A Critical Edition of the Arabic Text with English Translation, Notes, and Introduction by Alfred L. Ivry. Written by Averroes at the request of the Caliph Abu Ya qub Yusuf, the Middle Commentary on De anima represents what is arguably Averroes' most sophisticated and politically discreet treatment of a particularly perplexing Aristotelian text.
As Alfred Ivry's scholarly notes make clear, there is strong internal evidence to suggest that the Middle Commentary on De anima was actually composed (though not necessarily published) after the Long Commentary.
Thus, it may be argued, the Middle Commentary on De anima represents Averroes' final statement on such matters as the material intellect and conjunction-matters upon which he is known to have held different opinions at different times.
Dr Ivry's introduction and notes to the translation situate the Middle Commentary in relation both to Averroes' own other two commentaries on De anima, as well as to Averroes' Greek antecedents, particularly the great Hellenistic commentator Themistius.
