Postgraduate Course: Islamic Philosophy (PHIL11209)
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 11 (Postgraduate) |
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 |
Islamic philosophy is the missing link between ancient Greek thought and the European (medieval and early modern) philosophical tradition. It offers independent solutions to many philosophical problems which remain crucial for contemporary readers. Starting with a historical overview of the most important figures and schools, this course covers central topics of Islamic philosophy, such as (the selection of topics may vary from year to year):
- faith and reason
- philosophy and political authority
- free will and determinism (incl. the problem of evil)
- scientific knowledge and empiricism
- materialism (atomism) and sortal essentialism
- self-awareness, personal identity, and the immateriality of soul
- proofs for God's existence
Primary sources will be read in English translation.
This course is taught in conjunction with PHIL11204 and combines pre-recorded, asynchronous lectures with on-campus tutorials lead by the course instructor.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2024/25, 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
(
Lecture 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 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Final essay (3000 words) 100% |
| Feedback |
Students have the opportunity to submit a formative essay. The essay cannot be draft of the summative essay but it can be on the same topic. |
| 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
- demonstrate the ability to actively engage in critical analysis through seminar discussion
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Reading List
Adamson, Peter (ed.). Cambridge Companion to Arabic Philosophy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2006.
Adamson, Peter. Philosophy in the Islamic World. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2016.
Griffel, Frank. Al-Gazali's Philosophical Theology. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2009.
Gutas, Dimitri. Greek Thought, Arabic Culture. London: Routledge 1998.
El-Rouayheb, Khaled and Schmidtke, Sabine (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Islamic Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2017.
Shihadeh, Ayman. The Teleological Ethics of Fakhr al-Din al-Razi. Leiden-Boston: Brill 2006.
Wolfson, Henry. The Philosophy of the Kalam. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press 1976. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
To help our students develop as:
- creative problem solvers. reasoners and researchers
- critical, flexible, tolerant and reflective thinkers
- effective and influential contributors to discussion in all forms
- skilled communicators |
| Keywords | philosophical discussion,appropriation,western philosophy,greek philosophy,religion in islam |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Fedor Benevich
Tel:
Email: Fedor.Benevich@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Ida Conlin
Tel:
Email: iconlin@ed.ac.uk |
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