Abstract

This study delves into Avicenna's examination of nature, particularly in relation to Aristotle's Physics, with the aim of elucidating Avicenna's distinctive contribution to the understanding of nature. By focusing on the concepts of motion and rest, this analysis highlights Avicenna's deviation from Aristotle's physics and emphasizes the crucial role of temporality in comprehending natural phenomena. This work suggests that Avicenna's concept of the ‘flowing now’ permeates his depiction of nature, wherein temporality becomes visible in every aspect of natural occurrences. Avicenna goes beyond regarding time as a mere component and asserts that temporality lies at the core of the natural realm. By constantly underscoring the temporal nature of motion and rest, he emphasizes the dynamic and evolving character of nature, presenting a vision of nature as an ongoing process—an ever-flowing entity that can be conceptualized as the ‘flowing nature’ or natura fluens. Through this investigation, Avicenna's distinct perspective on the interplay between nature and temporality emerges, offering a nuanced understanding of the natural world.