DOCSLIB.ORG

1 ISLA 345: Science & Civilization in Islam FJ Ragep

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
1 ISLA 345: Science & Civilization in Islam FJ Ragep ISLA 345: Science & Civilization in Islam F. J. Ragep TTh 11:35-12:55; Birks 203 Fall 2014 Off. Hrs: TTh 2:00-4:00 & by appt: Morrice Hall 320 ([email protected]) Reading Material A. The following books are available in the bookstore [B]: Peter E. Pormann and Emilie Savage-Smith, Medieval Islamic Medicine (required) J. L. Berggren, Episodes in the Mathematics of Medieval Islam (required) B. The following are on reserve in the Islamic Studies library [R]: J. L. Berggren, Episodes in the Mathematics of Medieval Islam Ahmad S. Dallal, Islam, Science, and the Challenge of History: The Terry Lectures Frank Griffel, Al-Ghazālī’s Philosophical Theology Dimitri Gutas, Greek Thought, Arabic Culture: The Graeco-Arabic Translation Movement in Baghdad and Early ʿAbbāsid Society (2nd-4th/8th-10th Centuries) Dimitri Gutas, Avicenna and the Aristotelian Tradition: Introduction to Reading Avicenna’s Philosophical Works (2nd edition, 2014) Pervez Hoodbhoy, Islam and Science: Religious Orthodoxy and the Battle for Rationality George F. Hourani, Averroes on the Harmony of Religion and Philosophy Ibn Khaldūn, The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History B. F. Musallam, Sex and Society in Islam Peter E. Pormann and Emilie Savage-Smith, Medieval Islamic Medicine F. J. Ragep, Naṣīr al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī’s Memoir on Astronomy (al-Tadhkira) Franz Rosenthal, The Classical Heritage in Islam A. I. Sabra, The Optics of Ibn Al-Haytham Aydın Sayılı, The Observatory in Islam [A course packet of readings] D. Readings from myCourses are indicated by [E] Class Schedule I. Sept. 2, 4: Introduction to Islamic Science and Civilization Readings: [E] F. J. Ragep, “Islamic Culture and the Natural Sciences” [Intro; The Historical and Cultural Background], pp. 27-33 [B, R] Berggren, Episodes, pp. 1-28 [E] F. J. Ragep, “When Did Islamic Science Die? (And Who Cares?)” http://islamsci.mcgill.ca/Viewpoint_ragep.pdf II. Sept. 9: Rationality Homegrown: Religious Knowledge within Islam Readings: [E] F. J. Ragep, “Islamic Culture and the Natural Sciences” [The Theological (Kalām) Approach to the Phenomenal World], pp. 53-57 [E] N. Heer, “A Lecture on Islamic Theology” http://faculty.washington.edu/heer/theology-sep.pdf III. Sept. 11, 16: The Meaning of Knowledge in Islamic Civilization (Classification of the Sciences) Readings: [E] Sabra, “The Appropriation and Subsequent Naturalization of Greek Science in Medieval Islam,” pp. 3-27 [original pagination: 223-243] [E,R] Rosenthal, Classical Heritage in Islam, pp. 52-73; 74-82; 114-116 IV. Sept. 18, 23: Secular Knowledge in Islamic Civilization: Sources and Motivations Readings: [E] F. J. Ragep, “Islamic Culture and the Natural Sciences” [The Translation of Greek Natural Philosophy into Arabic: Background&Motivations; Translators&Their Patrons], pp. 34-40 [E, R] Rosenthal, Classical Heritage, pp. 1-23 1 V. Sept. 25, 30: Secular Knowledge in Islamic Civilization: Doctrines and Champions Readings: [E] F. J. Ragep, “Islamic Culture and the Natural Sciences” [The Natural Philosophy Tradition in Islam; Defenders and Practitioners of Natural Philosophy; Transformations…], pp. 40-53, 57-61 [E] Sabra, “Some Remarks on Al-Kindī...” [7 pp.] [E] J. McGinnis, “Arabic and Islamic Natural Philosophy and Natural Science,” http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/arabic-islamic-natural/ VI. Oct. 2, 7: Interactions of Science and Religion in Islam Readings: [E] “The Attack of al-Ghazzālī upon Philosophers and Response of Averroes” [4 pp] [E] Averroes, “Decisive Treatise,” in George Hourani, Averroes on the Harmony of Religion and Philosophy, pp. 50-62 [E] Ibn Khaldūn, The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History, pp. 258-264 [E] F. Griffel, “Al-Ghazali,” http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/al-ghazali/ VII. Oct. 9, 14: Institutions and Individuals Readings: [E] I. Fazlioğlu, “The Samarqand