Continuing Education: Introduction to Arabic Philosophy (with Suggested Reading)

When you tackle a topic like this, the best place to start your research is in a reputable and reliable encyclopedia like the Encyclopedia Britannica. A perusal of several EB articles revealed the following eye-opening facts:

 
~ Islamic philosophy and Arabic philosophy are phrases that are used interchangeably, and the beginning of the philosophical movements in the Islamic world dates back to the 9th century.

~ Arabic philosophy combined the Western philosophies of Aristotelianism and Neoplatonism with other ideas introduced through Islam.

~ Al-Kindī is honored as being the first Muslim philosopher. He was known as “the philosopher of the Arabs”. How did he know so much about Western philosophy? He was appointed by the Abbasid Caliphs to work alongside his contemporaries and translate Greek philosophical and scientific works into Arabic.

~ An important distinction must be made between Islamic philosophy versus Islamic theology (or religion). That distinction is that … it is very similar to Western philosophy in that the philosophers sort of try to eliminate God or Divine Intervention from the picture and rely on non-religious secular human reasoning and science to explain TRUTH and the UNIVERSE.

~ In addition to Al-Kindī, others who made significant contributions to Arabic philosophy in the medieval Islamic world include: al-Farabi and Avicenna (Persia); Averroës (Andalusian Spain); and Ibn Khaldūn (Egypt).

~ Curiously, Christian and Jewish thinkers also participated in and influenced the Islamic or Arabic philosophical movements.

~ The first period, from the 9th to the 12th (or 14th) century, is referred to as classical or early Islamic philosophy. After that time, interest in the movement declined due to a lack of supporters. However, there were and are still those who pursued a course of philosophical study to this day.

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The articles in the Encyclopedia Britannica provided a great introduction to Islamic/Arabic philosophy. ly, I would like to recommend one more article published via Encyclopedia.com, which is a much easier read. Arabian Philosophy | Encyclopedia.com. ~ www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/arabian-philosophy
- Image credit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_philosophy
- Secondary source link: tinyurl.com/3uze7k9a

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Societyand Culture: What Does Arab Mean? 

Genealogyof Abraham ~ Modern Day Arabs and Their Father Abraham ~ Why dobrothers fight?

Religions of Man: Quick Intro to Baha'ism 

• Oases of Wisdom. “Al-Kindi - The Father of Arab Philosophy (Philosophy).” YouTube, 6 Feb. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rupVEtG4WU&t=2s.

• Kings and Generals. “Islamic Golden Age - Philosophy and Humanities.” YouTube, 30 Apr. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M5wyH4kNZE.

Additional Reading:

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