ABSTRACT

With the possible exception of chapter 20, every chapter of this section deals explicitly with the concept of the Necessary Existent (wājib al-wujūd). An examination of the significance of chapter 20 reveals that its major interest lies in depicting a special sense of causation which describes the relationship between the Necessary Existent and the contingent realm. Hence, the analysis of the Necessary Existent seems to be ibn Sīnā’s main task in this section. Subsequent arguments will establish that this concept is not only the main topic of this section but is the central topic of this entire text, a feature which is unique to this metaphysical text of ibn Sīnā.