David Russell, R. Trent Pomplun, Ph.D., Frederick Bauerschmidt, Ph.D.

Cloud upon Cloud over a Deep Sea: Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān and Natural Law

Oral Presentation

The debate over Ibn Ṭufayl's intentions in writing Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān has been fueled by scholar's preconceptions concerning the distinction between theological and philosophical approaches to truth. By reading the 12th century narrative from a perspective illuminated by the Natural Law theory, it becomes clear that such distinctions hinder a full appreciation of the text and its message.