Mathematical-Astronomical School” http://islamsci.mcgill.ca/Fazlioglu.pdf [E] F. Charette, “The Locales of Islamic Astronomical Instrumentation,” pp.123-138 [E] Avicenna, Autobiography (trans. D. Gutas) [E] Prologue to al-Ghāfiqī’s Herbal (trans. F.J. Ragep) [E] “A Newly Found Letter of al-Kāshī” (trans. M. Bagheri) MIDTERM EXAM: Thursday, Oct. 16 VIII. Oct. 21, 23: March 1: Medicine and Biology Readings: [B] P. Pormann and E. Savage-Smith, Medieval Islamic Medicine [E] B. Musallam, Sex and Society in Islam, pp. 10-59 [159-183] PAPER: Due Oct. 28 [on Sex and Society] IX. Oct. 28, 30: Optics and Vision Readings: [E] Sabra, “Optics, Islamic,” pp. 179-186 [E, R] Sabra, The Optics of Ibn al-Haytham, pp. 3-6, 63-70, 113, 126-138, 200-206 X. Nov. 4, 6, 11: Mathematics Readings: [B, R] Berggren, Episodes, pp. 29-48, 63-67, 99-108, 124-125, 127-135 MATHEMATICS ASSIGNMENT Due November 13 XI. Nov. 13, 18, 20, 25: Astronomy Readings: [E] F. J. Ragep, “Astronomy” Encyclopedia of Islam, 3d ed. http://www.brillonline.nl/subscriber/uid=1417/entry?entry=ei3_COM-22652 [E] Ibn al-Haytham’s Introduction to Doubts Concerning Ptolemy [E, R] F. J. Ragep, Naṣīr al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī’s Memoir, pp. 90-112, 158-160 (para. 25 only), 194-204 [B, R] Berggren, Episodes, pp. 141-143, 165-173, 176-186 ASTRONOMY ASSIGNMENT Due November 27 XII. Nov. 27, Dec. 2: Transmission, Mutual Influence, and Modern Repercussions Readings: [E] F. J. Ragep, “Copernicus and His Islamic Predecessors,” pp.65- 81 [E, R] Dallal, Islam, Science, and the Challenge of History, ch. 4 (pp. 149-176) 2 ISLA 345: Science & Civilization in Islam F. J. Ragep TTh 11:35-12:55; Birks 203 Fall 2014 Course Information 1. Office Hrs: TTh 2:00-4:00 and by appointment. [Morrice Hall 320] 2. Generally, readings should be completed by the beginning of the week in which they are assigned. 3. Make-up of an examination, or late submission of papers, will be permitted without penalty only in cases of serious illness or emergency (such as a death in the family); approval for such a make-up exam or late essay submission must be obtained in advance in all but highly exceptional cases. 4. Late submissions of assignments or papers will be accepted but will be penalized a half letter-grade (or 5 points on a 100 scale) for every day it is late, up to a maximum of 50% penalty. Missed exams (other than the final) that are unexcused may (and should) be made up; they will be given 50% credit. 5. McGill is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for all students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who require accommodations in this course are requested to speak with the professor as early in the semester as possible. It would be helpful if you contact the Office for Students with Disabilities at 398-6009 (online at http://www.mcgill.ca/osd) before you do this. 6. In accord with McGill University’s Charter of Students’ Rights, students in this course have the right to submit in English or in French any written work that is to be graded. Conformément à la Charte des droits de l’étudiant de l’Université McGill, chaque étudiant a le droit de soumettre en français ou en anglais tout travail écrit devant être noté. 7. Permission from the instructor is needed for taping of Lectures. 8. Instructor generated course materials (e.g., handouts, notes, summaries, exam questions, etc.) are protected by law and may not be copied or distributed in any form or in any medium without explicit permission of the instructor. Note that infringements of copyright can be subject to follow up by the University under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures. 9. Grading: Midterm exam (Oct. 16) 15% Analytical paper (on Sex and Society) [ca. 6-8 pages] (due Oct. 28) 10% Two assignments on Math and Astronomy (due Nov. 13 and Nov. 27) 15% Research paper [ca. 10-15 pages] (final draft due Dec. 4) 20% Final Exam 25% The remaining 15% of the grade will be discretionary, being based 15% upon class attendance and participation in discussions. 10. McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore all students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures (see www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/honest/ for more information). 11. In the event of extraordinary circumstances beyond the University’s control, the content and/or evaluation scheme in this course is subject to change. ************************** 3 .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Maqâtil of the Zubayrids in Medieval
