Avicenna's consideration of the essence-attributes question may be elucidated in terms of his ontological analysis of the modalities of being; namely impossibility, contingency, and necessity. Avicenna argued that the impossible being is that which cannot exist, while the contingent in itself (mumkin bi-dhatihi) has the potentiality to be or not to be without entailing a contradiction. When actualized, the contingent becomes a 'necessary existent due to what is other than itself' (wajib al-wujud bi-ghayrihi). Thus, contingency-in-itself is potential beingness that could eventually be actualized by an external cause other than itself. The metaphysical structures of necessity and contingency are different. Necessary being due to itself (wajib al-wujud bi-dhatihi) is true in itself, while the contingent being is 'false in itself' and 'true due to something else other than itself'. The necessary is the source of its own being without borrowed existence. It is what always exists. COUNT 5
QSN1 What is one modality of being that Avicenna analyzed? ANS1 necessity QSN2 According to Avicenna, what could eventually be actualized by an external cause? ANS2 contingency-in-itself QSN3 What is the necessary according to Avicenna? ANS3 the source of its own being without borrowed existence QSN4 According to Avicenna, what always exists? ANS4 The necessary QSN5 If necessary being is true in itself, what is contingent? ANS5 false in itself