The Decisive Treatise Averroes - 911 Words

With the passing of the notable ancient Greek greats, a new era in philosophy emerged. The Medieval period fostered an outburst of Islamic culture and thought, with many significant philosophers leading the way. Amongst these was Averroes, who thrived during the early 12th century. His many areas of interest allowed him to be a very learned and experienced individual, enabling him to produce many publications elaborating his thoughts. One of these publications is The Decisive Treatise, in which he discusses the role that philosophy plays in religion and how that impacts society. According to Averroes, in The Decisive Treatise, philosophy is a required part of religion that provides educated individuals with a deeper understanding of†¦show more content†¦The unmentioned aspects are the parts that are open for interpretation, while the mentioned have definite meanings and are accepted by all. It is universally agreed upon by all Muslims, from many generations, that some Laws are apparent thus anyone who disputes those Laws is clearly wrong. All people seem to be united by the concept that certain Laws are indispensable and forever applicable, while others can be extended beyond just what is stated. The extensions of these Laws are also subject to criticism. Although interpretations are an option, the original idea of the Law must not be lost in the process of thought. Philosophy also seems to be a privilege only given to the learned. Averroes divides the society into two classes: the uneducated class and the demonstrative class. The demonstrative class is the group of philosophers who are allowed to interpret text because they demonstrate their understanding of the God by using â€Å"the most perfect kind of reasoning†(165). He then further divides the Law into three different grades. The first grade is text that can only be accepted by its apparent meaning. This means that the text is not open for study and must be taken point blank, so to spea k. All who interpret it the wrong way can be said to be unbelievers. The second grade is text that must be analyzed through its inner meaning by the demonstrative class, but through its apparent meaning byShow MoreRelated Al-Ghazà ¢là ®, Causality, and Knowledge Essay3905 Words   |  16 Pagesseventeenth discussion of Tahà ¢fut al-Falsafa, along with the response of Ibn Rushd (Averroà «s) in his Tahà ¢fut al-Tahà ¢fut. A question often asked is to what extent al-Ghazà ¢là ® can be called an occasionalist; that is, whether he follows other Kalà ¢m thinkers in restricting causal agency to God alone. What has not been thoroughly addressed in previous studies is a question which al-Ghazà ¢là ® and Ibn Rushd both see as decisive in the seventeenth discussion: what theory of causality is sufficient to explain humanRead MoreCritical Thinking2910 Words   |  12 PagesArabics language. This contact with the philosophy of the ancients (as Greek and Hellenistic philosophy was of ten referred to by Muslim scholars) had a profound effect on his intellectual development, and lead him to write a number of original treatises of his own on a range of subjects ranging from metaphysic and ethics to mathematics and pharmacology. He has produced 270 works but most of them are lost. He writes ranging from logic through medicine and science to theology. Some of hisRead MoreMuslim Spain (711-1492)8971 Words   |  36 Pagespreserved and collected at great expense byAl-Hakam II, were burned publicly. However, with Al-Mansurs deathin 1002 interest in philosophy revived. Numerous scholars emerged, including Abu Uthman Ibn Fathun, whosemasterwork was the philosophical treatise Tree of Wisdom. An outstanding scholar in astronomy and astrologywas Maslamah Ibn Ahmad al-Majriti (died 1008), an intrepid traveller who journeyed all over the Islamic world andbeyond, and who kept in touch with the Brethren of Purity. Indeed