Аl-Farаbi, Abu Nasr (872-950) p>
Persian Islamic neoplatonist who employed Aristotelian logic in support ofhis arguments for the existence of god and used Plato's Republic as themodel for his own description of civil society in Principles of Citizens ofthe Virtuous City. p>
Ibn Sina, Abщ'Alм al-Husayn (980-1037) p>
Persian Islamic philosopher and physician whose Kitab Al-Shifa (Book of
Healing) commented on the philosophy of Aristotle. As a leadingneoplatonist, Ibn Sina emphasized the causal necessity that characterizesemanations from the divine, but supposed that human knowledge can best beachieved by mystical illumination. p>
Neoplatonism
Philosophical system developed by Plotinus and others. Nominally derivedfrom Plato's metaphysics, neoplatonic philosophy regards the natural worldas a series of emanations from the nature of god. During most of themedieval period, this system was the most influential version of Plato'sthought. p>
Aristotelianism p>
A tradition, dating from the medieval period, concerned with promoting anddefending significant portions of the philosophy of Aristotle. p>