This 10th-century polymath has a main-belt asteroid named after him: 7057 al-Fārābī. Why? Well, why not. A natural philosopher in the 10th century, al-Fārābī learned from the Greeks, but he wrote for Muslims -- and he's responsible for bringing ancient Greek philosophy to the foundation of Arabic alchemy.
Apr 2022
Defamation and the Devil: False Accusations of Witchcraft
Let’s talk about witch panic. If your crime is not of being a witch, but rather of falsely accusing and then punishing an alleged witch, what led up to that moment? Well, probably more than one thing. There’s a lot of talk about the religious factors that have long been part of p ... Show More
27m 22s
May 2024
Sari Nusseibeh, "Avicenna's Al-Shifā': Oriental Philosophy" (Routledge, 2018)
Sari Nusseibeh's book Avicenna's Al-Shifā': Oriental Philosophy (Routledge, 2018) deals with the philosophy of Ibn Sina - Avicenna as he was known in the Latin West- a Persian Muslim who lived in the eleventh century, considered one of the most important figures in the history of ... Show More
1h 3m
Nov 2023
The Lesser-Known Philosophy of the Iron Age Greeks
<p>When we think of Western philosophers who pondered questions about the good life, we typically think of the classical era of Greece and the likes of Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle. But my guest would say that the poets and philosophers who came out of the preceding period, Gre ... Show More
45m 12s
Aug 2021
Reconsidering relations among Greeks, Arabs, science and philosophy
Dr George Saliba, Professor and Director of AUB’s Farouk Jabre Center for Arabic and Islamic Science and Philosophy, explains how his research identifies how Arab and Greek scholars and philosophers jointly articulated new knowledge that went on to spark the European Renaissance. ... Show More
26m 2s
Sep 2023
Peter Adamson, "Ibn Sīnā (Avicenna): a Very Short Introduction" (Oxford UP, 2023)
Peter Adamson's book Ibn Sīnā (Avicenna): a Very Short Introduction (Oxford UP, 2023) provides an introduction to the most important philosopher of the Islamic world, Ibn Sīnā, often known in English by his Latinized name Avicenna. After introducing the man and his works, with an ... Show More
51m 46s
<p>This is the first in a series of episodes exploring the world of Occult Sciences in the Islamicate World, including such topics as Alchemy, Astrology, Talismanic Magic & the Science of Letters.</p><br><p><br></p><p>Sources/Suggested Reading:</p><ul><li>Melvin-Koushki, Matt ... Show More
<p>In this very long episode, I give an introduction to one of the most significant, yet often misunderstood thinkers and mystics in history - Ibn 'Arabi.</p><br><p>Sources:</p><p>Chittick, William (2005). "Ibn Arabi: Heir to the Prophets". OneWorld Publications.</p><p>Chittick, ... Show More
<p>We continue our exploration of the Occult Sciences by taking a look at some of the earliest theories and practices surrounding astrology in the Islamicate World.</p><br><p><br></p><p>Sources/Suggested Reading:</p><ul><li>Adamson, Peter & Richard C. Taylor (ed) (2004). "The ... Show More
