The Final Working Group of the First International Congress on Farabi and Islamic Culture and Civilization
| Post date: 2023/03/3 |
The final working group of the third day of the First International Congress on Farabi and Islamic Culture and Civilization was held at the Institute of Cultural and Social Studies on Friday, March 3, 2023.
Anwar explained that music entered the field of mathematics because repeating a single melody a thousand times is not considered music. However, when one melody is combined with another, something musical occurs. In the case of a three-stringed musical instrument, there are nine parts, and the ratios in each of these parts can be changed to create a unique music and sound.
Referring to the connection between music and mathematics, he explained: Music, in general, does not necessarily refer to songs as our ancestors used it, but rather to the relative relationships between different tones. The resulting sound from a musical act must be harmonious to the ear. If we can perceive it as music, then it is music.
Anwar also commented that Russell raises the question of what transforms sound into a human experience, an issue that requires further exploration. This brings us to the discussion of knowledge and perception. The aim of the science of music is for it to resonate with the audience for whom it is intended, and therefore its purpose is tied to its context of presentation.
He mentioned that music in Islamic culture is mainly associated with habit, and said, "We have Maqasid al-Alhan and Jame al-Alhan there." Music is an external phenomenon that pleases the ears. Therefore, the question arises as to how the vibrations of the strings can transform into pleasure or disgust for human beings.
According to Anwar, Kitab al-Musiqui al-Kabir mentions three types of musicians. The first type is a musician who only focuses on the scientific aspects of music. The second type is someone who performs the work of others. Finally, it is the work itself that turns the songs into something pleasant to listen to.
In conclusion, he emphasized the importance of the process of turning music into something enjoyable or unpleasant for the audience. The sounds produced by the instruments should be in harmony with the audience's taste and should bring them pleasure.
He proceeded by pointing out the differences between the philosopher-king Plato and the philosopher-prophet Farabi. While Farabi considers the age of 50 as a turning point, Plato also shares this perspective. Another similarity is that both philosophers discuss guardians who protect the city, king, or imam. However, the question remains whether the soldiers in Farabi's theory can be the target of training or not.
The Farabi scholar discussed the guards in Plato, who defend a small town, and raised the question of whether it is possible to choose a philosopher, king, or imam from among them. If it is, how should they be trained? In contrast, Farabi believes that a warrior can even reach a leadership position in the future with proper education, and their ultimate goal should be the happiness of the people.
He further stated: The factors that shape a person's character until they reach adulthood are primarily related to cultural and literary influences, among other things.
Orwin suggested that moral and immoral issues should be discussed alongside culture and literature in Farabi. He also pointed out that in Plato, it is emphasized that the king should achieve purity. Another notable difference between the two philosophers is that Farabi does not attack poets nor expel them from the city, while this happens in Plato. Additionally, the model of austerity in Plato has transformed into self-control in Farabi.
This Farabi scholar believes that the education for warriors and others in Farabi includes cultural and poetic elements. In Farabi's teachings, when it becomes poetic and calm, it includes a series of images and symbols that help individuals reach self-control more easily. Farabi even provides an example of this in his book.
He added that poetic education has some specific characteristics, one of which is that it should be relevant to the life context of the citizens in the ideal society.
According to this university professor, Farabi does not support censorship in poetry and music. However, he noted that in Plato's philosophy, there is a place for censorship and the removal of certain parts of poems and speeches.
He explained that Farabi believed that poetry is mostly about imitation. The poet does not imitate nature, but rather should refine their heart and soul until it becomes like a mirror reflecting the higher world within itself. Then the poet looks at their own heart, which contains a mirror, and begins to compose poetry. This is one of the main differences between Farabi's approach to poetic education and that of Plato, whose poet is not earthly but universal and divine.
He went on to say that another contrast in the teaching of poetry between Plato and Farabi is the effect of seeing a play in reducing one's pain. This can be observed in Islamic miniatures or the architecture of Islamic mosques. It is another form of examining the self and mastering it, resembling a form of care.
