Al Kindi: Father of Arab Philosophy (Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages) Library Binding – January 30, 2006

a good and clear introduction to the biography and ideas of the founder of medieval philosophy

Al-Kindi: Father of Arab Philosophy and Ninth-Century Scientist, Calligrapher, Musician.Who ever said that "Europe's Renaissance" began the idea of "The Renaissance Man"? Here in the Muslim world (including Islamic Spain - Alandalus) six hundred years earlier there were Renaissance Men and Renaissance Women! The cultural and technological achievements made in the medieval Islamic world are the foundations of present knowledge and include instruments for measuring distance and latitude, keeping time, doing invasive surgery, solving complicated mathematical problems, examining the night sky, and reconciling science and religion (the last is still being struggled with in the West).This is one of 5 books highlighting outstanding Muslim contributors to philosophy, mathematics and/or science. Filled with full-color illustrations, featuring Islamic artwork. Each is a fine biography, well written and certain to be an important resource in any school library. Glossary, Index, Web sites, Bibliography, Resources, Timeline.Teachers/Librarians: this is a "must have" for school library and classroom shelves for the 5th-9th graders you serve! Social Studies/Math/Science/Humanities.

This book for middle schoolers may contain some errors mentioned in the above professional review, however, it is enlightening to learn about this great thinker to whom most non-Moslems have not been exposed. Considered to be the first Arab philosopher, Al-Kindi was born in approx. 800 A.D. He studied a wide variety of subjects in what is now Baghdad. Al-Kindi was well-versed in everything from music and codes to Greek classics and science. His quest for truth led him to search with an open mind using logic and reason. Very refreshing in this age of fanaticism.