Averroes and the Metaphysics of CausationAverroes and the Metaphysics of Causation examines the controversial causation issue. That causes produce their effects and can be known to do so is the view that Averroes defends in his Tahafut Al-Tahafut, where he summarizes and evaluates the debates about causation--debates that took place over several generations between the philosophers and the theologians of medieval Islam. Drawing from his Tahafut, his commentaries, and other writings, Kogan shows that Averroes' discussion of causation represents a dialogue across the generations and a rich contribution to the history of the causal controversy. Averroes responds to al-Ghazali's proto-Humean critique of the philosophers' account which treats causation as an entailment relation. In this response Averroes develops an independent position that is of philosophical interest because it clearly anticipates many of the contemporary responses to Hume associated with the singularist position. Building on this analysis, Kogan resolves many long-standing paradoxes in Averroes' treatment of miracles, eternal creation, God's causal knowing, and the theory of emanation. |
Contents
Averroes on the Logic of Agents and Acts | 17 |
Criteriological Analysis | 25 |
Causes Effects | 71 |
Efficacy | 86 |
Divine Causation and the Doctrine of Eternal | 203 |
Emanation? | 248 |
Conclusion | 255 |
Notes | 267 |
313 | |
329 | |
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Common terms and phrases
ab extra actual agents and acts al-Fārābī al-Ghazā al-Ghazālī analysis animate argues argument Aristotelian Aristotle Aristotle's Ash'arite Averroes Avicenna causal efficacy causal necessity causes and effects celestial spheres characterized claim conception continuous created definition Deity deny Destructio discussion distinction Divine Divine simplicity doctrine efficient causes emanation ence energeia entities essence essential eternal creation ex nihilo existence explain fact fire God's Ibid Ibn Rushd Ibn Tufayl identical insofar intellect interpretation Islamic kind knowledge lī's logical matter means Metaphysics miracles motion move movement mover necessary connection non-existence object observed occasionalist occur ontological passive powers philosophers physical possible potency potential powerful particulars powers and dispositions precisely principle produce question Qur'an reference regard relation scammony sense simply soul speak specific act specific natures spheres sublunar substance suggests Tafsir LAM Tahāfut temporal theologians theory things tion universe voluntary XII Metaphysicorum
References to this book
The Beginnings of Western Science: The European Scientific Tradition in ... David C. Lindberg No preview available - 1992 |
Averroes und die arabische Moderne: Ansätze zu einer Neubegründung des ... Anke von Kügelgen No preview available - 1994 |