    Famous Last Words The Maqātil of the Zubayrids in Medieval Islamic Histories SANDRA S. CAMPBELL (San Diego State University) Abstract Death scenes, or maqātil, were used by early Muslim historians to convey the meaning of lives, and to show the righteousness or sinfulness of the historical figures they were reporting about. Careful historians, such as al-ṬABARĪ or al-BALĀDHURĪ, eschewed the most obviously legendary tales, but seem to have exercised leniency when recounting death scenes. Using accounts of the deaths of ʿA Allā al- a a i t M ʿab b. al-Zubayr, I argue that the death scenes of these men reflect anxiety later Muslims felt about fighting undertaken by the ṣaḥāba and tābiʿūn, forebears whom later Sunnis took as exemplars even though they had participated in civil wars against other Sunni figures. Both of these men died fighting for a cause that they likely deemed righteous, which raised the question of martyrdom. Could they be considered martyrs when they had died fighting other Muslims? Their death scenes indicate that these men at least died nobly, heroically fighting for their cause. Whatever their status in the next life, in their death scenes, they are given voices, posthumous though they might be, with which to preserve their memories in an edifying and morally uplifting fashion, and to hint at their ultimate fates. Introduction th th The famous 12 -13 century historian, IBN AL-ATHĪR, defended the usefulness of historical writing by arguing that the lessons of history encourage intelligent people to forbear in the face of adversity, to take consolation in knowing of the trials suffered by others, and to re- alize that life and fate in this lower world are arbitrary: A t t f l f i t f t t w l … t l i t lligent persons who reflect about the lessons of history will notice that the world turns its people upside down and plays havoc with its most prominent inhabitants.
    [Show full text]
  • A Traditionalist's Response to the Falāsifa
    The Virtuous Son of the Rational: A Traditionalist’s Response to the Falsifa (Conference Paper for Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Fordham University, Oct. 14–16, 2005) Nahyan Fancy University of Notre Dame Dimitri Gutas has recently made a strong case for considering the three centuries after Ibn Sn (d. 1037, lat. Avicenna) as the “Golden Age of Arabic Philosophy.”1 He argues that the “originality and depth of philosophical thought” and the “diffusion of philosophical work and influence on society in general” during this period far surpassed that of earlier and later periods.2 He traces the deep penetration of falsafa3 into Islamic intellectual life to the towering figure of Ibn Sn himself, who, by engaging with the religious and theological concerns and discussions of his day, made falsafa relevant for all subsequent discussions on philosophical and theological topics.4 Recent work by Robert Wisnovsky and Ayman Shihadeh has substantiated Gutas’s claim by further illuminating how much Ibn Sn was influenced by and, in turn, influenced subsequent theological discussions in kalm5 and other religious circles.6 What is abundantly clear from these studies is that thirteenth century philosophical and theological discussions had to contend with Ibn Sn’s sophisticated philosophical system, for it rationally defended and interpreted religious doctrines and 1 Dimitri Gutas, “The Heritage of Avicenna: The Golden Age of Arabic Philosophy, 1000–ca. 1350,” in Avicenna and His Heritage: Acts of the International Colloquium, Leuven-Louvain-La-Neuve, September 8–September 11, 1999, ed. Jules Janssens and Daniel De Smet (Leuven: Leuven University Press, 2002), pp. 81–97.
