c. 1095-c. 1138

Arab philosopher, also called Avempace, who defended Johannes Philoponus's critique of Aristotle's ideas concerning motion. Aristotle had asserted that a physical body will remain in motion only as long as force is applied, whereas Johannes maintained that a body will keep moving in the absence of friction or opposition. Ibn Bajja was among a growing number of medieval scholars, including Ibn Sina (Avicenna), who upheld Johannes against Aristotle. Johannes's view was later substantiated by Isaac Newton's laws of motion.