Feature: Was the Novel Hayy Ibn Yaqzan Too Radical for Its Time?

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PRESENTER

Usman Butt

ORIGINAL CITY 

London

Original Date

August 17, 2019

Description

Hayy Ibn Yaqzan is a novel that takes us on a journey from infancy to the old age of a man who grows up isolated from human civilization. Written in 12th century Andalusia by Ibn Tufail, it offers a radical take on the essence of human nature, spirituality and self-awareness. Hayy, a baby abandoned by his mother and who ends up on an island uninhabited by people, he is taken in by a doe and raised like an animal. Hayy is completely unaware of the existence of other humans until he reaches middle age, yet he develops insight into existence, rationality, and God without the influence of human civilization.

Sources & Future References

  • Ibn Tufayl (Translated by Lenn Goodman) Hayy Ibn Yaqzan: A Philosophical Tale

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