    [Show full text]
  • Archives in Medieval Islam by ERNST POSNER
    Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/american-archivist/article-pdf/35/3-4/291/2745727/aarc_35_3-4_x1546224w7621152.pdf by guest on 03 October 2021 Archives in Medieval Islam By ERNST POSNER N A CHAPTER of his Muqaddimah: An Introduction to His- tory, which deals with royalty and government, Ibn-Khaldun I (1332-1406) observes, "Royal authority requires soldiers, money, and the means to communicate with those who are absent. The ruler, therefore, needs persons to help him in the matters concerned with 'the sword,' 'the pen,' and finances; and among them the pen ranks high."1 It may have been thought to rank even higher than the sword and finances, for, according to Muslim tradition, the pen was the first object God created.2 Of its power and creativeness in Islamic culture there can be no doubt, and those who wielded the pen enjoyed great esteem. Poets and literati lent their talents to the business of government and, according to Ibn al-Sayrafl, achieved "with the pen what the sword and the lance over a long period of years had been unable to produce."3 Unfortunately, the use of the pen as an instrument of Muslim policy and the preservation of the products of the pen, namely offi- cial documents, have received too little attention so far. As a re- sult, archives-keeping in the Muslim states during the Middle Ages has not been fully recognized as a continuation of preceding prac- The author, Fellow and past president of the Society, continues with this essay his history of archives administration begun in Archives in the Ancient World [Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press; xviii, 283 p., illus.; bibliography, index; $>io] pub- lished in May 1972.
    [Show full text]
  • Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization (JITC)
    Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization (JITC) Volume 4, Issue 1, Spring 2014 ISSN: 2075-0943, eISSN: 2520-0313 Journal DOI: https://doi.org/10.32350/jitc Issue DOI: https://doi.org/10.32350/jitc.41 Homepage: https://www.umt.edu.pk/jitc/home.aspx Journal QR Code: Article: Towards Understanding the Muslim Historiography Indexing Partners and Muslim Historians Author(s): Samee-Ullah Bhat Online Pub: Spring 2014 Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.32350/jitc.41.04 Article QR Code: Bhat, Samee-Ullah. “Towards understanding the Muslim To cite this historiography and Muslim historians.” Journal of article: Islamic Thought and Civilization 4, no. 1 (2014): 63–74. Crossref This article is open access and is distributed under the terms of Copyright Creative Commons Attribution – Share Alike 4.0 International Information License A publication of the Department of Islamic Thought and Civilization School of Social Science and Humanities University of Management and Technology Lahore Volume 4, Issue I Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization Spring 2014 Towards Understanding the Muslim Historiography and Muslim Historians Samee-Ullah Bhat Senior Research scholar, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Kashmir Abstract Islam is a revealed religion and its principles are universal and permanent. These principles provide guidance and fashion life at all ages and all times. Islamic history and historiography is the science which informs us about our heritage, makes us conscious of links with the past, makes us aware of our origin, and provides us with a sense of direction for the future. The present paper highlights the very concept of history in Islam.
