Ibn Ba, Commentary on Aristotles On Generation and Corruption

Ibn Bas commentary on Aristotles On Generation and Corruption (Kitb al-Kawn wa-l-fasd, Latin De generatione et corruptione) is one of the first commentaries to elaborate on the essential aspect of Aristotles text, that is, the analysis of change (, taayyur). The commentarys extant parts comprise a consecutive exposition of the contents of Aristotles work. However, the commentary may be read more as an introduction or a guide to the topic of generation than as a substitution for the original, as the paraphrases by Averroes seem to have become in the later tradition. The present study provides a new critical edition of the Arabic text and, for the first time, an English translation and a study of the structure of the commentary on the basis of the only two known manuscripts.