Orwin highlighted that Farabi opposes the censorship of poetry, whereas Plato believes that it can be employed for dictatorial some purposes.
In conclusion, he remarked that Farabi's interpretation of Plato was successful because he extracted the general elements from Plato but intertwined them with his own civilization and Medina, and he recognized the significance of connecting the cultural and formal aspects of civilization.
Mattila was another speaker in this working group who began discussing ethical beliefs in the logical context. She stated that formal inferences are classified into five categories based on their premises: argumentative, demonstrative, sophistical, rhetorical, and poetic. The premises and the opinions and beliefs expressed are accepted without being evaluated because they are the opinions that most people believe in. After these opinions, whether these beliefs are validated or not, is placed in the next stage. When this confirmation occurs, these rules are implemented in general.
She spoke about ethical beliefs, which are a combination of dialectic and rhetoric, and added: Dialectic or popular discussion includes beliefs that people generally consider pure or virtuous, and that are opposed to falsehood or deceit. These beliefs are measured by their proof related to their purity and virtue, which can lead to hatred or happiness among people. In fact, these beliefs are evaluated in demonstrative cases related to their purity and virtuousness.
In the following section of her talk, she discussed moral beliefs in the political realm and stated that Farabi presents these ethical beliefs in politics based on evidential arguments consisting of three elements: basic reasoning, empirical principles, and voluntary reasoning.
Mattila provided a definition for the primary rational principles and added that these principles are the ones that allow a person to determine whether they are beautiful or ugly.
She provided an explanation of empirical principles: These principles are based on experience, which creates certainty for us in the preliminaries through the observation of partial entities and partial goods. When we delve into issues related to human will and nature, these theorems appear in the form of basic principles. These basic principles can be widely accepted among people based on experience, without the need to consider many theoretical issues.
She continued discussing voluntary objects and explained that they can have either a mental or non-mental existence. If they exist in the mind, they are referred to as mental. They exist in the mind as mental objects, but when they are realized through the will, they become trans-mental and are considered completely partial. Over time and among nations, these objects are shared and become laws.
In the context of politics, she elaborated on the evidential underpinnings of jurisprudence and theology and affirmed that both the religious and political aspects of these fields are subordinate to philosophy and ultimately grounded in evidential foundations.
The university professor proceeded to discuss the realization of voluntary rationality in the religious and political domains and delved into the religious laws within moral religion. She ultimately concluded that these moral laws are actually grounded in the principles of practical philosophy.
In another segment of her speech, she discussed jurisprudence and stated: jurisprudence deals with practical matters in religion and consequently derives details from general principles. These general principles, when applied to specific cases, are governed by political science in society. Therefore, political science is ultimately a function of practical philosophy.
Referring to the concept of Kalam in Madina Fazilah, he explained that theologians defend things that jurists label in a way that they should be practically provided to people so that they can reach religious perfection in the utopia. From this discussion, it can be concluded that moral beliefs can either be in accordance with accepted rules and rituals or they can be proofs. If they are proofs, their foundations lie in three things: natural basic principles, empirical principles, and general concepts.
In her reading of Farabi, the moral principles of religion are the result of rational deliberation within the framework of religious and divine law, and were provided to people in the most optimal way by the lawmaker.
In conclusion, the Farabi scholar explained that while he uses the term "virtue" to refer to the law, he does not explicitly and precisely use the term "Islam". Nevertheless, based on Farabi's statements, we can deduce that he is referring to Islam when he uses all words whose qualities are virtuous.
She further elaborated that Farabi's concept of music goes beyond just frequencies. It involves the systematic organization of perceptual emotions for humans. By delving into the neuro-philosophical approach and encountering Farabi's philosophy, we can create a series of paradigms for ourselves.
Tercan continued: According to Farabi, feeling, imagination, and thinking are the three essential elements when it comes to music. Farabi discusses a number of paradigms that are related to astronomy and physics, which he uses to fill some gaps in our understanding.
