The Cervantes Institute receives the legacy of the Andalusian philosopher Averroes on the 900th anniversary of his birth

The Diplomat The Cervantes Institute's Vault of Letters received the legacy of Averroes (Cordoba, 1126 - Marrakech, 1198) on Tuesday, April 14, as part of the International Year commemorating the 900th anniversary of the Andalusian philosopher's birth in Cordoba. The legacy includes several books, among them a reissue of one of his major works, "Tahafut al-Tahafut" ("Refutation of the Refutation"). The tribute was presented by the director of the institution, Luis García Montero, and was attended by the president of the Council of State, Carmen Calvo; the Moroccan ambassador to Spain, Karima Benyaich; and Daniel Valdivieso, editor of Almuzara Libros. For García Montero, this is a recognition of a figure who represents "a decisive reference point for anti-dogmatic thought." “He was able to refute those who questioned the ideas of thinkers and established dialogues between his own identity and classical Greek and Latin culture,” he added. The director of the Cervantes Institute also recalled that Averroes opened a dialogue with other thinkers such as Maimonides in Judaism and Thomas Aquinas in Christianity, “thus defending multiculturalism.” “Giving reason a chance gives meaning to culture’s commitment to society, and Averroes did just that,” he emphasized. Box number 1611 housed this deposit, which included the book by the Cordoban philosopher "Tahafut al-Tahafut," published by Almuzara in 2025. This monumental 12th-century work is a defense of reason against dogmatic thought, conceived as a direct response to the famous "Tahafut al-Falasifa" ("The Refutation of the Philosophers") by Al-Ghazali (Algacel in the Castilian tradition). The collection also includes this latter work, published in 2026 by Almuzara. It is further complemented by other books such as "Averroes: An Introduction to His Thought" by Rafael Ramón Guerrero, and "Philosophy in Al-Andalus" by Andrés Martínez Lorca. The President of the Council of State and one of the driving forces behind the Averroes Year program, Carmen Calvo, declared that this tribute represents "a triumph of reason." “The fact that we are here demonstrates the importance of his work, because Averroes is of colossal stature and had to be recognized beyond the confines of his homeland,” she stated. Calvo also praised the philosopher’s “courage,” “capable of rising above turbulent waters, championing reason as the only instrument for navigating the complexities of life.” “We need Averroes, and I wish I were Minister of Health so I could prescribe him as part of the public health system, because he would improve our mental health,” she remarked humorously. For his part, the publisher of Almuzara expressed his “pride” in the addition of Averroes’s works to the Cervantes Institute’s Vault of Letters. “We hope that with this legacy we will help future generations to learn about Averroes and his historical context,” he concluded. Philosophy and religión Philosopher, jurist, and physician Averroes (Cordoba, 1126 – Marrakech, 1198) was a key figure in medieval thought, known for his commentaries on Aristotle and his reflections on the relationship between philosophy and religion. Educated in Andalusian Cordoba, he distinguished himself as a qadi in various cities and as a physician to the Almohad court. His intellectual curiosity led him to explore fields as diverse as Islamic jurisprudence, astronomy, and medicine, in which he left widely disseminated treatises. His central aim was to reconcile revealed faith with philosophical reason, convinced that both could lead to truth.

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