Hayy Ibn Yaqzan- The Improvement of Human Reason

     As stated in the blog post prompt post, Hayy Ibn Yaqzan translates to,” The Improvement of Human Reason” which is not what I expected it would translate to. I personally believe it is not just “ the improvement is given by the book itself to its readers” and not solely “the improvement of human reasoning over the course of evolution.” I believe that it is a combination of both ideas intertwined together.  Knowing the translation of  Hayy Ibn Yaqzan, I would say that the improvement is given by the book itself to its readers because the book is converting many themes and through Hayy’s experiences, the reader is able to use the lessons and ideas he learned in their own lives. I would also state that it is the improvement of human reasoning over the course of evolution because as we see, Hayy develops his ideas and comes to certain realizations over a long period of time. When he was born and taken in by the doe, he was unknowing, but as he developed over time, he was able to find the meaning of life regarding many important topics such as spirituality and human development. Hayy tends to categorize and place things around him in groups which is very important because he tends to realize these things and make conclusions as he develops. Hayy did not begin making these difficult and meaningful realizations when he was a baby, but as he gained life experience he was able to find meaning. 

Comments

  1. Max WhiteNovember 7, 2021 at 4:15 PM

    I partially agree that the story is about the improvement of human reasoning via evolution because I think that Hayy is an allegory for humanity's evolution over time. However, Hayy differs from the rest of humanity when it comes to his perception and dedication to the divine which shows the improvement of human reasoning via Hayy's story.

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  2. Avery PiersonNovember 7, 2021 at 6:28 PM

    I agree that the "improvement of human reasoning" applies to both cases in the story. It offers guidance to readers about religious discovery while also telling a story about a boy who's "human reasoning" improved as he aged.

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  3. Jojo LampkaNovember 8, 2021 at 8:52 AM

    I had the thought that the improvement segment could be mistranslated... maybe it means something closer to "development"

    ReplyDelete
  4. bella burleighNovember 8, 2021 at 10:52 PM

    I think the title is very vague. It simply states "The Improvement of Human Reasoning" without stating how the book does this. This is clearly done on purpose, and in my opinion it is done on purpose so that the audience can come to their own conclusion on how the book answers the title. Therefore, I think this book can be a bit of both/a combination, too.

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  5. Michelle BNovember 13, 2021 at 1:42 PM

    As I've mentioned in several blog posts, the translation is not really a translation--it's a newly invented title. Does that change how you think about its meaning?

    ReplyDelete

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