    [Show full text]
  • Orientalism and Orientalists Between Extremism and Exaggeration (*)
    American International Journal of Social Science Vol. 6, No. 3, September 2017 Orientalism and Orientalists between Extremism and Exaggeration (*) Dr. Ahmed Gumma Siddiek Former Head/Dept of English Azhari University-Sudan Shaqra University KSA Abstract This article discusses one of the most important issues that formed the cultural, political and social discourse between the West and the East. Orientalism was a hot issue that began some centuries ago and still going on. The Oreintalists were the spearhead in the Western political and cultural invasion in the East. The Muslim World has been a subject to investigations and experiments carried out by the Oreintalists, who were supposed to use survey approaches assumed to be objective and scientific to study the cultural resources of the Islamic Values. These resources were the Quran as the primary authenticated source of Islamic Knowledge and Islamic Teachings. In addition to the Sunna of the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) as the second source. But most of the Orientalists’ purposes and objectives were to disgrace these Islamic values by attacking the Quran and raising doubts about the prophet to destroy the Muslim personality. Great efforts were exerted to wash the brain of the Muslim individual, to pave for cultural occupation that would pave the way for military invasion of Muslims home lands, to serve the Western interests. This paper is shedding light on the historical controversial issue of Orientalists role in the Arabic Islamic World from the viewpoints of both the Western and Eastern scholars. The author claims to see a glimpse of hope to establish a new relation between the West and the East, based on the idea of sharing common human interests at one hand, and on the other hand, the West must be reminded of indebtedness to the East as the original source of all values and wisdom on which the Western modern civilization had been built.
    [Show full text]
  • UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Al-Ghazālī and Rasā'il
    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Al-Ghazālī and Rasā’il Ikhwān al-Ṣafā’: Their Influence on His Thought A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Islamic Studies by Abdullah Ozkan 2016 © Copyright by Abdullah Ozkan 2016 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Al-Ghazālī and Rasā’il Ikhwān al-Ṣafā’: Their Influence on His Thought by Abdullah Ozkan Doctor of Philosophy in Islamic Studies University of California, Los Angeles, 2016 Professor Khaled M. Abou El Fadl, Chair In his Munqidh, al-Ghazālī states that there were four classes of seekers of truth at his time: the theologians, the followers of the doctrine of Ta‘līm, the philosophers, and the Sufis. He depicts himself here as a Sufi who denounces the others, especially philosophy. This image of al-Ghazālī became the major perception of him from the beginning. But this perception changed completely in the twentieth century. The most recent scholarship challenges this image and views him as a kind of scholar who was heavily influenced by philosophy and disseminated its teachings in disguise. However, the concentration is given mostly to the philosophy of Ibn Sīnāwhile searching the source of this influence. While not denying the influence of Ibn Sīnā, this study argues that Rasā’il Ikhwān Ṣafā’ must be taken ii seriously as a major source of philosophical influence on al-Ghazālī’s thought despite the negative remarks he makes about them. It tries to prove its argument first by situating al- Ghazālī’s negative remarks in the political and social conditions of his time and second by comparing his works, especially his Mishkāt al-Anwār, with Rasā’il.
    [Show full text]
  • Nousletter 2015
    Department of Philosophy Noûsletter Number 21 - Summer 2015 No. 21 · Summer 2015 noûsletter Page 2 Table of Contents Peter Hare Outstanding Assistant Awards .............. 45 Letter from the Chair ................................................................... 3 Hare Award for Best Overall Essay .............................. 46 From the Director of Undergraduate Education ........... 7 Hourani Award for Outstanding Essay in Ethics .. 46 Faculty of the Department of Philosophy ......................... 7 Perry Awards for Best Dissertation ............................. 46 In Remembrance ............................................................................ 