Stanford Encyclopedia article: al-Razi

Posted on ..
Pleased to say that my article on Abū Bakr al-Rāzī (known in Latin as Rhazes) is now available on the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy!
 
Eduardo on 22 May 2021

Doubts about al-Razi

An amazing article professor Adamson! Just one question. Concerning al-Razi´s alleged denial of the necesity or even convenience of profets, what do you think in the end? Was he really a freethinker as meny have claimed, was he only misrepresented? Perhaps something in between? 

From the article I get the impression that, though realizing we can´t have certainty on the matter, you lean towards the view that it was all just an exageration due to al-Razi´s ismailies enemies. Am I correct in interpreting you that way?

I understand it´s impossible to give an absolute statement about such a matter, but I would love to know what you think is the most plaussible answer.

Thanks!

Peter Adamson on 22 May 2021

Razi on prophecy

Yes, that's exactly my view: he was attacking imamism, the idea that one should follow specifically inspired interpreters of revelation, as found especially in proto-shiite groups like the Ismailis. And they, especially Abu Hatim al-Razi, misrepresented him as attacking prophecy in general. I think his view was just that revelation confirms the findings of reason and that the two are in perfect harmony; what he didn't like was the idea that the meaning of revelation would be inaccessible to reason and have a meaning available only to the select, inspired few. Thus his view was more like that of other falāsifa like Farabi, Ibn Rushd, etc. I argue for this at length in the book I just published on him.

Add new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
About text formats

Blog Archive