Predication and ontology

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In this monograph, A. Kalbarczyk presents a comprehensive study of the Arabic reception of Aristotle’s Categories, focusing on the critical reappraisal by Ibn Sīnā (Avicenna). The examination of Ibn Sīnā’s interpretation is contextualized within his broader aim of reorganizing philosophical knowledge. His Kitāb al-Maqūlāt from the Šifāʾ is highlighted as a pivotal work that reshapes the relationship between logic and ontology, influenced by the late ancient commentary tradition and subsequent exegetical efforts. The analysis emphasizes two key classification schemes introduced by Aristotle: the fourfold division of Cat. 2 and the tenfold scheme of Cat. 4, which explore how predication relates to extra-linguistic reality. This inquiry is identified as a central element driving Ibn Sīnā’s significant reform of the Aristotelian curriculum. Additionally, the study considers the philosophical implications of this realignment in Ibn Sīnā’s later writings and the evolving post-Avicennian tradition. This work has been recognized with the Iran World Award for Book of the Year (2020).