Sunday, April 5, 2020
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Avicenna's Philosophy Handout 07 (Logic)
Outline
1. Logic
Sources of Avicenna's Logic
b.
General structure of
Avicennian Logic:
1.
Introduction of conditional
or temporal necessity (any writer holds pen by necessity as long as he actually
is writing)
Sources of Avicenna's Logic
1.
Introduction of conditional
or temporal necessity (any writer holds pen by necessity as long as he actually
is writing)
2.
Completion of the division
between first and secondary intelligible (Farabi had roughly introduced it)
Book Excerpts and Papers
Avicenna's Conception of the Modalities by Allen Back
Links
Monday, March 30, 2020
Doctrines of Islam Handout 05 (Argument based on Fitra)
Outline
i.
Argument based on Fitra
(Human innate nature)
Their apostles said "Is there any doubt about God, the
originator of the heavens and the earth?! He calls you to forgive you a part of
your sins, and grants you respite until a specified time." They said
"You are nothing but humans like us who desire to bar us from what our
fathers used to worship. So bring us a manifest authority." 14:10
When distress befalls people, they supplicate their Lord,
turning to Him in penitence. Then, when He lets them taste His mercy, behold, a
part of them ascribe partners to their Lord. 30:33
Say "Who delivers you from the darkness of land and
sea, [when] You invoke Him suppliantly and secretly: "If He delivers us
from this, we will surely be among the grateful"?" Say "It is
God who delivers you from them and from every agony, [but] then you ascribe
partners [to Him].” 6:63-64
It
is He who carries you across land and sea. When you are in the ships, and they
sail with them with a favorable wind, rejoicing in it, there comes upon them a
tempestuous wind and waves assail them from every side, and they think that
they are besieged, they invoke God putting exclusive faith in Him "If You
deliver us from this, we will surely be among the grateful.” But when He
delivers them, behold, they commit violations on the earth unduly! O mankind!
Your violations are only to your own detriment. [These are] the wares of the
life of this world; then to Us will be your return, whereat We will inform you
concerning what you used to do. 10:22-23
And when distress befalls you at sea, those whom you invoke
besides Him are forsaken. But when He delivers you to land, you are
disregardful [of Him] . And man is very ungrateful. 17:67
Thus did We show Abraham the dominions of the heavens and
the earth, that he might be of those who possess certitude. When night darkened
over him, he saw a star and said, "This is my Lord!" But when it set,
he said, "I do not like those who set. Then, when he saw the moon rising,
he said, "This is my Lord!" But when it set, he said, "Had my
Lord not guided me, I would surely have been among the astray lot.”
Then, when he saw the sun rising, he said, "This is my
Lord! This is bigger!" But when it set, he said, "O my people, indeed
I disown what you take as [His] partners. Indeed I have turned my face toward
Him who originated the heavens and the earth, as a Hanif, and I am not one of
the polytheists.” 6:75-79
Book Excerpts
When distress befalls people, they supplicate their Lord, turning to Him in penitence. Then, when He lets them taste His mercy, behold, a part of them ascribe partners to their Lord. 30:33
Say "Who delivers you from the darkness of land and sea, [when] You invoke Him suppliantly and secretly: "If He delivers us from this, we will surely be among the grateful"?" Say "It is God who delivers you from them and from every agony, [but] then you ascribe partners [to Him].” 6:63-64
It is He who carries you across land and sea. When you are in the ships, and they sail with them with a favorable wind, rejoicing in it, there comes upon them a tempestuous wind and waves assail them from every side, and they think that they are besieged, they invoke God putting exclusive faith in Him "If You deliver us from this, we will surely be among the grateful.” But when He delivers them, behold, they commit violations on the earth unduly! O mankind! Your violations are only to your own detriment. [These are] the wares of the life of this world; then to Us will be your return, whereat We will inform you concerning what you used to do. 10:22-23
And when distress befalls you at sea, those whom you invoke besides Him are forsaken. But when He delivers you to land, you are disregardful [of Him] . And man is very ungrateful. 17:67
Thus did We show Abraham the dominions of the heavens and the earth, that he might be of those who possess certitude. When night darkened over him, he saw a star and said, "This is my Lord!" But when it set, he said, "I do not like those who set. Then, when he saw the moon rising, he said, "This is my Lord!" But when it set, he said, "Had my Lord not guided me, I would surely have been among the astray lot.”
Then, when he saw the sun rising, he said, "This is my Lord! This is bigger!" But when it set, he said, "O my people, indeed I disown what you take as [His] partners. Indeed I have turned my face toward Him who originated the heavens and the earth, as a Hanif, and I am not one of the polytheists.” 6:75-79
Book Excerpts
Shaykh Saduq on Fitra
Ayt. Tabatabae's formulation of the Argument of the Sincere by M. Legenhausen
Natural Disposition or Fitra by H. Qara'ati
Ayt. Mutahhari on Fitra
S. S. Akhtar Rizvi on Fitra
Rabbani Golpaygani on Argument based on Fitra
Webpage links
Doctrines of Islam Handout 04 (Teleological Argument)
Outline
a.