8 Steinberg Essay Prize Winners ...................................... 46 William Baumer (1932 —2014) ....................................... 8 Whitman Scholarship Winner ........................................ 46 Newton Garver (1928 – 2014) .......................................... 9 Confucian Institute Dissertation Fellowship .......... 46 Anthony Fay (1979-2015) ................................................ 11 The People Who Make It Possible ..................................... 47 Faculty Updates ........................................................................... 12 The Peter Hare Award ........................................................ 47 Introducing Alexandra King ............................................. 12 The Hourani Lectures ......................................................... 47 Introducing Nicolas Bommarito ...................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Teachings of Ibn Khaldun
    EUROZONE, FINANCE AND ECONOMY THE TEACHINGS OF IBN KHALDUN www.europeanreform.org @europeanreform Established by Margaret Thatcher, New Direction is Europe’s leading free market political foundation & publisher with offices in Brussels, London, Rome & Warsaw. New Direction is registered in Belgium as a not-for-profit organisation and is partly funded by the European Parliament. REGISTERED OFFICE: Rue du Trône, 4, 1000 Brussels, Belgium. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Naweed Khan. www.europeanreform.org @europeanreform The European Parliament and New Direction assume no responsibility for the opinions expressed in this publication. Sole liability rests with the author. TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD IBN KHALDUN, ISLAM’S MAN FOR ALL SEASONS by Dr Benedikt Koehler 6 1 IBN KHALDUN: HIS LIFE AND WORKS by Muhammad Hozien 12 2 IBN KHALDUN AND THE RISE AND FALL OF EMPIRES by Caroline Stone 22 3 IBN KHALDUN AND ADAM SMITH by James R. Bartkus & M. Kabir Hassan 32 4 IBN KHALDUN’S THOUGHT IN MICROECONOMICS by Cecep Maskanul Hakim 40 The articles included in this publication were originally published by the Istanbul Network for Liberty (http://istanbulnetwork.org), MuslimHeritage.com and the Alliance of Conservatives & Reformists in Europe (http://acreurope.eu). The articles have been lightly edited to match our in-house style. New Direction is particularly grateful for the great work and contribution of these scholars in the field of Islamic studies. 4 New Direction - The Foundation for European Reform www.europeanreform.org @europeanreform 5 FOREWORD IBN KHALDUN, ISLAM’S MAN FOR ALL SEASONS by Dr Benedikt Koehler ensions tearing at the basis of Islamic societies Ibn Khaldun’s moves and career changes suggest are never more acute than when stoked in the his relations with his superiors were tempestuous, T name of Islam.
    [Show full text]
  • MWF 4:35-5:25Pm; Sherbrooke 688, Rm 1078 Winter 2017 Off
    ISLA 345: Science & Civilization in Islam F. J. Ragep MWF 4:35-5:25pm; Sherbrooke 688, rm 1078 Winter 2017 Off. Hrs: MF 2:30-4:00 & by appt: Morrice Hall 024 ([email protected]) Reading Material A. The following books are available in the bookstore [B]: Peter E. Pormann and Emilie Savage-Smith, Medieval Islamic Medicine (required) J. L. Berggren, Episodes in the Mathematics of Medieval Islam (required) B. The following are on reserve in the Islamic Studies Library [ISL] [R]: J. L. Berggren, Episodes in the Mathematics of Medieval Islam Ahmad S. Dallal, Islam, Science, and the Challenge of History: The Terry Lectures Frank Griffel, Al-Ghazālī’s Philosophical Theology Dimitri Gutas, Greek Thought, Arabic Culture: The Graeco-Arabic Translation Movement in Baghdad and Early ʿAbbāsid Society (2nd-4th/8th-10th Centuries) Pervez Hoodbhoy, Islam and Science: Religious Orthodoxy and the Battle for Rationality George F. Hourani, Averroes on the Harmony of Religion and Philosophy Ibn Khaldūn, The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History B. F. Musallam, Sex and Society in Islam Peter E. Pormann and Emilie Savage-Smith, Medieval Islamic Medicine F. J. Ragep, Naṣīr al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī’s Memoir on Astronomy (al-Tadhkira) Franz Rosenthal, The Classical Heritage in Islam A. I. Sabra, The Optics of Ibn Al-Haytham Aydın Sayılı, The Observatory in Islam C. Readings at myCourses are indicated by [E]; handouts indicated by [H]; many of the readings and handouts are in a packet on reserve at the ISL. Class Schedule I. Jan. 4, 6, 9: Introduction to Islamic Science and Civilization Readings: [E] F.
