E.g., de caelo, ch. III, super them. 35.
8) Steinschneider, The Hebrew Translations of the Middle Ages. Berlin 1893. pp. 562–565.