Arguments for the Existence
of God
Related verses from Qur'an
Indeed in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the
alternation of night and day, and the ships that sail at sea with profit to
men, and the water that God sends down from the sky with which He revives the
earth after its death, and scatters therein every kind of animal and the
changing of the winds, and the clouds disposed between the sky and the earth,
are surely signs for a people who apply reason. 2:164
Book Excerpts
Indeed in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the
alternation of night and day, and the ships that sail at sea with profit to
men, and the water that God sends down from the sky with which He revives the
earth after its death, and scatters therein every kind of animal and the
changing of the winds, and the clouds disposed between the sky and the earth,
are surely signs for a people who apply reason. 2:164
Indeed in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the
alternation of night and day, there are signs for those who possess intellects.
Those who remember God … and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the
earth [and say] "Our Lord, You have not created this in vain! Immaculate
are You! Save us from the punishment of the Fire. 3:190-191
He created seven heavens in layers. You do not see any
discordance in the creation of the All-beneficent. Look again! Do you see any
flaw? 67:3
Our Lord is He who gave everything its creation and then
guided it. 20:50
Among His signs are the creation of Heaven and Earth, as
well as the diversity in your tongues and colors. In that are signs for those
who know. 30:22
Splitter of the dawn, He has made the night for rest, and
the sun and the moon for calculation. That is the ordaining of the All-mighty,
the All-knowing. 6:96
It is He who made the sun a radiance and the moon a light,
and ordained its phases that you might know the number of years and the
calculation of time. God did not create all that except with reason. He
elaborates the signs for a people who have knowledge. 10:5
God
is the One Who has raised up the Heavens without any support you can see. Then
He mounted on the Throne and regulated the sun and moon; each runs along on a
specific course. He directs the matter; He manifests signs so that you may be
convinced about meeting your Lord. 13:2Existence of God in Mizan al-Hikma (Hadith Collection)
Order & Intellect by Ayt. Makarem Shirazi
Tradition of Mufaddal (Complete Translation)
Bibliographical Description of Tradition of Mufaddal
Hume's objections against the Teleological Argument
Webpage Links
Sunday, March 29, 2020
Avicenna's Course Handout 06 (Existence and Essence)
Outline
1. Ontological separation between Essence and Existence
a.
Introduction
i.
Aristotelian dichotomies
between:
1.
Form and Matter
2.
Essence and Accidents
To explain the motion; Aristotle first cause is responsible
for motion, not existence
Plato’s Demiurge is just a form giver, not existence
giver
ii.
Muslim philosophers had to explain
the existence, not motion (creation)
b.
Avicenna’s arguments for
the ontological separation between existence/being and essence/quiddity
c.
The ramifications of such a
separation
d.
Distinction between
Contingent being and Necessary being
e.
Seeds of Hierarchy and
gradation of Existence
f.
The core of requiring a cause:
temporality or contingency?
g.
Causality (the core of
causality; the Principle of al-Wahid)
Book Excerpts
Avicenna's Course Handout 05 (Metaphysics)
Outline
1. Metaphysics
a.
Its subject: Aristotelian Dilemma:
Being qua being or first causes?
i.
Avicenna: let the subject
be: being qua being and its immediate properties like: unity/plurality; cause
or effect;
1.
This way we’ll have all the
necessary topics and goals we expect from Metaphysics covered, and
2.
We also discuss about “first
cause” when we discuss certain divisions of being qua being, like the necessary
being, or the eternal being
b.
Its goal and benefit:
determination of the realities of all things, inasmuch as that is possible for
a human being.
1.
True knowledge (what, if it
exists and why does it exist)
2.
Comprehensive knowledge (of
everything) so that man turns to little cosmos corresponding to the greater
cosmos
ii.
Foundations of other
sciences
iii.
Theology
iv.
Angiology
v.
Mechanics (motion of heavenly
bodies)
c.
Its methodology
i.
Avicennian innovation in
methodology: thought experiment
Book Excerpts
Avicenna's Philosophy Course Handout 04 (Classification of Sciences)
Outline
a.
Introduction
i.
Criterion of classification
1.
Subject matter
2.
Goal
3.
Method
a.
Rational arguments
(philosophy and mathematics)
b.
Experiments
c.
Narrative (history)
ii.
Aristotelian division
1.
Theoretical: to know
2.
Practical: to do
3.
Poetical: to make
b.
Philosophy
i.
Theoretical: to find the
truth, perfect the soul by knowledge alone
1.
Natural: in matter and with
motion
2.
Mathematical: in matter but
without motion
3.
Theological: not in matter
and not with motion
ii.
Practical: to find the good
(or apply the good?) perfect the soul through the knowledge and application of
good
c.
Avicenna’s own
classification
i.
With permanent rules (Hikmi Sciences)
1.
Instrumental (applied sciences)
2.
Non-instrumental
a.
Theoretical
b.
Practical
ii.
With relative or temporal rules
Book Excerpts
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