Post-Classical Islamic Philosophy A Contradiction in Terms?

This paper engages critically with Dimitri Gutas’ recent characterization of post-classical Islamic philosophy and theology as a form of paraphilosophy or intellectual activity that merely simulates philosophy. I argue that this view arises from a misguided understanding of the concept of philosophy...

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Main Author: Jari Kaukua
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: İstanbul Medeniyet Üniversitesi Bilim Tarihi Enstitüsü 2020-10-01
Series:Nazariyat: Journal for the History of Islamic Philosophy and Sciences
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Online Access:https://nazariyat.org/en/issues/cilt-6-sayi-2/post-klasik-islam-felsefesi-celiskili-bir-i-fade-mi
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author Jari Kaukua
author_facet Jari Kaukua
author_sort Jari Kaukua
collection DOAJ
description This paper engages critically with Dimitri Gutas’ recent characterization of post-classical Islamic philosophy and theology as a form of paraphilosophy or intellectual activity that merely simulates philosophy. I argue that this view arises from a misguided understanding of the concept of philosophy that should provide the standard for its historiography. In order to avoid a number of problematic consequences, such as gaps in historical continuity or a disconnection from what we understand by philosophy today, we must take our cue from a sufficiently uncontroversial contemporary concept of philosophy instead of any particular historical concept, such as the Peripatetic amalgam of metaphysics, theory of science, and the empirical sciences. Such a strategy provides a sound basis for the inclusion of post-classical thinkers, as well as many classical thinkers who are not falāsifa, in the history of Islamic philosophy without vicious circularity or loss of a normative concept of philosophy
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spelling doaj-art-53df0b4ebb6c469f8dc3b5ee665cb08a2025-08-20T03:19:34Zengİstanbul Medeniyet Üniversitesi Bilim Tarihi EnstitüsüNazariyat: Journal for the History of Islamic Philosophy and Sciences2547-94152547-94152020-10-016212110.12658/Nazariyat.6.2.M0110enPost-Classical Islamic Philosophy A Contradiction in Terms?Jari Kaukua0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6437-8534Professor, University of Jyväskylä, Department of Social Sciences and PhilosophyThis paper engages critically with Dimitri Gutas’ recent characterization of post-classical Islamic philosophy and theology as a form of paraphilosophy or intellectual activity that merely simulates philosophy. I argue that this view arises from a misguided understanding of the concept of philosophy that should provide the standard for its historiography. In order to avoid a number of problematic consequences, such as gaps in historical continuity or a disconnection from what we understand by philosophy today, we must take our cue from a sufficiently uncontroversial contemporary concept of philosophy instead of any particular historical concept, such as the Peripatetic amalgam of metaphysics, theory of science, and the empirical sciences. Such a strategy provides a sound basis for the inclusion of post-classical thinkers, as well as many classical thinkers who are not falāsifa, in the history of Islamic philosophy without vicious circularity or loss of a normative concept of philosophyhttps://nazariyat.org/en/issues/cilt-6-sayi-2/post-klasik-islam-felsefesi-celiskili-bir-i-fade-miconcept of philosophydimitri gutashistoriography of islamic philosophyparaphilosophy
spellingShingle Jari Kaukua
Post-Classical Islamic Philosophy A Contradiction in Terms?
Nazariyat: Journal for the History of Islamic Philosophy and Sciences
concept of philosophy
dimitri gutas
historiography of islamic philosophy
paraphilosophy
title Post-Classical Islamic Philosophy A Contradiction in Terms?
title_full Post-Classical Islamic Philosophy A Contradiction in Terms?
title_fullStr Post-Classical Islamic Philosophy A Contradiction in Terms?
title_full_unstemmed Post-Classical Islamic Philosophy A Contradiction in Terms?
title_short Post-Classical Islamic Philosophy A Contradiction in Terms?
title_sort post classical islamic philosophy a contradiction in terms
topic concept of philosophy
dimitri gutas
historiography of islamic philosophy
paraphilosophy
url https://nazariyat.org/en/issues/cilt-6-sayi-2/post-klasik-islam-felsefesi-celiskili-bir-i-fade-mi
work_keys_str_mv AT jarikaukua postclassicalislamicphilosophyacontradictioninterms