The speaker mentioned that Farabi's book on music is not based on Pythagorean principles and emphasized that this fact does not imply that Farabi did not engage in scientific discussions. On the contrary, Farabi presented a scientific approach by discussing events, facts, and general concepts while also incorporating emotional elements. It should be noted that this book has been translated into Latin and Hebrew.
The university professor continued the discussion by exploring the classification of sciences and scientists as well as the psychological effects of music. She explained that we receive and perceive external stimuli from nature through our senses, which initiates a mathematical discussion and causes a shift in the human mind, resulting in cognitive awareness. Farabi's approach to music is both mathematical and philosophical, emphasizing cognitive understanding.
According to Tercan, Farabi realizes the understanding of every music in the practical cultural and social contexts of human beings, and it is not the case that we can understand music in a cultural vacuum, and a cultural basis is important for understanding music.
The professor explained that according to Farabi, the detection and correction of mistakes in music depends on certain conditions. For instance, when it comes to correcting errors in playing instruments, he intervenes and devises a set of ratios to prevent mistakes. Furthermore, Farabi considers three-dimensional space as crucial in comprehending music, thus regarding it as a spatial science. He also acknowledges that the understanding of music changes over time, which indicates that his approach to music is both spatial and temporal.
Tercan explained that when Farabi encounters music, he perceives a holistic entity that creates an aesthetic, generating regular forms for notes, melodies, and harmony.
Tercan explains that Farabi discusses the distinctions between philosophy and science, and views science as encompassing methods of analysis while philosophy encompasses methods of reasoning and proof. Farabi, often referred to as the "second teacher," is known for his structured understanding of music. He endeavors to differentiate between philosophy and science.
According to Tercan, Farabi worked on the classification of historical sciences and used the principles that led to this historical classification by analyzing and reviewing the writings and books, which directly and indirectly assisted Farabi in integration.
Tercan explained that The Book of Great Music is where the integration of structure, science, and philosophy comes together. For Farabi, methodology is important, but only within the framework of analysis. Farabi believes that when we reach the foundations of the philosophy of science, we become aware of the roots of classical Greece. These foundations provide philosophers with answers to fundamental questions about the world in classical Greece.
Mensia, referring to his two books on Farabi, namely "Philosophy of Religion" and "Islamic Sciences," discussed the fruit of Farabi's scientific effort and jihad. He attempted to examine these scientific efforts from two perspectives. The first perspective involved analyzing the specific aspects of Farabi's thinking and intellectual system and relating those components of his thought so that a better understanding of his work could be achieved. The second perspective aimed to understand the impact of Farabi's actions on philosophy.
The Farabi scholar emphasized that understanding Farabi's philosophy requires an understanding of the historical context in which he lived, including his religious, theological, and political environment. Farabi tackled various philosophical and humanistic issues, which makes him a significant figure in history. Therefore, he is considered the second teacher. It is crucial to thoroughly examine Farabi's ideas and goals to gain a comprehensive understanding of his philosophy.
According to Mensia, a deeper understanding of Farabi's historical context and philosophical system is necessary for conducting better research on his philosophy. Farabi lived in a time after the Abbasid era's translation movement, which saw a large number of philosophical works translated into Arabic. However, Farabi did not limit himself to these translations and engaged in many philosophical practices, adding value to the field. Farabi was associated with the Baghdad school of theology and philosophy, which was distinct from the Basra school. In addition to philosophy, Farabi drew on other fields such as linguistics, jurisprudence, and general knowledge, and also made use of other sciences that he did not explicitly mention in his writings.
Mensia also noted that Farabi had a unique religious perspective and studied ancient philosophy. He was able to comprehend the existing Islamic philosophical tradition well, but did not limit himself to it. Instead, he remained loyal to the old philosophical traditions and the scientific rigor inherent in philosophy. While he preserved the form of philosophy and adhered to its frameworks, he enriched this philosophy and structure with his own innovations and original ideas.
This university professor noted that Farabi made changes to the historical sources he used and introduced new ideas that are not present in the works of Avicenna and Averroes.
