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Medieval Islamic Philosophy and Theology (U03965)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : LLC-3-U03965

This course will start by providing an introduction, first, to medieval Islamic intellectual history, focusing on the traditions of philosophy (falsafa) and rational theology (kalam), and second, to the state of the contemporary academic field of study specialising in these subjects. It will then take a closer look at the main schools, trends, philosophers and theologians, providing an overview of the nature of their thought and their key doctrines and contributions.

The course will then turn to a selection of topics, which are likely to vary from session to session. Most will consist of problems and debates in which both philosophers and theologians engaged, which will thus provide opportunities to shed light on both their doctrines and their contrasting methods of enquiry. These may include problems relating to ethics (e.g. the nature of ethical value, and the problem of evil), psychology and human nature, metaphysics (e.g. the existence and nature of God), and the philosophy of religion (e.g. theories of prophecy, and the relation between philosophy and religion).

Teaching will consist of a combination of lectures and seminars. In the latter, the class will engage in discussions focused around selections of primary texts, translated into English, and secondary texts, as well as sets of discussion questions. No knowledge of any language other than English is required.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : A pass in Islamic History 1, or evidence of qualifications considered satisfactory by the lecturer in charge of the course.

? Costs : n/a

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, (School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, Schedule G)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 3 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Monday	11:10	13:00	Central
Tutorial	Thursday	11:10	13:00	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students:
1. should have acquired knowledge of the history of medieval Islamic philosophy and theology,
2. should have a good understanding of key philosophical and theological concepts, problems and debates, and of their broader historical and intellectual contexts,
3. should be able to read and understand various types of medieval Arabic intellectual texts in translation,
4. should be able critically to examine and interpret historical materials, and
5. should have competence in analysing medieval intellectual notions and modes of reasoning.