An Islamic Philosophy of Virtuous Religions

Joshua Parens

Description

Joshua Parens provides an introduction to the thought of Alfarabi, a tenth-century Muslim political philosopher whose writings are particularly relevant today. Parens focuses on Alfarabi's Attainment of Happiness, in which he envisions the kind of government and religion needed to fulfill Islam's ambition of universal acceptance. Parens argues that Alfarabi seeks to temper the hopes of Muslims and other believers that one homogeneous religion might befit the entire world and counsels acceptance of the possibility of a multiplicity of virtuous religions. Much of Alfarabi's approach is built upon Plato's Republic, which Parens also examines in order to provide the necessary background for a proper understanding of Alfarabi's thought.
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations

1. Introduction

Alfarabi ’s Life and His Influence
Alfarabi’s Manner of Writing
Overview

2. The Impossibility of the City in the Republic

Kallipolis as Ideal State or Totalitarian Nightmare?
The Three Waves and the Problem of Possibility
The First Wave
The Second Wave
The Digression on War
The Third Wave

3. The A Fortiori Argument

Alfarabi on the Republic in the Attainment of Happiness: Educating Philosopher-kings to Rule the Inhabited World, the Challenge
Tension in the “Unity of the Virtues”: Hard vs. Soft
The Uneasy Peace between Prudence and Wisdom

4. Alfarabi on Jihad

From iman vs. kufr to islam vs. harb
Alfarabi’s Aphorisms on Jihad
Aphorisms 67 and 79
Aphorisms 11–16
Aphorisms 68–76
Alfarabi’s Attainment of Happiness on Jihad
Challenges to Compelling Good Character

5. The Multiplicity Argument

The Increasing Tendency toward Conquest and Domination
The Task of Deliberation: Shaping a Multiplicity of Characters
The Task of Theoretical Virtue: Shaping a Multiplicity of Opinions
Religion as an Imitation of Philosophy

6. The Limits of Knowledge and the Problem of Realization

Knowledge and Exploitation
Attainment of Happiness
The Philosophy of Aristotle: The Limits of Our Knowledge of Final Causes
Certainty and the Knowledge of Universals and Particulars
The Limits of Knowledge and the Inherent Multiplicity of Religion

Notes
Bibliography
Index

Sujets

• Philosophie
• Philosophie politique
• Philosophie antique
• Islam
• Ancient philosophy
• Theology

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791482124
• Langue: English

Extrait

An Islamic Philosophy

of Virtuous Religions

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An Islamic Philosophy

of Virtuous Religions

Introducing Alfarabi

Joshua Parens

State University of New York Press

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2006 State University of New York

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For information, address State University of New York Press, 194 Washington Avenue, Suite 305, Albany, NY 12210–2365

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Parens, Joshua, 1961– An Islamic philosophy of virtuous religions : introducing Alfarabi / Joshua Parens. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn.maci66-4197-0982-(ahdrocev:ralk.paper)1.aa˙Faa˙ria˙b.2.hiPsoloy,phslI I. Title b753.f34p27 2006 201'.5—dc22 2005014014

isbn-13: 978-0-7914-6689-6 (hardcover

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

: alk. paper)

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Contents

Introduction Alfarabi’s Life and His Influence Alfarabi’s Manner of Writing 5 Overview 7

3

The Impossibility of the City in theRepublic Kallipolis as Ideal State or Totalitarian Nightmare? 12 The Three Waves and the Problem of Possibility 14 The First Wave 17 The Second Wave 19 The Digression on War 22 The Third Wave 24

The A Fortiori Argument Alfarabi on theRepublicin theAttainment of Happiness:Educating Philosopher-kings to Rule the Inhabited World, the Challenge 30 Tension in the “Unity of the Virtues”: Hard vs. Soft 38 The Uneasy Peace between Prudence and Wisdom 47

Alfarabi onJihâd Fromîmânvs.kufrtoislâmvs. Óharb Alfarabi’sAphorismsonJihâd 60 Aphorisms 67 and 79 61 Aphorisms 11–16 64 Aphorisms 68–76 67

58

vii

ix

1

9

29

55

vi

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

AnIslamicPhilosophy ofVirtuousReligions

Alfarabi’sAttainment of HappinessonJihâd Challenges to Compelling Good Character

The Multiplicity Argument The Increasing Tendency toward Conquest and Domination 80 The Task of Deliberation: Shaping a Multiplicity of Characters 85 The Task of Theoretical Virtue: Shaping a Multiplicity of Opinions 93 Religion as an Imitation of Philosophy 97

72 74

The Limits of Knowledge and the Problem of Realization Knowledge and Exploitation 104 Attainment of Happiness 105 ThePhilosophy of Aristotle:The Limits of Our Knowledge of Final Causes 108 Certainty and the Knowledge of Universals and Particulars 115 The Limits of Knowledge and the Inherent Multiplicity of Religion 121

Notes

Bibliography

Subject/Author Index

Index of Passages from Alfawarabi’s Attainment of Happiness

77

103

125

155

159

169

Acknowledgments

I thank the Earhart Foundation, together with my university, the Univer- sity of Dallas, for generously funding a sabbatical leave (AY 2003–2004), during which I drafted this book. I also thank Cornell University Press for allowing me to reprint words, phrases, and paragraphs fromAlfarabi: The Political Writings: The Philosophy of Plato and Aristotle,trans. Muhsin Mahdi (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1969, 2001) andAlfarabi: The Political Writings: “Selected Aphorisms” and Other Writings,trans. Charles E. Butterworth (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2001). Even more than in my first book, my debt to Muhsin Mahdi is evident on every page. I thank my parents for their support throughout my life and for a con- versation I had with them, especially my mother, one day that led to this book. To my wife and son, I am most grateful for your patience.

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AH Aphorisms BR BL PA PP PPA PR VC

Meta. NE REP.

AFIPP

Abbreviations

Alfarabi,Attainment of Happiness Selected Aphorisms Book of Religion Book of Letters Philosophy of Aristotle Philosophy of Plato Philosophy of Plato and Aristotle(the trilogy ofAH, PP, PA) Political Regime Principles of the Opinions of the Inhabitants of the Virtuous City

Aristotle,Metaphysics Nicomachean Ethics Plato,Republic

Muhsin Mahdi,Alfarabi and the Foundation of

ix

Islamic Political Philosophy