Neoplatonism and Islamic Thought

Parviz Morewedge

Paperback, 268 pages

9780791413364

This book explores, through their Neoplatonism, the philosophies of four cultures: North African, Moorish Spanish, Greek, and Islamic. Originating in North Africa, Neoplatonism became the framework for philosophical reflection in these diverse cultural settings. Neoplatonic themes like emanationism are found in all of them, despite the difficulty of reconciling such philosophical ideas with religious orthodoxy. 

Contents

I. The Context of Islamic Neoplatonism

A Critical Analysis of the Structure of the Kalam fi mahd al-khair (Liber de causis)

The Relevance of Avicennian Neoplatonism

The Neoplatonic Structure of Some Islamic Mystical Doctrines

II. Neoplatonism and Islamic Philosophy

Quiddity and Universality in Avicenna

Self-Knowing in Plato, Plotinus, and Avicenna

Al-Razi and al-Tusi on Ibn Sina's Theory of Emanation

Al-Farabi , Emanation, and Metaphysics

The Universal Soul and the Particular Soul in Ismaili Neoplatonism

The Transformation of Spiritual Substance into Bodily Substance in Ismaili Neoplatonism

The Circle of Spiritual Ascent According to Al-Qunawi

The Return to 'The One' in the Philosophy of Najm Al-Din Al-Kubra

Revelation and 'Natural' Knowledge of God