    [Show full text]
  • Winter 2011 Department of Philosophy
    Department of Philosophy Noûsletter Number 19 - Winter 2011 No. 19 · Fall 2011 noûsletter Page 2 Table of Contents IGERT Fellowship Work .................................................... 21 Letter from the Chair .............................................................. 3 Perry Awards for Best Dissertation ............................. 21 Letter from the Director of Graduate Studies ............ 5 2011 Steinberg Essay Prize Winners .......................... 22 In Remembrance ............................................................................ 6 2011 Whitman Scholarship Winner ............................ 22 Peter Hewitt Hare (1935-2008) ....................................... 6 People Who Made It Possible ............................................... 22 Kenneth Barber (1940-2008) ............................................ 7 The Peter Hare Award ........................................................ 22 Kenneth K. Inada (1924-2011) ......................................... 7 The Hourani Lectures ......................................................... 23 Faculty Updates .............................................................................. 8 The Steinberg Award........................................................... 25 Introducing David Braun ...................................................... 8 The Romanell Award ........................................................... 25 Introducing Richard Cohen ................................................. 8 The Perry Award ..................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Ibn Al-Haytham's Revision of the Euclidean Foundations Of
    Research Collection Journal Article Ibn al-Haytham’s Revision of the Euclidean Foundations of Mathematics Author(s): Ighbariah, Ahmad; Wagner, Roy Publication Date: 2018-03 Permanent Link: https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000315867 Originally published in: HOPOS: The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science 8(1), http:// doi.org/10.1086/695957 Rights / License: In Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Permitted This page was generated automatically upon download from the ETH Zurich Research Collection. For more information please consult the Terms of use. ETH Library Copyright The International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science 2017. Preprint (not copyedited or formatted). Please use DOI when citing or quoting. DOI: 10.1086/695957 Abstract: This article studies Ibn al-Haytham’s treatment of the common notions from Euclid’s Elements (usually referred to today as the axioms). We argue that Ibn al-Haytham initiated a new approach with regard to these foundational statements, rejecting their qualification as innate, self-evident or primary. We suggest that Ibn al-Haytham’s engagement with experimental science, especially optics, led him to revise the framing of Euclidean common notions in a way that would fit his experimental approach. In his great work on optics, al-ManÁÛir (henceforth: Optics), Ibn al-Haytham does not restrict himself to explaining the sensual processing of visual phenomena (involving light, the eye of the viewer, the position of the observed object with respect to the eye, etc.). He also studies the process of producing cognitive concepts and judgments at the intellectual level.
    [Show full text]
  • Alfarabi's Hermeneutics of Religion: Contemporary Relevance of His Perspectives on Freedom of Religion
    Alfarabi's Hermeneutics of Religion: Contemporary Relevance of His Perspectives on Freedom of Religion Osman Bilen Faculty of Theology, Dokuz Eylül University Adnan Süvari Mah. 108/2 Sk. No: 20 35140 Karabağlar, Izmir, Turkey e-mail: [email protected] Abstract: Contemporary debates on freedom of religion are based on the following premises: a) Human beings are born free, as unique individuals with distinct personalities shaped by natural and social influences; b) human rationality, being the seat of human freedoms, is universal; c) Religion, and hence freedom thereof, might as well be relegated to the realm of individual consciousness. This explains the reference to “the freedom of consciousness and belief” in many international and legal documents. d) Therefore as an individual human right, freedom of religion, consisting of one’s right to uphold any belief, dogma, conviction or practice, must be protected against external coercion and interference of any sort. So, the question arises as to the nature of freedom of religion; does it belong inside or outside the realm of human rights? It appears that once a religion is perceived from a majority perspective, it is positioned outside and, hence, falls under the political rights - and if it is perceived from a minority perspective or from the point of view of the latecomers to a country, it is positioned inside. It comes easier for some adherents of different religious traditions to try to devalue all the “other religions” in a spirit of competition for influencing public opinion rather than focusing on the common issues facing all religions alike. Freedom of religion is unquestionably one of these issues at stake now.
    [Show full text]