Summary Of The Decisive Treatise

In the opening remarks of The Decisive Treatise, Averroes offers what appears to be a definitive statement of purpose: “To examine, from the standpoint of the study of the law, whether the study of philosophy and logic is allowed by the law, or prohibited, or commanded—either by way of recommendation or as obligatory” (Averroes 165). On the surface, Averroes’s unambiguous intentions invite the reader to reasonably predict the trajectory of his argument. However, as the treatise progresses, Averroes quickly moves beyond the limited bounds of his stated task in pursuit of a much loftier goal: to demonstrate the superiority of intellectual reasoning to the law (i.e., the Koran) and to warn against the dangers of intellectual reasoning in the hands

In doing so, this essay will offer a small-scale representation of the contentious relationship between religion and philosophy in medieval Islamic thought.
Averroes’s Initial Statement of Purpose In an attempt to understand Averroes’s true purpose, one must first return to the statement of intent offered in the opening lines of his work: “The purpose of this treatise is to examine, from the standpoint of the study of the law, whether the study of philosophy and logic is allowed by the law, or prohibited, or commanded—either by way of recommendation or as obligatory” (Averroes 165). Upon first reading, it seems reasonable to predict that Averroes will utilize passages from the Koran (and possibly some commentary or teachings on these

Because Averroes later admits that, “If it were not for the publicity given to this matter…we should not have permitted ourselves to write a word,” one can assume (because this topic is so controversial) that there exists no definitive (irrefutable) passage in the law that prohibits the study of philosophy (Averroes 179). Therefore, it seems as if the most important facet of Averroes stated task (i.e., to determine if philosophy can be practiced) has already been completed. Now, his only remaining goal is to ascertain whether the study of philosophy is allowed, recommended, or obligated. Thus, by intentionally wording his statement of purpose in a manner that renders his desired conclusion self-evident, Averroes seems to be setting himself up to quickly advance beyond his initial inquiry in order to pursue his true purpose. In the two short paragraphs that follow this statement, Averroes is able to conclude that “the Law has rendered obligatory the study of beings by the intellect [i.e., philosophy]” (Averroes 165). Thus, the arguments that unfold throughout the remainder of the treatise must presumably be directed toward an alternative