Mensia emphasized the importance of understanding the relationship between philosophy and history, and posed the question of what philosophizing meant to Farabi. According to him, philosophy has two elements that must be distinguished and viewed in relation to one another from Farabi's philosophical perspective, as well as the old tradition that existed. Additionally, it is crucial to consider the religious thinking in which Farabi lived and experienced. Farabi's philosophical point of view, hypothesis, method, and historical context were all essential elements upon which he based his philosophy.
He stated that in the research, two aspects can be observed in Farabi's philosophy. Farabi perceives philosophy in terms of its nature and history, that is, prior to the completion of philosophy and its theoretical significance. He believes that it holds a logical and epistemological value.
He referred to the methods and works of Aristotle and Socrates and stated that Farabi had utilized these works and had extracted the theory of philosophy, history, truth, and historical knowledge from them.
Professor Abdallah Anwar, Farabi Scholar, “Message of Beauty in Farabi's Music”
During the working group, Professor Abdullah Anwar noted that there are numerous music books in Islamic culture, but they are based on Kitab al-Musiqi al-Kabir, The Book of Great Music. He stated that Kitab al-Musiqi al-Kabir includes the scientific and practical aspects of music, and Farabi generally allowed for the teaching and practice of music. It is a book that is not available in more modern times.Anwar explained that music entered the field of mathematics because repeating a single melody a thousand times is not considered music. However, when one melody is combined with another, something musical occurs. In the case of a three-stringed musical instrument, there are nine parts, and the ratios in each of these parts can be changed to create a unique music and sound.
Referring to the connection between music and mathematics, he explained: Music, in general, does not necessarily refer to songs as our ancestors used it, but rather to the relative relationships between different tones. The resulting sound from a musical act must be harmonious to the ear. If we can perceive it as music, then it is music.
Anwar also commented that Russell raises the question of what transforms sound into a human experience, an issue that requires further exploration. This brings us to the discussion of knowledge and perception. The aim of the science of music is for it to resonate with the audience for whom it is intended, and therefore its purpose is tied to its context of presentation.
He mentioned that music in Islamic culture is mainly associated with habit, and said, "We have Maqasid al-Alhan and Jame al-Alhan there." Music is an external phenomenon that pleases the ears. Therefore, the question arises as to how the vibrations of the strings can transform into pleasure or disgust for human beings.
According to Anwar, Kitab al-Musiqui al-Kabir mentions three types of musicians. The first type is a musician who only focuses on the scientific aspects of music. The second type is someone who performs the work of others. Finally, it is the work itself that turns the songs into something pleasant to listen to.
In conclusion, he emphasized the importance of the process of turning music into something enjoyable or unpleasant for the audience. The sounds produced by the instruments should be in harmony with the audience's taste and should bring them pleasure.
Alexander Orwin, University of Louisiana, “Fighting Platonic Austerity: Farabi’s Relaxed Poetic Education”
During his presentation at the conference, Professor Alexander Orwin from the University of Louisiana highlighted the thematic similarities between Farabi and Plato in the realm of poetry. In his discussion of Farabi's book Tahsil Al-Saada, or Attainment of Happiness, Orwin noted that there are common points with Plato's Republic, such as the utilization of youth to reach maturity and the importance of using one's circumstances to achieve happiness.He proceeded by pointing out the differences between the philosopher-king Plato and the philosopher-prophet Farabi. While Farabi considers the age of 50 as a turning point, Plato also shares this perspective. Another similarity is that both philosophers discuss guardians who protect the city, king, or imam. However, the question remains whether the soldiers in Farabi's theory can be the target of training or not.
The Farabi scholar discussed the guards in Plato, who defend a small town, and raised the question of whether it is possible to choose a philosopher, king, or imam from among them. If it is, how should they be trained? In contrast, Farabi believes that a warrior can even reach a leadership position in the future with proper education, and their ultimate goal should be the happiness of the people.
He further stated: The factors that shape a person's character until they reach adulthood are primarily related to cultural and literary influences, among other things.
