Late Antique Philosophical Terminology in Early KalÄm
The Polysemous Greek Term atomon and Its Arabic Equivalent juzʾ lÄ yatajazzaʾ
In: Journal of Abbasid StudiesSearch for other papers by Elvira Wakelnig in
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Abstract
The Arabic term âa part which is not dividedâ (juzʾ lÄ yatajazzaʾ) is standard in later kalÄm to express the atom, i.e., the smallest entity out of which the bodies of this world are constituted. However, when early kalÄm doctrines are read with only this atomist meaning of the term in mind, strange claims result, namely that either an individual like Ê¿AlÄ« or man is an atom. Reading these doctrines in the context of Late Antique philosophy in which the Greek term âundividedâ (atomon) is considered as polysemous provides an interpretative tool to make better sense of the early mutakallimÅ«nâs claims.
Discussions of the various meanings of atomon first occur in Greek commentaries to Porphyryâs Isagoge from where they are then excerpted and introduced into compilations of definitions and divisions (diareses) of philosophical terms. A detailed survey of the steady development of these discussions in the Greek tradition sheds light on the condensed form in which they appear in philosophical compilations in Greek, Syriac and Arabic. Surviving Arabic compilations not only contain passages on the various meanings of atomon, but also present information on Democritusâs and Epicurusâs doctrines and are thus suggested as a very plausible, hitherto neglected channel of transmission of Greek atomist theories to early kalÄm.
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Late Antique Philosophical Terminology in Early KalÄm
The Polysemous Greek Term atomon and Its Arabic Equivalent juzʾ lÄ yatajazzaʾ
In: Journal of Abbasid StudiesSearch for other papers by Elvira Wakelnig in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
The Arabic term âa part which is not dividedâ (juzʾ lÄ yatajazzaʾ) is standard in later kalÄm to express the atom, i.e., the smallest entity out of which the bodies of this world are constituted. However, when early kalÄm doctrines are read with only this atomist meaning of the term in mind, strange claims result, namely that either an individual like Ê¿AlÄ« or man is an atom. Reading these doctrines in the context of Late Antique philosophy in which the Greek term âundividedâ (atomon) is considered as polysemous provides an interpretative tool to make better sense of the early mutakallimÅ«nâs claims.
Discussions of the various meanings of atomon first occur in Greek commentaries to Porphyryâs Isagoge from where they are then excerpted and introduced into compilations of definitions and divisions (diareses) of philosophical terms. A detailed survey of the steady development of these discussions in the Greek tradition sheds light on the condensed form in which they appear in philosophical compilations in Greek, Syriac and Arabic. Surviving Arabic compilations not only contain passages on the various meanings of atomon, but also present information on Democritusâs and Epicurusâs doctrines and are thus suggested as a very plausible, hitherto neglected channel of transmission of Greek atomist theories to early kalÄm.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 555 | 85 | 6 |
| Full Text Views | 69 | 6 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 127 | 19 | 0 |
