Abstract

  The essence and causes of occultism have always mattered for human beings. Each of the scholars has examined these astonishing phenomena in different ways. Avicenna is one of the first Muslim philosophers who explained occultism in a rational way. Despite the fact that this explanation is an important basis for discussion on miracles and its distinction from other occult things, it has been less addressed by researchers. He suggests in his works, according to various discussions, different divisions for Occultism. In this article, we offer a comprehensive categorization of these divisions, and then investigate each kind of occult things. Avicenna first observed the realization of these affairs in the world and then examined their essence and causes through an aposteriori approach. In the first step, he removes the improbability of these in an empirical or rational way and then explains how they are realized based on his foundations. This article shows that many of occult things can be explained by Avicenna’s system. The essence and causes of occultism have always mattered for human beings. Each of the scholars has examined these astonishing phenomena in different ways. Avicenna is one of the first Muslim philosophers who explained occultism in a rational way. Despite the fact that this explanation is an important basis for discussion on miracles and its distinction from other occult things, it has been less addressed by researchers. He suggests in his works, according to various discussions, different divisions for Occultism. In this article, we offer a comprehensive categorization of these divisions, and then investigate each kind of occult things. Avicenna first observed the realization of these affairs in the world and then examined their essence and causes through an aposteriori approach. In the first step, he removes the improbability of these in an empirical or rational way and then explains how they are realized based on his foundations. This article shows that many of occult things can be explained by Avicenna’s system.