 Al-Fārābī studies the various roles of language in human life and society.  He emphasises the use of language to convey information, to ask questions and resolve disagreements, and to describe distinctions and classifications.  He believes that language in some sense copies meanings, and that mismatches between language and meanings need to be avoided.  He presents Aristotle’s logic as a collection of methods for exercising persuasion, regulating debate, discovering truth and achieving certainty.  He also explores its applications in poetry.  Along the way he makes many acute observations on issues ranging from the sources of metaphysical questions to the temporal structure of events and the relationship between poetry and music.