Avicenna's Influence on Aquinas' Early Doctrine of Creation in In II Sent., d. 1, q. 1, a. 2

Avicenna’s philosophy had a strong impact on many aspects of Thomas Aquinas’ thought; Aquinas’ early doctrine of creation is no exception to this. The present paper shows how the young Aquinas appeals to Avicenna’s metaphysics while formulating a novel view on the topic of the creation of the world, a view diverging significantly from those of such contemporaries as Bonaventure and Albert the Great. After a brief historical introduction to the various argumentative strategies concerning the creation of the world, the discussion turns to an analysis of Aquinas’ treatment in In II Sent., d. 1, q. 1, a. 2.