Related question:
v Do a detailed analysis of
Al-farabi’s ontology.
(YOUR INTRODUCTION)
THE PHILOSOPHER ‘AL-FARABI’
Al-farabi was born at Wasij- a village
near Farah in 870A.D. His full name is ‘’Muhammad Abu Nasi Al-farabi’’. He
studied mainly in Baghdad and flourished as a Sufi. He was the first Turkish
philosopher to make a name or gain popularity. Due to his great exposition of
Aristotle’s logic, he was given the title ‘’AL-MUALLIM AL-THANI’’ meaning ‘the
second teacher’.
AL-FARABI’S PHILOSOPHICAL COLLECTION
Al-farabi’s philosophical system was a
creative combination of Platonism, Aristotelianism and Sufism. According to
Ibn-khallikan, no Muslim thinker ever searched the same position as Al-farabi
in philosophical knowledge. Al-farabi’s major philosophical views may be summed
up under the following five headings:-
i.
Ontology.
ii.
Metaphysical
theology.
iii.
Cosmology.
iv.
Rational
psychology.
v.
Political
philosophy.
AL-FARABI’S ONTOLOGY
The ontology of Al-farabi is broken down
into three basic parts with each having its own unique sub-division. These
three parts of al-farabi’s ontology are;
1.
Universals.
2. Being.
3.
The
first principles.
§
Universals
Regarding the existence of universals, al-farabi says
that the universals do not exist in act; that is they are not things existing
in themselves, but that they exist only in individuals. Thus, the existence of
universals is subject to and dependent on the existence of individuals. This is
‘’moderate realism’’. In connection to this, al-farabi defines universals as
‘the one found in the many and affirmed of many’. So, universals have no
existence apart from individuals. The individuals which are called ‘first
substances’, does exist before the universals which are called ‘second
substances’. The individuals have concrete substantial existence and because of
this one is led to think that they are more substantial than the universals.
However, the universals being permanent and perennially existent have more
right to the name of substances than mortal individuals.
§
Being
Under
the topic of being, six sub-divisions would be considered; which are;
a)
The concept of being
Being for al-farabi is the most ultimate and
universal concept. Being cannot be defined at all, for it is the highest
concept. At times, however, al-farabi defines being with reality in a manner
similar to that of Parmenides.
b)
Necessary and contingent being
A necessary being is that which exists in itself
or that which cannot but exist. This means that its existence is a necessity;
it does not need anything for it to exist. An example of a necessary being is
God.
A contingent being is that which receives its
existence from another being. This implies that their non-existence is
possible. Material things in this world are contingent i.e. their existence is
not a necessity as they come and go.
c)
Potentiality and actuality
Potentiality simply means the ability to exist.
Every created being, before it actually came into existence had a possibility
to exist. Thus, every created being was once in a state of potentiality.
Actuality is that which exists as a fact. It is
the end goal and possibility of potentiality. For al-farabi, that which is in
actuality is perfect and that which is in potentiality is imperfect. God alone
is pure actuality without any element of potentiality.
d)
Substance and accident
Substance is that which exists in itself and not
in another. Accidents are that which does not exist on its own but always in the
substance. The basic nature of substances is to have existence in itself and
not in another as its subject. But accidents do need a subject in which and by
which it may exist. For example, car is a substance but colour (like red) is an
accident.
e)
Essence and existence
Essence is what makes a thing. It is the reason
why a thing is what it is. Existence is the end goal of essence. In created
things, essence and existence are separate for it is possible to think of its
essence without implying its existence. For al-farabi, God is the only being
whose essence is his very existence as they are inseparable.
f)
Matter and form
Al-farabi maintains that created things are
composed of two principles which are matter and form. Matter is the stuff of
which a thing is made. Matter cannot be determined. It only has the nature of
becoming this or that by the power of form.
Form is the principle that determines if matter
could actually become this or that. But matter cannot exist without form or
form without matter. For example, the matter inherent in charcoal, wood and
paper is the same. These are just three different forms but the same matter.
§
The first principles
Al-farabi
believes that closely related to the concept of being are the laws of thought
and reality. Thus, since the concept of being which is based on reality is
true, then it also follows that the first principles are true. These first
principles are three in number; these are;
a.
The principle or law of contradiction
This
holds that nothing can be both ‘p’ and ‘notp’, meaning that a thing cannot be
true and false at the same time. Hence, a contradictory idea is false.
b.
The principle or law of excluded middle
Is
like a response to or an extension of the law of contradiction. It states that
anything must either be ‘p’ or ‘notp’, implying that a thing either is or is
not. E.g. God either exist or does not exist.
c.
The principle or law of causality
As
formulated by al-farabi, this principle goes thus; ‘’whatever exists after
having not existed, must be brought into being by a cause; so, nothing
(not-being) cannot be the cause of being. The summary of it all is that
‘everything in nature has a cause and for al-farabi, God is the ultimate cause
(the uncaused cause).
(YOUR CRITICISMS AND CONCLUSION)
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