[QatzelOk]

(From the Fourth Prefatory Discussion of Al Muqaddimah by Abd Ar Rahman bin Muhammed ibn Khaldun)

The influence of the air (climate) upon human character

WE have seen that Negroes are in general characterized by
levity, excitability, and great emotionalism. They are found eager to dance whenever
they hear a melody. They are everywhere described as stupid. The real reason for
these (opinions) is that, as has been shown by philosophers in the proper place, joy
and gladness are due to expansion and diffusion of the animal spirit. Sadness is due
to the opposite, namely, contraction and concentration of the animal spirit.

It has been shown that heat expands and rarefies air and vapors and increases their
quantity. A drunken person experiences inexpressible joy and gladness, because the
vapor of the spirit in his heart is pervaded by natural heat, which the power of the
wine generates in his spirit. The spirit, as a result, expands, and there is joy.

Likewise, when those who enjoy a hot bath inhale the air of the bath, so that the heat
of the air enters their spirits and makes them hot, they are found to experience joy. It
often happens that they start singing, as singing has its origin in gladness.

Now, Negroes live in the hot zone (of the earth). Heat dominates their
temperament and formation. Therefore, they have in their spirits an amount of heat
corresponding to that in their bodies and that of the zone in which they live. In
comparison with the spirits of the inhabitants of the fourth zone, theirs are hotter
and, consequently, more expanded. As a result, they are more quickly moved to joy
and gladness, and they are merrier. Excitability is the direct consequence.

In the same way, the inhabitants of coastal regions are somewhat similar to
the inhabitants of the south. The air in which they live is very much hotter because
of the reflection of the light and the rays of (the sun from) the surface of the sea.
Therefore, their share in the qualities resulting from heat, that is, joy and levity, is
larger than that of the (inhabitants of) cold and hilly or mountainous countries.
To a degree, this may be observed in the inhabitants of the Jarid in the third zone. The
heat is abundant in it and in the air there, since it lies south of the coastal plains and
hills.

Another example is furnished by the Egyptians. Egypt lies at about the same
latitude as the Jarid. The Egyptians are dominated by joyfulness, levity, and
disregard for the future. They store no provisions of food, neither for a month nor a
year ahead, but purchase most of it (daily) in the market.

Fez in the Maghrib, on the other hand, lies inland (and is) surrounded by cold hills.
Its inhabitants can be observed to look sad and gloomy and to be too much concerned for the future.
Although a man in Fez might have provisions of wheat stored, sufficient to last him for years,
he always goes to the market early to buy his food for the day, because he
is afraid to consume any of his hoarded food.

This version was translated by Franz Rosenthal (a German Jew) in the 1950s, so the vocabulary used ("negro") often reflects the culture of the translator more than the culture of Ibn Khaldun.

Other than the un-PC words, I find the philosophical direction of this text... very interesting and fresh.

[QatzelOk]

I'm going to extrapolate here, and suggest that Ibn Khaldun is saying that humans who live in northern climates learn to interiorize their environmental condition and become hoarders. And that this mentality is incompatible with southern mentalities who live in the here and now off the interest of nature (once again, according to the author).

Knowing that Inuit (traditional northerners) didn't hoard (because no property ownership) means that it was probably only cold-weather property owners that developed that world-destroying greed that results from channeling winter blues into superfluous hyper-consumption.

[Sphinx]

I got Ibn-Khaldun's book in my dad's library. But I never considered reading it as I always thought that since it was written in medieval times it will be hard to read. But after reading the OP I have to say that I am really astonished by how tractable the text is. I am definitely adding this book to my to-read list.

This thread should go to the Sociology subforum though; as Ibn-Khaldun is actually the founder of the field of Sociology.

[The Sabbaticus]

Whenever Muslims claim that a certain 'Islamic scholar' is actually the founder of a particular scientific field, you can pretty much expect the claim to be utterly devoid of merit. E.g. Ibn Khaldoun refers to 'vapours' and 'animal spirit'. And makes erroneous conclusions about reflective heat from the surface of the ocean and offers superficial understanding of food storage habits, e.g. the Egyptians -- their agricultural base was at that time producing a surplus, which was most likely centrally stored, as was the custom in this ancient region. In periods of abundance with a stable food supply, there is no need to privately store large amounts of foodstuffs. Not to mention most types of food spoiling rather quickly in that climate.

[Sphinx]

I am not claiming anything. Read this for example:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ibn-Khaldun

[The Sabbaticus]

That entry makes use of the following superlatives: "the greatest", "amazing", "which have not received as much attention as they deserve", etc. Sounds like it was written by his publicist, rather than an objective observer.

[Sphinx]

What is the agenda? That Muslims contributed to human knowledge?

[The Sabbaticus]

Petro-Arabs have extensive financial dealings with British publishers. If they're financing biased documentaries, they're most likely also pushing a pro-Islamic agenda in encyclopaedias and academic works. How many "Islamic studies' university positions and departments on world renowned Western universities are financed by the petro-Arabs? Probably all of them.

[Beren]

Another example is furnished by the Egyptians. Egypt lies at about the same
latitude as the Jarid. The Egyptians are dominated by joyfulness, levity, and
disregard for the future. They store no provisions of food, neither for a month nor a
year ahead, but purchase most of it (daily) in the market.

They might have forgotten how to store provisions of food, but the Egyptians had been taught to hoard before!

[QatzelOk]

Ibn Khaldoun refers to 'vapours' and 'animal spirit'...reflective heat from the surface of the ocean ...food storage habits...

The fact that he speaks of so much general information on such a wide variety of subjects, demonstrates that he is much more than a sociologist. He has a general love of knowledge - which is pretty well the most basic definition of both philosophy (love of knowledge) and of scientist (person who neutrally observes phenomena).

But I do find it interesting how his cautionary examination of varying national characters contrasts with the "one size fits all" of the multinational banks/corporations/religions.

Of course, in his day, it was hard to be brutal with religious superstions. His expression "group feeling" sounds like an early version of "group think" which is the result of "social reproduction."

Social Reproduction Explained
[youtube]y-PvBo75PDo[/youtube]

[QatzelOk]

Knowing that Inuit (traditional northerners) didn't hoard (because no property ownership) means that it was probably only cold-weather property owners that developed that world-destroying greed that results from channeling winter blues into superfluous hyper-consumption.

I think I may have gotten it wrong here.

Living in harsh, northern (or harsh southern) climates means that you are forced - by natural conditions - to hoard. This mentality is appropriate for many kinds of natural ecosystems and levels of technological achievement.

Even with no technology, humans would be forced to stock (frozen) food sources and develop body fat in order to survive.

Perhaps it is by transfering these environmentally-developed traits onto material greed (an unnatural product of propaganda and group think) that northerners do such great harm to the entire Earth.

If so, the culprit is STILL property ownership.