Islamic Philosophy and Theology (Islamic Surveys) - Softcover

W. MONTGOMERY WATT

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0852243588 ISBN 13: 9780852243589

Publisher: EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1979

Synopsis

Events are making clear to ever-widening circles of readers the need for something more than a superficial knowledge of non-European cultures. In particular, the blossoming into independence of numerous African states, many of which are largely Muslim or have a Muslim head of state, has made clear the growing political importance of the Islamic world, and, as a result, the desirability of extending and deepening the understanding and appreciation of this great segment of mankind.

Islamic philosophy and theology are looked at together in a chronological framework in this volume. From a modern standpoint, this juxtaposition of the two disciplines is important for the understanding of both; but it should be realized at the outset that it is a reversal of the traditional Islamic procedure. Not merely were the disciplines different, but in the earlier centuries the exponents were two different sets of persons, trained in two different educational traditions, each with its own separate institutions. There was little personal contact between philosophers and theologians, and the influence of the two disciplines on one another was largely by way of polemics. Eventually while philosophy died out as a separate discipline in the Islamic world, many parts of it were incorporated in theology.

This work is designed to give the educated reader something more than can be found in the usual popular books. The work undertakes to survey a special part of the field, and to show the present stage of scholarship. Where there is a clear picture this will be given; but where there are gaps, obscurities and differences of opinion, these will also be indicated. This work is brilliant in its design, style, and intimate understanding. It is a must read for specialists and policy makers alike.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

First published in 1962 and substantially extended for its second edition in 1985, Watt's Islamic Philosophy and Theology is widely recognised as the standard general account in English. Now re-issued in the new Islamic Surveys format, it is available for another generation of students and scholars. Watt takes the reader through the development of philosophy and theology in Islam from the Umayyad period to modern Islamic philosophy. He shows how medieval Islam assimilated Greek thought, particularly Aristotelian logic, in its early stages, and traces the development of Islamic philosophy to the early middle ages. He then examines the elaboration of Shiism and the supposed stagnation of Islamic thought from the fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries.

About the Author:

W. Montgomery Watt (1909-2006) was professor emeritus of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Edinburgh. He is the author of numerous books, including Muslim-Christian Encounters: Perceptions and Misperceptions, Islam: A Short History, Muhammad's Mecca, and Islamic Surveys: The
Influence of Islam on Medieval Europe.

About this edition

• Publisher: EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY PRESS
• Publication date: 1979
• ISBN 10: 0852243588
• ISBN 13: 9780852243589
• Binding: Paperback