Friday, May 14, 2010

The World's Greatest Philosophers and Islam

Was just reading The World's Great Philosophers (Wiley 2003). There are 40 philosophers in there. Not one of them is Muslim. There is no way this is simply an oversight. It means that the editors actually decided that people like Avicenna did not belong in this list.

5 comments:

Steve Scott said...

Is this a good thing? Or not?

Abu Daoud said...

Hmm, I'm not sure. I would say on the balance no. The fact that Islam has not produced any significant philosophers in several centuries, and the fact that the philosophers it did produce a long time ago are of so little influence today, reflects a sort of mental stagnation and lack of inquiry which has always plagues Islam,

Steve Scott said...

Are there any Christian fundamentalists on that list?

Abu Daoud said...

Steve, no, not unless you consider Aquinas a fundamentalist ;-)

Anonymous said...

Would anyone like to know how Muhammad's followers will die?

Muhammad: "If they strike you first it is righteous to strike them back!"-Final Testament

Jesus: "If they slap one cheek turn and let them slap the other, for those who live by the sword die by the sword!"-New Testament