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The tradition of philosophy in the Persian-speaking world is extraordinarily rich, creative and diverse. This anthology, which is divided into five volumes, aims to communicate something of that richness and diversity. The term 鈥榩hilosophy is understood to in its widest sense to include theological debate, philosophical Sufism and philosophical hermeneutics (迟补示飞墨濒The elucidation of the inner or esoteric meaning, b膩峁璱n , from the literal wording or apparent meaning of a text, ritual or religious prescription.). Extending over a period of more than two millennia, and showcasing translations by well-established scholars, the anthology offers full bibliographical references throughout. For anyone interested in exploring, in all their varied manifestations, the fascinating philosophical traditions of Persia, such a wide-ranging and ambitious work will be an indispensable resource. Volume 1 starts with the Zoroastrian period and extends to the time of Biruni and Omar Khayyam, paying special attention to the peripatetic school associated with Ibn Sina (Avicenna). During the pre-Islamic period philosophy was intertwined with religion, and it is within Persian religious texts such as the “Gathas”, the “Denkard”, and the Zoroastrian texts of the “Bundahisn” that philosophical discussions of subjects ranging from metaphysics to cosmology and eschatology are to be found.
Preface M. Aminrazavi
List of Reprinted Works
Note on Transliteration
List of Contributors
Prolegomenon, S. H. Nasr
Part I. Early Persian Philosophy: Zoroastrian Thought
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
1. The Original Creation (from 叠耻苍诲补丑颈拧苍)
2. Greater 叠耻苍诲补丑颈拧苍
3. The Answers of Man奴skihar (from D膩dist膩n-i D墨n墨k)
4. Opinions of the Spirit of Wisdom (from D墨n膩-i Ma墨nog-i Khirad)
5. Selected Readings
6. Exegesis of the Good Religion (from 顿脓苍办补谤诲 VI)
Part II. Early Persian Philosophy: Manichaeism
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
7. Central Principles (from the Kephalaia)
Part III. Early Islamic Philosophy: The Peripatetics
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
8. Abu鈥檒-士Abb膩s Mu岣mmad 莫r膩nshahr墨
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
The Ideas of 莫r膩nshahr墨 (from Z膩d al-mus膩fir墨n)
9. Ab奴 Na峁 F膩r膩b墨
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
A Paraphrase of Aristotle鈥檚 Analytica Posteriora (from Kit膩b al-burh膩n)
A Reconciliation of the Opinions of the Two Sages, Divine Plato and Aristotle (from Kit膩b al-jam士 bayn ra示yay al-岣kimayn Afl膩峁玭 al-il膩h墨 wa Aris峁 )
The Perfect State (from Mab膩di示 膩r膩示 ahl al-mad墨nat al-f膩岣峣lah)
10. Abu鈥檒-岣san 士Amir墨
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Knowledge and the Religious Sciences (from al-I士l膩m bi man膩qib al-Isl膩m)
On the Soul and its Fate (from al-Amad 士ala鈥檒-abad)
11. Ab奴 Sulaym膩n Sijist膩n墨
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Philosophical Treatises (惭耻峁苍苍补蹿腻迟)
12. Ibn S墨n膩
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Metaphysics (from D膩nish-n膩mah-yi 士al膩示墨 )
Creation Ex-Nihilo and Immediate Creation (from al-Ish膩r膩t wa鈥檒-tanb墨h膩t)
On Theodicy and Providence I (from 补濒-厂丑颈蹿腻示)
On Theodicy and Providence II (from al-Ish膩r膩t wa鈥檒-tanb墨h膩t )
On Time (from 补濒-厂丑颈蹿腻示 )
The Stations of the Knowers (from al-Ish膩r膩t wa鈥檒-tanb墨h膩t )
Living Son of the Awake (from Ris膩lah 岣yy ibn Yaq岷撃乶 )
Introduction (from Man峁璱q al-mashraqiyy墨n )
13. Ab奴 士Al墨 A岣ad ibn Mu岣mmad Miskawayh
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
Perennial Philosophy (Wisdom) (from al-岣kmat al-kh膩lidah or 闯腻飞墨诲腻苍-办丑颈谤补诲)
The Health of the Soul (from Tahdh墨b al-akhl膩q)
14. Bahmany膩r ibn Marzb膩n
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Author鈥檚 Foreword (from Kit膩b al-ta岣メ梗墨l)
Part IV. Early Islamic Philosophy: The Independent Philosophers
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
15. Ab奴 Bakr Mu岣mmad ibn Zakariyy膩示 R膩z墨
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
Of the Excellence and Praise of Reason (from al-峁琲bb al-r奴岣ツ乶墨)
The Book of the Philosophic Life (from al-S墨rat al-falsafiyyah)
16. Ab奴 Ray岣ツ乶 B墨r奴n墨
Introduction, S. H. Nasr
The Belief of the Hindus in God (from Ta岣墨q m膩 li鈥檒-Hind)
Questions and Answers (from al-As示ilah wa鈥檒-ajwibah)
17. 士Um膩r Khayy膩m
Introduction, M. Aminrazavi
The Necessity of Contradiction, Free Will and Determinism (岣宎r奴rat al-ta岣嵞乨d fi鈥檒-士膩lam wa鈥檒-jabr wa鈥檒-baq膩示)
Universals of Existence (碍耻濒濒颈测测腻迟-颈 飞耻箩奴诲A metaphysical term meaning ‘existence’, employed by philosophically-inclined thinkers such as al-F膩r膩b墨 (d. ca. 950), Ibn Rushd (d. 1198), al-Suhraward墨 and Mull膩 峁dr膩 (d. 1050/1640). According to Ibn Sina (d…. )
Select Bibliography
Index
Seyyed Hossein Nasr is University Professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University. He is the author of over 300 articles and thirty books, and has lectured widely on Islamic philosophy.
Mehdi Aminrazavi is the author and editor of numerous books and articles, and is currently Professor of Philosophy and Religion at the University of Mary Washington, where he directs the Middle Eastern Studies Program.