Iranian Journal for the History of Islamic Civilization

Iranian Journal for the History of Islamic Civilization

Ibn al-Haytham and the Redefinition of Induction in the Natural Sciences: From Aristotelian Syllogism to Empirical Demonstration

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Naeem Sherafat 1
Zahra Ghomi Oili 2
1 Assistant Professor, Department of History and Civilization of Islamic Nations, Faculty of Islamic Sciences and Research, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran
2 M.A. Student in History and Civilization of Islamic Nations, Department of History and Civilization of Islamic Nations, Faculty of Islamic Sciences and Research, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran
10.22059/jhic.2026.419642.654670
Abstract
This article employs a descriptive-analytical method and a comparative approach to examine the epistemological models of Aristotle and Ibn al-Haytham, focusing on the concept of scientific knowledge, the role of observation and experience, and the relationship between induction and demonstration. The central question is how these two models differ in organizing the production and validation of scientific knowledge. The findings show that this difference cannot be reduced to a simple opposition between syllogistic reasoning and experience. In Aristotle’s model, observation and experience provide the starting point of knowledge, while scientific validity is ultimately established through the formation of universals, causal explanation, and syllogistic demonstration. By contrast, Ibn al-Haytham redefines the role of experience by incorporating empirical testing into the evaluation and validation of theoretical claims. His concept of validation connects observation, experimentation, mathematical analysis, and demonstration, allowing results to be critically examined and reassessed. Analysis of Ibn al-Haytham’s optical works further shows that he distinguished between investigating the nature of a phenomenon and analyzing its measurable relations. Accordingly, he employed observation, experimentation, mathematical analysis, and demonstration in line with the epistemic structure of the problem under investigation. The article argues that Ibn al-Haytham’s principal innovation was not the rejection of the demonstrative tradition, but the reconstruction of the relationship among observation, experience, and demonstration and, consequently, a transformation of the criteria for validating scientific knowledge.
Keywords
Aristotle
Ibn al-Haytham
Validation
Demonstration
Induction
empirical testing
natural philosophy
history of science
Subjects
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Iranian Journal for the History of Islamic Civilization
Volume 59, Issue 1
(Spring & Summer 2026)
September 2026
Pages 193-216

  • Receive Date 29 July 2026
  • Revise Date 28 August 2026
  • Accept Date 14 September 2026