Orwin suggested that moral and immoral issues should be discussed alongside culture and literature in Farabi. He also pointed out that in Plato, it is emphasized that the king should achieve purity. Another notable difference between the two philosophers is that Farabi does not attack poets nor expel them from the city, while this happens in Plato. Additionally, the model of austerity in Plato has transformed into self-control in Farabi.
This Farabi scholar believes that the education for warriors and others in Farabi includes cultural and poetic elements. In Farabi's teachings, when it becomes poetic and calm, it includes a series of images and symbols that help individuals reach self-control more easily. Farabi even provides an example of this in his book.
He added that poetic education has some specific characteristics, one of which is that it should be relevant to the life context of the citizens in the ideal society.
According to this university professor, Farabi does not support censorship in poetry and music. However, he noted that in Plato's philosophy, there is a place for censorship and the removal of certain parts of poems and speeches.
He explained that Farabi believed that poetry is mostly about imitation. The poet does not imitate nature, but rather should refine their heart and soul until it becomes like a mirror reflecting the higher world within itself. Then the poet looks at their own heart, which contains a mirror, and begins to compose poetry. This is one of the main differences between Farabi's approach to poetic education and that of Plato, whose poet is not earthly but universal and divine.
He went on to say that another contrast in the teaching of poetry between Plato and Farabi is the effect of seeing a play in reducing one's pain. This can be observed in Islamic miniatures or the architecture of Islamic mosques. It is another form of examining the self and mastering it, resembling a form of care.
Orwin highlighted that Farabi opposes the censorship of poetry, whereas Plato believes that it can be employed for dictatorial some purposes.
In conclusion, he remarked that Farabi's interpretation of Plato was successful because he extracted the general elements from Plato but intertwined them with his own civilization and Medina, and he recognized the significance of connecting the cultural and formal aspects of civilization.
Janne Mattila, University of Helsinki, Finland, “Farabi on the Epistemological Status of Moral Beliefs”
Another presenter in this working group was Mattila, who began his discussion on moral beliefs in a logical context. He explained that formal inferences are categorized into five groups based on their premises: argumentative, dialectical, sophistical, rhetorical, and poetic. The premises, along with the opinions and beliefs expressed, are typically accepted without evaluation because they align with the commonly held beliefs of most individuals. The validation of these beliefs is then assessed in the subsequent stage, and if confirmed, they become widely implemented rules.Mattila was another speaker in this working group who began discussing ethical beliefs in the logical context. She stated that formal inferences are classified into five categories based on their premises: argumentative, demonstrative, sophistical, rhetorical, and poetic. The premises and the opinions and beliefs expressed are accepted without being evaluated because they are the opinions that most people believe in. After these opinions, whether these beliefs are validated or not, is placed in the next stage. When this confirmation occurs, these rules are implemented in general.
She spoke about ethical beliefs, which are a combination of dialectic and rhetoric, and added: Dialectic or popular discussion includes beliefs that people generally consider pure or virtuous, and that are opposed to falsehood or deceit. These beliefs are measured by their proof related to their purity and virtue, which can lead to hatred or happiness among people. In fact, these beliefs are evaluated in demonstrative cases related to their purity and virtuousness.
In the following section of her talk, she discussed moral beliefs in the political realm and stated that Farabi presents these ethical beliefs in politics based on evidential arguments consisting of three elements: basic reasoning, empirical principles, and voluntary reasoning.
Mattila provided a definition for the primary rational principles and added that these principles are the ones that allow a person to determine whether they are beautiful or ugly.
She provided an explanation of empirical principles: These principles are based on experience, which creates certainty for us in the preliminaries through the observation of partial entities and partial goods. When we delve into issues related to human will and nature, these theorems appear in the form of basic principles. These basic principles can be widely accepted among people based on experience, without the need to consider many theoretical issues.
She continued discussing voluntary objects and explained that they can have either a mental or non-mental existence. If they exist in the mind, they are referred to as mental. They exist in the mind as mental objects, but when they are realized through the will, they become trans-mental and are considered completely partial. Over time and among nations, these objects are shared and become laws.
