The Self-Taught Philosopher: An Al-Andalusian tale—Beyond the Myth of Ideal Islam
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33064/37aeuph9153Keywords:
philosophy in the classical Islamic world, al-Andalus, humanism in the classical Islamic world, Ibn TufaylAbstract
The well-known history of Hayy ibn Yaqzan, written by Ibn Tufayl in the 12th century, has been widely studied. This article addresses a less analysed aspect of the story. This article aims to analyse it as an example of critical humanism, a counterpoint to negative assessments of the philosophy in Islam and to the myth of Islam as a lost paradise. First, it analyses the fundamental features of the debate on the status of philosophy in the classical Islamic world and the prejudices surrounding it are analysed. Subsequent sections explore how Ibn Tufayl puts into action a polyhedral reason that is neither self-sufficient, nor only demonstrative, nor pure; alongside a plural and critical spirituality; and an important meditation on the limits of language and concepts.
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