The Improvement of Human Reason

Arabic philosopher and polymath Ibn Tufail explains human learning through fictional biography; in doing so, he demonstrates how humans can progress in the sciences and in reasoning.


Hayy ibn Yaqzan (also rendered as Hai Ebn Yokdhan) is a young boy growing up in the wilderness. Learning survival skills while still small, he learns to thrive in his environment by mimicking the behaviors, actions and traits of animals - with repeated practice, he learns how to cook, craft, and make clothing. By observing the heavens, he arrives at great astronomical knowledge, while his experiences eventually hone a mind brimming with scientific and philosophic inquiry. 


At the conclusion of Yaqzan's biography, he is a mature man in his late forties who has enjoyed human contact for some nineteen years. After overcoming the surprise of not being the only human in existence, he vows to teach others the unique knowledge which he acquired independently. The final stage of his quest; sharing and passing on his distinctive learning to others, is triumphantly fulfilled. 


This translation of Ibn Tufail's superb text was performed by Simon Ockley, a 17th century academic who specialized in the study of near-Eastern scholars. Celebrated as a gem of Arabic philosophy and wisdom, The Improvement of Human Reason remains a lesser-known but highly appreciated text in the history of Middle Eastern thought.