In the context of politics, she elaborated on the evidential underpinnings of jurisprudence and theology and affirmed that both the religious and political aspects of these fields are subordinate to philosophy and ultimately grounded in evidential foundations.
The university professor proceeded to discuss the realization of voluntary rationality in the religious and political domains and delved into the religious laws within moral religion. She ultimately concluded that these moral laws are actually grounded in the principles of practical philosophy.
In another segment of her speech, she discussed jurisprudence and stated: jurisprudence deals with practical matters in religion and consequently derives details from general principles. These general principles, when applied to specific cases, are governed by political science in society. Therefore, political science is ultimately a function of practical philosophy.
Referring to the concept of Kalam in Madina Fazilah, he explained that theologians defend things that jurists label in a way that they should be practically provided to people so that they can reach religious perfection in the utopia. From this discussion, it can be concluded that moral beliefs can either be in accordance with accepted rules and rituals or they can be proofs. If they are proofs, their foundations lie in three things: natural basic principles, empirical principles, and general concepts.
In her reading of Farabi, the moral principles of religion are the result of rational deliberation within the framework of religious and divine law, and were provided to people in the most optimal way by the lawmaker.
In conclusion, the Farabi scholar explained that while he uses the term "virtue" to refer to the law, he does not explicitly and precisely use the term "Islam". Nevertheless, based on Farabi's statements, we can deduce that he is referring to Islam when he uses all words whose qualities are virtuous.
Nurfer Tercan, Al-Farabi University of Kazakhstan, “Human Mind and Emotion Affected by Sounds: Neuro-Philosophical Foundations of Farabi and Philosophy of Music”
Professor Nurfer Tercan from al-Farabi University in Kazakhstan delivered a presentation on how the human mind and emotions can be affected by sounds. During her speech, she mentioned that she has been studying Farabi's philosophy of music for the past two years and has consulted Kitab Musiqi al-Kabir, which is written in Arabic. However, she also used translations during her research.She further elaborated that Farabi's concept of music goes beyond just frequencies. It involves the systematic organization of perceptual emotions for humans. By delving into the neuro-philosophical approach and encountering Farabi's philosophy, we can create a series of paradigms for ourselves.
Tercan continued: According to Farabi, feeling, imagination, and thinking are the three essential elements when it comes to music. Farabi discusses a number of paradigms that are related to astronomy and physics, which he uses to fill some gaps in our understanding.
The speaker mentioned that Farabi's book on music is not based on Pythagorean principles and emphasized that this fact does not imply that Farabi did not engage in scientific discussions. On the contrary, Farabi presented a scientific approach by discussing events, facts, and general concepts while also incorporating emotional elements. It should be noted that this book has been translated into Latin and Hebrew.
The university professor continued the discussion by exploring the classification of sciences and scientists as well as the psychological effects of music. She explained that we receive and perceive external stimuli from nature through our senses, which initiates a mathematical discussion and causes a shift in the human mind, resulting in cognitive awareness. Farabi's approach to music is both mathematical and philosophical, emphasizing cognitive understanding.
According to Tercan, Farabi realizes the understanding of every music in the practical cultural and social contexts of human beings, and it is not the case that we can understand music in a cultural vacuum, and a cultural basis is important for understanding music.
The professor explained that according to Farabi, the detection and correction of mistakes in music depends on certain conditions. For instance, when it comes to correcting errors in playing instruments, he intervenes and devises a set of ratios to prevent mistakes. Furthermore, Farabi considers three-dimensional space as crucial in comprehending music, thus regarding it as a spatial science. He also acknowledges that the understanding of music changes over time, which indicates that his approach to music is both spatial and temporal.
Tercan explained that when Farabi encounters music, he perceives a holistic entity that creates an aesthetic, generating regular forms for notes, melodies, and harmony.
Tercan explains that Farabi discusses the distinctions between philosophy and science, and views science as encompassing methods of analysis while philosophy encompasses methods of reasoning and proof. Farabi, often referred to as the "second teacher," is known for his structured understanding of music. He endeavors to differentiate between philosophy and science.
