News feed
Professor Hussam
Alalussi (1934-2013) is an Iraqi thinker, specialized in Islamic Philosophy, a
defendant of Marxism and Philosophy of Science.
His Studies and
Scientific
Positions
Professor Alalussi
earned the License of philosophy from
His
Philosophical
Project
The philosophical
project of Professor Alalussi is centered on reading
Islamic Philosophical heritage (Al-Turath) from a
rational modernist contemporary view. He uses in his reading a dialectical,
historical and social methodology. The aim of his project is to correct our view
to Islamic traditional thought. Hence, his project is essentially critical,
however, such a critical stance paves the way for the appearance of an authentic
contemporary Arabic philosophy. For, correcting our view to heritage entails a
greater freedom of thought, and consequently a greater chance for the appearance
of such an authentic philosophy.
In 'my philosophical
experience', he describes this position as follow,
The area
of Arabic and Islamic philosophical thought is my specialization… with respect
to my book studies in Islamic philosophy, it is a
collection of studies. Each one introduces new results, points out to new routs,
and corrects judgments. This applies to our research 'Alghazali a problem and a
solution', 'The theory of emanation of Alfarabi from a
contemporary critical view', as well as 'Division of sciences and the appearance
of the Arab/Islamic thought'…Some of my books contain history but not for
history for other purposes…
I have introduced several
studies on the Arabic heritage, on theological Arabic reason, manifestations of
such a reason and its effectiveness, from one side, and on the formulation of a
rigid mentality against diversity and freedom of thought, from the other; what
is the problematic of the Arabic reason?, what is the nature of the product of
the ancient Arab/Islamic philosophical thought and what is its achievements?,
such as studying the problematic of the Arabic theology, or studying models and
forms of Arabic reason and rationality, in addition to two research works on
'Orientalism'. These all delineate our
methodology and our view to the Arabic heritage (Alturath), which certainly see no
alternative of contemporary thought.
Professor Alalussi
is also concerned with philosophy of science, especially with problems related
in one way or other to his basic concern, which is correction of our
understanding of our philosophical heritage. He expresses this in 'My
philosophical experience' as follows,
My interest with
philosophy of science is represented in my book 'On scientific philosophy' and
my book 'Evolution' in two parts, as well as several published research works
such as 'the theory of evolution in its historical and critical frame', 'A
changing world', 'The sociological impact of the theory of evolution', 'Time in
philosophy of science' and 'Space in philosophy of science' in addition to
'Philosophy and science an integration not contradiction'.
In addition the vision of Alalussi to
the relation between Islamic philosophy and Western modernist thought is based
on continuation and integration. From one side he adopts the modernist concept
of 'human advancement', but form the other he rejects Euro-centrism and limiting
the role of Islamic thought to the role of preserving the Greek legacy, which is
also a modernist concept.
In the introduction
of his book 'Time in Religious and philosophical thought and philosophy of
science', printed 2005, he introduces his view of the relation between Islamic
philosophy and medieval and modern western thought. Generally, he views that
many modern concepts, especially those related to theology, eternity, time and
existence, are based clearly on its counterparts in Islamic
philosophy,
This simple example gives
support to the intuition of philosophical continuity – which is not an intuition
in any way for some theorists. I have thought for long time in this 'complete
resemblance' between ancient thought about time, or more specifically about
being finite or infinite. As much, the matter is related to the relation between
God and time, and the importance of the opinion of Augustine about the concept
of time, which will be the key concept for many of the modernist thinkers who
dealt with the problem of 'the reality of time'. I say that I looked at this
direct resemblance and I found the gap still wide historically between ancient
and medieval thought and the modern one since Descartes and Leibniz later on.
Specifically, I mean that there have not been enough efforts to study the
effects of the medieval philosophical thought, specially the Islamic one, on
modern philosophy. It is certain that the debt of the Christian medieval
philosophers to Muslim philosophers is great, or it should be so. For many of the insights of modern philosophers - for example
Leibniz in the problem of 'probability without a cause' in order to prove
eternity of the world with God - the key and the focal point of such problems
exists in the works of Muslim philosophers, and exists in a simpler form in the
works of Christian philosophers, especially Thomas Aquinas, as well as the
different schools in Paris University, whether with or against Ibn Rushd.
In this
context it is important to make two points
clear:
First:
the Western European reader may have thought that what Christian medieval
philosophers have come up with is their own novel ideas. In view of adoption of
Greek philosophy as the origin of philosophy, and in view that he is not informed with the role of Islamic philosophy, he has
the right to commend Christian medieval philosophers. However, I say without
reservation that students should give an additional importance to the details of
the medieval Christian philosophy to establish its dependence on Muslim
philosophers. In any case, I have convincing evidences, through my own specific
studies of the problem of existence and creation and eternity of the world in
the works of Muslim philosophers, and from my limited readings in the medieval
Christian thought.
Second:
the European reader may have fallen in a double error, or to be more safe he has imagined, that what modern European
philosophers have come up with concerning the problem of existence and its
related arguments is their own novel invention. Hence, the question is big, and
we can define the tasks as follows:
First: we
have to define the particulars that Christian medieval philosophy has taken from
the Islamic philosophical thought.
Second:
we have to define the particulars which modern European
philosophy have taken from the Christian medieval thought, and if possible in
case direct relations are found, from the medieval Islamic
thought.
Consequently, the chains of thought will
be integrated and made continuous. Here, I don't mean general guidelines, for
this is clear only a few argues about it, but I mean to follow the thorough
details. Hence, it is not enough to say that there is an effect, but what it
is? In which particular
problem? To what extent? This
is a very important task that philosophy students should pursue,
especially in our countries. (P11-13)
His Methodology
On the side of his
methodology, Alalussi employs an analytical-synthetically methodology,
demarcated by being dialectical, social and historical, "First, it views the
human activities as part of a natural movement in general, on the basis of unity
of material laws which expresses unity of the social and the material. Second,
not separating philosophical position from its social, economic, and historical
context" (the philosophical authenticity of Alalussi, P.
7-8)
Alalussi describes
his Methodology in 'My philosophical experience' as
follows,
With
respect to method and basic rules for philosophical study, I point out the
following:
1-
To study the subject in
accordance to a methodology that is based on relating
it to its social basis, literature, and accumulated
knowledge.
2-
Attention to the whole or
the structure while studying the part, or theory, or
text.
3-
To be careful from
disintegration of the subject.
4-
To give up the eclectic
way in studying Islamic heritage (Turath).
5-
Dialectic, this is evident
in our view to our philosophical heritage.
6-
Continuity, against
chauvinism, such as the myth of the Greek miracle.
His Most
Important
Works
·
The Problem of Creation in Islamic
Thought (in English) 1968.
·
From Mythology to Philosophy,
1973.
·
Studies in Arab/Islamic Philosophical
Thought, 1980.
·
Philosophy and Human being,
1990.
·
Time in Religious and Philosophical
Thought and Philosophy of Science, 2005.
References
·
'My
Philosophical Experience' – Aladeeb (in
Arabic)
·
'The
philosophical authenticity of Alalussi', Ali Hussein Aljabry, The Arabic Philosophical
Magazine, no.3, 1994. (in
Arabic)