Classical Arabic Philosophy: An Anthology of Sources

462 Pages·2007·2.35 MB·English

by  Jon McGinnis

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This collection presents substantial selections from the works of the major Arabic philosophersof C
LASSICAL
the classical period (c. ninth through twelfth centuries) on topics including logic, philosophy
of science, natural philosophy, metaphysics, ethics, and politics. A general Introduction,
extensive annotation, a bibliography, and a glossary-index offer support both to scholars and A P
RABIC HILOSOPHY
to those approaching these rich materials for the first time.
An Anthology of Sources
“This is a very fine, well-conceived collection of philosophical materials that display the
intellectual rigor, power, and insights of the thinkers of the Arabic tradition. [It is] quite
impressive in what it covers. Issues in metaphysics, epistemology, language and ontology,
natural philosophy, practical philosophy, and more. . . . Certainly this book is far superior to
anything else currently available.”
—RɪcʜaʀdC. Taʏʟoʀ, Marquette University
“This book will make a major impact on the study, and especially the teaching, of Arabic
philosophy. . . . Reisman and McGinnis not only provide here a rich selection of standard
texts, but also translate several important works for the first time. This will no doubt become
the standard anthology on Arabic philosophy.”
—Peteʀ Adamsoɴ, King’s College London
JoɴMcGɪɴɴɪsis Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Missouri–St. Louis.
DavɪdC. Reɪsmaɴ is Associate Professor of Arabic-Islamic Thought in the Department of
Classics and Mediterranean Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago.
Translated with Introduction,
Notes, and Glossary by
ISBN-13: 978-0-87220-871-1
90000 J M G & D C. R
ON C INNIS AVID EISMAN
Cover image: “Philosophy”(Falsafa) in
9 780872 208711
Arabic script. Courtesy ofTom Gage. 0871
Classical Arabic
Philosophy
An Anthology of Sources
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Classical Arabic
Philosophy
An Anthology of Sources
Translated with Introduction,
Notes, and Glossary by
Jon McGinnis and David C. Reisman
Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
Indianapolis/Cambridge
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Copyright 0 2007 by Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
All rights reserved
For further information, please address:
Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
P.O. Box 44937
Indianapolis, IN 46244-0937
Cover design by Abigail Coyle
Text design by Carrie Wagner
Printed at Edwards Brothers, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Classical Arabic philosophy : an anthology of sources / translated with introduction, notes, and
glossary by Jon McGinnis and David C. Reisman.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-87220-871-1 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-0-87220-872-8 (cloth : alk. paper)
I. Philosophy, Islamic. I. McGinnis, Jon. 11. Reisman, David C.
B741 .C52 2007
I81'.92-dc22 2007018579
e-ISBN: 978-1-60384-033-0 (e-book)
To our sons
Lorcan, Morgan, and Gage
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Contents
Preface xi
Introduction xvii
I. Falsafa and the Arabic Translation
Movement xvii
II. The Intellectual World of the Ancient and Medieval
Mediterranean xix
III. The Physical Theory and Cosmology of Islamic Speculative
Theology (Kala¯m) xxviii
AL-KINDI¯ 1
I. The Explanation of the Proximate Effi cient Cause for Generation and
Corruption 1
II. On the Intellect 16
III. On Divine Unity and the Finitude of the World’s Body 18
IV. The One True and Complete Agent and the Incomplete Metaphorical
“Agent” 22
V. On the Means of Dispelling Sorrows 23
AR-RA¯ZI¯ 36
I. The Philosopher’s Way of Life 36
II. On the Five Eternals 44
III. Selections from Doubts against Galen 49
AL-FA¯RA¯BI¯ 54
I. The Eisag¯og¯e—The Introduction 55
II. Selections from Book of Demonstration 63
III. On the Intellect 68
IV. The Aims of Aristotle’s Metaphysics 78
vii
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viii Contents
V. The Principles of Existing Things 81
VI. Directing Attention to the Way to Happiness 104
BAGHDAD PERIPATETICS 121
I. Abu¯ Bishr Mattá: Selections from Commentary on Aristotle’s
Physics, II 7–9 122
II. Yah.yá ibn (cid:1)Ad¯ı: Selection from Establishing the
Nature of the Possible 128
III. Abu¯ Sulayma¯n as-Sijista¯n¯ı: Selection from On the Proper
Perfection of the Human Species 139
IBN SI¯NA¯ 146
I. The Cure, “Book of Demonstration,” I.9 147
II. The Cure, “Book of Demonstration,” III.5 152
III. The Cure, “Physics,” I.2 156
IV. Selections on Atomism from The Cure, “Physics” 164
V. Selections on “Inclination” (mayl) and Projectile Motion 171
VI. Selections on Psychology from The Cure, “The Soul” 175
VII. The Salvation, “Metaphysics,” I.12 209
VIII. The Salvation, “Metaphysics,” II.1–5 211
IX. The Salvation, “Metaphysics,” II.12–13 214
X. The Salvation, “Metaphysics,” II.18–19 216
XI. The Cure, “Metaphysics,” IV.2 219
XII. On Governance 224
AL-GHAZA¯LI¯ 238
I. Concerning That on Which True Demonstration Is Based 239
II. The Incoherence of the Philosophers, “The First Discussion,”
On Refuting Their Claim of the World’s Eternity 241
III. On Power 254
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Contents ix
IBN BA¯JJA 266
I. Selection from Commentary on Aristotle’s Physics 267
II. Conjunction of the Intellect with Man 269
IBN T.UFAYL 284
Selections from H. ayy ibn Yaqz.a¯n 284
IBN RUSHD 294
I. Selections from The Incoherence of the Incoherence, “First
Discussion” 295
II. The Decisive Treatise 309
III. Commentary on Metaphysics, Zeta 9 330
IV. Selections from Long Commentary On the Soul, Book III 335
V. Commentary on Metaphysics, Delta 7 360
AS-SUHRAWARDI¯ 367
Selections from The Philosophy of Illumination 368
Textual Notes 380
Bibliography 394
Glossary/Index: English/Arabic 403
Glossary/Index: Arabic/English 416
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