According to Tercan, Farabi worked on the classification of historical sciences and used the principles that led to this historical classification by analyzing and reviewing the writings and books, which directly and indirectly assisted Farabi in integration.
Tercan explained that The Book of Great Music is where the integration of structure, science, and philosophy comes together. For Farabi, methodology is important, but only within the framework of analysis. Farabi believes that when we reach the foundations of the philosophy of science, we become aware of the roots of classical Greece. These foundations provide philosophers with answers to fundamental questions about the world in classical Greece.
Mokhdad Arafa Mensia, University of Tunis/Beit al-Hikmah, “What does it mean to Philosophize through Farabi's Philosophical Practice?”
Mokhdad Arafa Mensia was the last speaker in this panel, posing the question of our perspective towards Farabi, his philosophy and scientific works. He acknowledged the lack of extensive resources and facilities to delve into Farabi's philosophy, prompting a need to study his books for various reasons. Firstly, to reveal the obscure and concealed aspects of Farabi's philosophy that are yet to be discovered. Additionally, it is necessary to establish the scientific organization of Farabi's work, providing an orderly system for understanding his philosophy.Mensia, referring to his two books on Farabi, namely "Philosophy of Religion" and "Islamic Sciences," discussed the fruit of Farabi's scientific effort and jihad. He attempted to examine these scientific efforts from two perspectives. The first perspective involved analyzing the specific aspects of Farabi's thinking and intellectual system and relating those components of his thought so that a better understanding of his work could be achieved. The second perspective aimed to understand the impact of Farabi's actions on philosophy.
The Farabi scholar emphasized that understanding Farabi's philosophy requires an understanding of the historical context in which he lived, including his religious, theological, and political environment. Farabi tackled various philosophical and humanistic issues, which makes him a significant figure in history. Therefore, he is considered the second teacher. It is crucial to thoroughly examine Farabi's ideas and goals to gain a comprehensive understanding of his philosophy.
According to Mensia, a deeper understanding of Farabi's historical context and philosophical system is necessary for conducting better research on his philosophy. Farabi lived in a time after the Abbasid era's translation movement, which saw a large number of philosophical works translated into Arabic. However, Farabi did not limit himself to these translations and engaged in many philosophical practices, adding value to the field. Farabi was associated with the Baghdad school of theology and philosophy, which was distinct from the Basra school. In addition to philosophy, Farabi drew on other fields such as linguistics, jurisprudence, and general knowledge, and also made use of other sciences that he did not explicitly mention in his writings.
Mensia also noted that Farabi had a unique religious perspective and studied ancient philosophy. He was able to comprehend the existing Islamic philosophical tradition well, but did not limit himself to it. Instead, he remained loyal to the old philosophical traditions and the scientific rigor inherent in philosophy. While he preserved the form of philosophy and adhered to its frameworks, he enriched this philosophy and structure with his own innovations and original ideas.
This university professor noted that Farabi made changes to the historical sources he used and introduced new ideas that are not present in the works of Avicenna and Averroes.
Mensia emphasized the importance of understanding the relationship between philosophy and history, and posed the question of what philosophizing meant to Farabi. According to him, philosophy has two elements that must be distinguished and viewed in relation to one another from Farabi's philosophical perspective, as well as the old tradition that existed. Additionally, it is crucial to consider the religious thinking in which Farabi lived and experienced. Farabi's philosophical point of view, hypothesis, method, and historical context were all essential elements upon which he based his philosophy.
He stated that in the research, two aspects can be observed in Farabi's philosophy. Farabi perceives philosophy in terms of its nature and history, that is, prior to the completion of philosophy and its theoretical significance. He believes that it holds a logical and epistemological value.
He referred to the methods and works of Aristotle and Socrates and stated that Farabi had utilized these works and had extracted the theory of philosophy, history, truth, and historical knowledge from them.
View: 114 Time(s) |
Print: 44 Time(s) |
Email: 0 Time(s) |
0 Comment(s)
Latest content