A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Almost Certainly the Best Headline About Avicenna You Will See Today

Avicenna (not from life)
Ibn Sina, the great Persian-born 11th century polymath, philosopher and physician known to the medieval West as Avicenna, doesn't make a lot of news these days, and I don't think this blog has had an Avicenna post before. So how can I possibly resist linking to the headline, "Did Avicenna kill himself by having too much sex?"

One of the best Avicenna headlines ever, to be sure (though it's not a huge universe of competitors), but sadly the post summarizes a paper not linked, which apparently answers the question, "no, not really."

But it's a headline that grabs you, doesn't it? At least if you're a medieval Islamic historian at heart, as I am.

And as both a philosopher and a physician, I sort of like to think Avicenna might have said, what a way to go.

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