PhD project presentation: From phusis to ṭabīʿa: the Concept of Nature in Classical Islamic Philosophy

PhD project presentation: From phusis to ṭabīʿa: the Concept of Nature in Classical Islamic Philosophy.

My project seeks to understand the concept of nature (phusis) in ancient Greek philosophy and how it was translated to ṭabīʿa in classical Islamic philosophy and theology, especially the philosophical implications of this translation as well as its definition by Aristotle (d. 322 BCE) and Al-Ghazali (d. 1111 CE). Islamic philosophers and theologians, I argue, sought to grant God (Allāh) a more omnipotent role in the cause of nature than the Greeks, with some even stating that nature is an empty concept. My project will explore the following questions: (i) How is nature defined in classical Greek and Islamic philosophy? (ii) What ontological assumptions underlie this conceptualization of nature? (especially the account of Al-Ghazali and Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī) (iii) What does this tell us about the value of nature?

When: 29. oktober 2024 12:00-13:00 
Where: OD O96 Conferenceroom (Ø6-205b-1)