The Book of Healing, the first chapter of Avicenna’s Contributions: A Journey from Metaphysics to Plant Studies, covers all aspects of Avicenna’s philosophy. This chapter examines logic, natural sciences, mathematics, and metaphysics, summarizing the main topics discussed. Avicenna follows an Aristotelian system for the logic and natural sciences sections, while also incorporating Euclid’s Elements, Ptolemy’s Almagest, and Nicomachus’s Introduction to Arithmetic in the mathematics section, completing it with his research in music theory.

In the metaphysics section, Avicenna discusses a range of topics, including the distinction between necessary and possible existence, the definition and parts of essence, the distinction between genus and species, and efficiency and final causes. This chapter summarizes the ideas of previous philosophers, clarifies doubts, and includes additional insights.