Obituary of Dr David C. Reisman

In this short obituary, we pay a tribute to the memory of Dr David C. Reisman. Dr Reisman was a promising scholar in the field of Islamic studies. He passed away suddenly at the age of 41 in the UK on January 2, 2011. Dr Reisman was an associate Professor of Arabic-Islamic Thought in the Department of Classics and Mediterranean Studies, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, at the University of Illinois, Chicago. David had obtained his BA and MA from Boston University, and his PhD from Yale University.

We are sad to announce the death of a promising scholar in the field of Islamic studies, Dr David C. Reisman, who passed away suddenly at the age of 41 in the UK on January 2, 2011. Dr Reisman was an associate Professor of Arabic-Islamic Thought in the Department of Classics and Mediterranean Studies, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, at the University of Illinois, Chicago. David had obtained his BA and MA from Boston University, and his PhD from Yale University.

His areas of research and publication were in the fields of classical Arabic philology, codicology, the history of ideas in the Islamic world philosophy, history of science and literature.

Some of his recent publications include:

• (Co-editor with Jon McGinnis and translator), Classical Arabic Philosophy: An Anthology of Sources. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 2007.

• (Co-editor with Jon McGinnis), Interpreting Avicenna: Science and Philosophy in Medieval Islam. Proceedings of the Second Avicenna Study Group Colloquium. Leiden: Brill, 2004. Pp. xviii + 255. (Islamic Philosophy, Theology and Science series, vol. 53).

• (Editor) Before and After Avicenna. Proceedings of the First Avicenna Study Group Colloquium. Leiden: Brill, 2003. Pp. xix + 302. (Islamic Philosophy, Theology and Science series, vol. 51).

• The Making of the Avicennan Tradition: The Transmission, Contents, and Structure of Ibn Sina’s al-Mubahathat (The Discussions), Leiden: Brill, 2002. Pp. xx + 333. (Islamic Philosophy, Theology and Science series, vol. 49).

Recently, Dr Reisman was working on:

• The syntax of formal arguments in medieval Arabic philosophy
• Medieval Arabic medical textbooks.

Dr Reisman’s books

Classical Arabic Philosophy: An Anthology of Sources

This volume introduces the major classical Arabic philosophers through substantial selections from the key works (many of which appear in translation for the first time here) in each of the fields—including logic, philosophy of science, natural philosophy, metaphysics, ethics, and politics—to which they made significant contributions. An extensive introduction situating the works within their historical, cultural, and philosophical contexts offers support to students approaching the subject for the first time, as well as to instructors with little or no formal training in Arabic thought. A glossary, select bibliography, and index are also included (click here for more information).

The Making of the Avicennan Tradition: The Transmission, Contents, and Structure of Ibn Sina’s al-Mubahatat (The Discussions)

ISBN: 978 90 04 12504 9
This volume represents a new philological approach to the study of the medieval philosopher Avicenna by investigating the manuscripts and textual transmission of his philosophical correspondence with students and colleagues (click here for more information).

Before and After Avicenna: Proceedings of the First Conference of the Avicenna Study Group

ISBN: 978 90 04 12978 8
This collection of papers addresses a variety of aspects of the life and thought of the medieval philosopher Avicenna including his reception of Classical philosophy, his views on topics such as metaphysics, psychology and medicine. (click here for more information).

Read online: Before and after Avicenna.

Interpreting Avicenna: Science and Philosophy in Medieval Islam. Proceedings of the Second Conference of the Avicenna Study Group

ISBN: 978 90 04 13960 2
The work treats various aspects of Avicennan philosophy and science. The topics include methods for establishing an authentic Avicenna corpus, natural philosophy and science, theology and metaphysics and Avicenna’s subsequent historical influence (click here for more information).

Cem Nizamoglu