AL-KINDI, ABU JUSUF JA'QUB IBN ISHAQ. — Arab philosopher, theologian, and encyclopedic scholar, known in medieval Latin scholasticism by the name of Alkindi or Alchindus, born in Basra and died around 873.
He wrote on a wide variety of subjects, notably on all parts of logic; he composed an epitome of Aristotle’s Poetics, and an introduction to Aristotelian philosophy divided into three parts. He generally follows Aristotelian doctrine while sometimes adhering to Neoplatonism. Some of his minor works were translated into Latin, such as *On the Unity of God and the Finitude of the World* and another *On First Philosophy* (ed. Nagy). Many of his numerous writings remain unpublished. In theology, he opposed the doctrine of eternal attributes in God distinct from His essence. On the basis of Aristotelian logic, he also opposed the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, seeing in it the worship of three gods. Regarding the doctrine of the intellect, al-K. distinguishes four intellects.