Undergraduate Course: Islamic Philosophy (PHIL10197)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course will provide a systematic introduction to key issues and debates in Islamic philosophy by focusing on the medieval period and showing its relevance for contemporary philosophical discussions. It will explore the mechanisms of the critical appropriation of the Western (Greek) philosophical heritage in the Islamic intellectual tradition and the relationship between philosophy and religion in Islam. |
| Course description |
For a long time, Islamic philosophy has been either completely neglected or misinterpreted in the Western academia. Influenced by their orientalist prejudices, many modern scholars rejected the Islamic intellectual tradition as inherently anti-philosophical, religiously fundamentalist and spiritualist. This course provides a different picture of Islamic philosophy. It offers systematic and
analytical introduction to key issues and debates in Islamic philosophy and shows their relevance for contemporary philosophical discussions. Starting with an overview of the socio-historical background as well as of the most important figures and schools, thiscourse covers central topics of Islamic philosophy, such as:
- nature of morality and value
- free will and determinism (incl. the problem of evil)
- nature and sources of knowledge
- scepticism against natural causation
- self-awareness, personal identity, and the mind-body problem
- proofs for God's existence
Primary sources will be read in English translation.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Students studying on MA Cognitive Science (Humanities) are permitted to take this course without having met the pre-requisites of Mind, Matter and Language and Knowledge and Reality. However, it is advisable that students discuss the suitability of the course with their PT and the course organiser before enrolling. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have completed at least 3 Philosophy courses at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses. Applicants should note that, as with other popular courses, meeting the minimum does NOT guarantee admission. These enrolments are managed strictly by the Visiting Student Office, in line with the quotas allocated by the department, and all enquiries to enrol in these courses must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. It is not appropriate for students to contact the department directly to request additional spaces. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
174 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Midterm Essay (40%) 1500 words
Final Essay (60%) 2500 words
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| Feedback |
Guidance will be given in advance of each assignment. This may be in the form of an in-class discussion, a handout, or discussion of a component of the assessed work. Instructor feedback on essay outline and peer feedback provides further formative opportunities ahead of final essay. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the central issues of Islamic philosophy
- Analyse materials independently and critically engage with other interpretations
- Provide systematic exposition and argumentation for their views
- Demonstrate understanding of a non-Western intellectual tradition
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Reading List
1. Adamson, Peter (ed.). Cambridge Companion to Arabic Philosophy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2006.
2. Adamson, Peter. Philosophy in the Islamic World. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2016.
3. Griffel, Frank. Al-azs Philosophical Theology. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2009.
4. Gutas, Dimitri. Greek Thought, Arabic Culture. London: Routledge 1998.
5. El-Rouayheb, Khaled and Schmidtke, Sabine (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Islamic Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2017.
6. Shihadeh, Ayman. The Teleological Ethics of Fakhr al-Dn al-Rz. Leiden-Boston: Brill 2006.
7. Wolfson, Henry. The Philosophy of the Kalm. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press 1976. |
Additional Information
| Course URL |
http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/23-24/dpt/cxphil10197.htm |
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
The Islamic Philosophy course will inspire students to engage with the communities and world around them (outlook and engagement). It will make students effective and proactive individuals, skilled in influencing positively and adapting to new situations with sensitivity and integrity. Students will also learn to identify and creatively tackle problems (research and inquiry). |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Fedor Benevich
Tel:
Email: Fedor.Benevich@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Catriona Keay
Tel:
Email: ckeay4@ed.ac.uk |
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