The Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East, Volume 6 (of 14): Medieval Arabic, Moorish, and Turkish
Religion
The Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East, Volume 6 (of 14): Medieval Arabic, Moorish, and Turkish
Oriental literature -- Translations into English
Let us, however, acknowledge that among Mussulman philosophers none
has better interpreted the doctrine of Aristotle than the latter. What
others have handed down as his teaching is full of error, confusion,
and obscurity adapted to disconcert the reader. The unintelligible
can neither be accepted nor rejected. The philosophy of Aristotle,
all serious knowledge of which we owe to the translation of these two
learned men, may be divided into three portions: the first contains
matter justly chargeable with impiety, the second is tainted with
heresy, and the third we are obliged to reject absolutely. We proceed
to details:
_Divisions of the Philosophic Sciences_
These sciences, in relation to the aim we have set before us, may be
divided into six sections: (1) Mathematics; (2) Logic; (3) Physics; (4)
Metaphysics; (5) Politics; (6) Moral Philosophy.
(1) _Mathematics._ Mathematics comprises the knowledge of calculation,
geometry, and cosmography: it has no connection with the religious
sciences, and proves nothing for or against religion; it rests on a
foundation of proofs which, once known and understood, can not be
refuted. Mathematics tend, however, to produce two bad results.
The first is this: Whoever studies this science admires the subtlety
and clearness of its proofs. His confidence in philosophy increases,
and he thinks that all its departments are capable of the same
clearness and solidity of proof as mathematics. But when he hears
people speak of the unbelief and impiety of mathematicians, of their
professed disregard for the Divine Law, which is notorious, it is true
that, out of regard for authority, he echoes these accusations, but he
says to himself at the same time that, if there was truth in religion,
it would not have escaped those who have displayed so much keenness of
intellect in the study of mathematics.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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