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Abou Yousuf Yaqub ibn Ishaq al-Kindi (800?-873), also known as Alkindus to the Western world (Arabic: أبو يعقوب يوسف بن إسحاق الكندي), was a Arab philosopher, scientist and ophthalmologist. He was born in Kufa around 800. His father was an official of Caliph Harun al-Rashid. Al-Kindi was well known for his beautiful calligraphy --- at one point, he was employed as a calligrapher by al-Mutawakkil and was a contemporary of al-Mamun and al-Mu'tasim at Baghdad. He died in 873 C.E. during the reign of al-M'utamid.
Like Averroes, Avicenna, and Alhazen, he was a master of many different areas of thought. He was an expert in music, philosophy, astronomy, medicine, geography, and mathematics, and spent his many years in Baghdad dedicated to his studies of these fields.
As a physician, al-Kindi was the first pharmacologist to determine and apply a correct dosage for most of the drugs available at the time. As an advanced chemist, he was an opponent of alchemy; he debunked the myth that simple, base metals could be transformed into precious metals, such as gold or silver. In mathematics, he wrote a number of books dedicated to the number system, and contributed greatly to the foundation of modern arithmetic. Though al-Khawarizmi was the father of the Arabic numerals system, Al-Kindi made many great developments in the field, as well.
Prolific to say the least, al-Kindi authored at least two hundred and fifty books, contributing heavily to geometry (32 books), medicine and philosophy (22 books each), logic (9 books), and physics (12). His influence in the fields of physics, mathematics, medicine, philosophy and music were far-reaching and lasted for several centuries. Several of his books were translated in the Middle Age to Latin by Gherard of Cremona. Most of his books, unfortunately, were lost. Al-Kindi (who was known as Alkindus in Latin) was also an early translator of books in Greek into Arabic language.
In culture
Al-Kindi is mentioned in passing in Umberto Eco's novel The Name of the Rose.
Related topics
External link
Al-Kindi (http://www.famousmuslims.com/YAQUB%20IBN%20ISHAQ%20AL-KINDI.htm). Famous Muslins.
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