Fahr al-Din al-Razi on Animal Cognition and Immortality

This paper is devoted to a fascinating passage in Fahr al-Din al-Razi (d. 1210), in which he argues that non-human animals have rational souls. It is found in his Mulahhas fi l-mantiq wa-l-hikma (Epitome on Philosophy and Logic). Following a discussion of the afterlife, Fahr al-Din suggests that animals should, like humans, be capable of grasping universals, and that they are aware of their own identity over time. Furthermore, animal behavior shows that they are capable of rational planning and problem-solving. We contextualize these arguments with reference to Fahr al-Din's other philosophical works, and also compare the considerations he raises to ideas found in modern-day animal ethics, drawing here especially on the work of Mark Rowlands. The paper concludes with a translation of the passage.