Toshihiko Izutsu • Basic Problems of ''Abstract Quiddity''

BASIC PROBLEM3 OF "AF-STRACT QUIDDITY"

By Toshihiko Izutsu

Professor a t M cG ill U niversity I n s titu te o f Islam ic Studies

I T h e concept of “ q u id d ity ” (máhíyah) plays

a n exceedingly i m p o rta n t

rőle in Islam ic philosophy, n ő t only in m etaphysics b ú t alsó in logic. F ór the Eisagógé (A r. Isághuji), w h ich constitutes the First Book o f classical A risto te-

lian logic as it has b e e n accep ted by th e M uslim s, is in its essentials n o th in g o th e r t h a n a n e la b o ra te th eo ry o f “ q u id d ity ”. I n th e course o f history, the con cept o f ^ q u id d ity ” has raised in Islam ic th o u g h t a n u m b e r o f interesting p roblem s. T h e s o -c a lle d iUibárát of “ q u id d ity ” is surely of the most i m p o r ­ t a n t o f those problem s. T h e w o rd i‘tibárát fsg. iHibár) rneans ^ (various possible) ways o f lookin g a t ” a th in g . T h e expression (