Medieval Arabic Philosophy and Aristotle: Logic, Ethics, and Politics [2658]

General Information

• Credits: 6 ECTS
• Prerequisites: Master 1 level (or equivalent); proficiency in English
• Learning format: asynchronous distance learning – 100% e-learning
• Language of instruction: English
• Course access: available at any time of year
• Disability liaison officer: Cécile Boucherle

Course Overview

This course examines the reception of Aristotle’s philosophy in the medieval Arab-Islamic world through its logical, ethical, and political dimensions. It traces the historical circumstances surrounding the transmission of Greek texts, from Syriac translations to the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, with particular attention to the role of al-Maʾmūn and the famous account of his dream. The course then introduces Aristotle’s principal logical treatises (the Organon) and shows how they contributed to the development of philosophical rationalism in the Islamic world. Finally, it analyses how major thinkers such as al-Fārābī, Ibn Bājja, Averroes, and al-Rāzī appropriated Aristotelian ethics and politics, highlighting the originality of their reflections on virtue, the city, and government.

Course Objectives

This course enables you to:

• Understand the historical conditions surrounding the transmission of Greek philosophy into the Arab-Islamic world.
• Master the principal concepts of Aristotelian logic and their reception in medieval Arabic philosophy.
• Analyse the role of Aristotle in the development of philosophical rationalism in Islam and its relationship with theology.
• Study the ethical and political conceptions developed by al-Fārābī, Ibn Bājja, Averroes, and al-Rāzī on the basis of the Aristotelian heritage.

Course Competencies

This course is linked to the following competency:

• Situate Islam within its historical context and interpret its major classical doctrines.

Course Outline

Section 1: Logic

Section 2: Aristotle’s logic

Section 3: Ethics and politics

Assessment Methods 

Course assessment is based on:

• tracking and completion of the course and of all learning activities. These activities, designed as essential practice and learning exercises, may be completed multiple times and are not factored into the final grade,
• the final assessment quiz, which constitutes the graded evaluation.

Learning Format

The course is taught entirely online via the MyDomuni platform, accessible 24/7.
Learning resources include:

• written course materials;
• supplementary documents and, depending on the content, video resources;
• interactive learning activities (quizzes, exercises);
• a discussion forum with the course instructor and fellow participants.

Prerequisites

This course is open to anyone holding a Master 1 (or an equivalent qualification) in Islamic Studies, Theology, Social Sciences, the Humanities or a related field, or with significant personal or academic experience related to the topics covered.

A good command of written English is recommended to facilitate understanding of the content and participation in the activities offered.

Accessibility

The course is accessible at any time, from any internet-connected device, via the MyDomuni platform.
For students with disabilities, specific support can be arranged upon request to ensure equitable access to course content and activities.

Disability liaison officer: cecile.boucherle@domuni.eu.

Selective Bibliography

• Majid Fakhry, A History of Islamic Philosophy, 3rd ed., New York, Columbia University Press, 2004.
• Dimitri Gutas, Avicenna and the Aristotelian Tradition: Introduction to Reading Avicenna’s Philosophical Works, 2nd revised and enlarged ed., Leiden/Boston, Brill, 2014.
• Oliver Leaman, Averroes and His Philosophy, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1988.
• Muhsin Mahdi, Alfarabi and the Foundation of Islamic Political Philosophy, Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 2001.
• Henry Corbin, History of Islamic Philosophy, translated by Liadain Sherrard with the assistance of Philip Sherrard, London, Kegan Paul International, 1993.