e-ISSN: 1309-1719
ISSN: 1309-1786
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Method, structure, and development in al-Fārābī's cosmology, by Damien Janos

Method, structure, and development in al-Fārābī's cosmology, by Damien Janos

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Sonja Brentjes
Max Planck Institute for the History of Science

DOI:

10.12730/13091719.2013.41.78
How to Cite
Brentjes, Sonja. 2013. “Method, Structure, and Development in Al-Fārābī’s Cosmology, by Damien Janos”. Ilahiyat Studies 4 (1):115-21. https://doi.org/10.12730/13091719.2013.41.78.

Abstract

Method, Structure, and Development in al-Fārābī´s Cosmology, by Damien Janos (Islamic Philosophy, Theology and Science, Texts and Studies: 85) (Leiden & Boston: Brill, 2012), xiv + 433 pp., ISBN: 978-90-04-20615-1, â¬161.00 / $221.00 (hb) (First paragraph) The present book is Janos´ revised PhD thesis and consists of four chapters. The first chapter serves as an introduction and surveys in three sections followed by a fourth one reserved for conclusions (pp. 111-113) broad themes, namely (1) “cosmology, the sciences, and the scientific method„ (pp. 11-43), (2) “astronomy and its place in the philosophical curriculum„ (pp. 43-84), (3) “demonstration and analogy: a tension in al-Fārābī´s method„ (pp. 84-111). The second chapter, titled “the architecture of the heavens: intellects, souls, and orbs,„ treats in four sections followed by conclusions (pp. 201-203) (1) “the celestial bodies„ (pp. 115-142), (2) “the separate intellects„ (pp. 142-180), (3) “the first (al-awwal)„ (pp. 180-189), and (4) “unity and multiplicity„ (pp. 190-201). The third chapter under the header “matter and creation: a shift in paradigms?„ follows the same basic structure as the two preceding ones and the subsequent chapter. It discusses (1) “the nature of celestial matter„ (pp. 203-235), (2) “the origin of matter: from creationism to eternal causation„ (pp. 235-311), (3) “strengthening the developmentalist hypothesis„ (pp. 312-325) and closes with (4) “conclusion(s)„ (pp. 325-332). Chapter 4 on “the aporia of celestial motion„ studies (1) “the various motions of the heavenly bodies„ (pp. 333-339), (2) “the causes of celestial motion„ (pp. 339-355), and (3) “the problem of the particular motions of the planets„ (pp. 355-376), wrapped up by (4) “conclusion(s)„ (pp. 376-377). After these four chapters follows a brief presentation (4 pp.) of general conclusions, two appendices (pp. 383-402), the bibliography and an index.

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