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Alexandrian Tradition into Arabic: Philosophy

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Encyclopedia of Medieval Philosophy

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Abstract

The doctrinal impact of the School of Alexandria on Arabic philosophy becomes increasingly clear, thanks to a deeper knowledge of the textual tradition of Arabic and Syriac philosophy. One may go as far as to see in al-Fārābī (d. 950), Avicenna (c. 980–1037), and the respective traditions they initiated, the culmination of the scholarly endeavor of Ammonius and his successors. But at first glance, this Arabic synthesis left no room for Plato and the Chaldean Oracles. In fact, the articulation of Aristotelian logical and physical inquiries with Plato’s theological insights, which had prevailed in Alexandria, gave way to a system wherein the rational sciences reached their highest point in a nondiscursive contact with an Eternal entity, whether God or a lower principle. The process of reception of the Alexandrian tradition into Arabic began in the eighth century and ended in the eleventh century. Alexandrian philosophy continued to nurture Arabic thought up to Averroes’ time (1126–1198) and beyond.

In what follows, the expressions “Alexandrian philosophy” and “Alexandrian philosophers” will refer to the School of Ammonius son of Hermias (around 470 to after 517), his students and their students, and Simplicius (c. 490–560), who was also known to the Arabic authors.

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  1. IFPO-Damascus, IFPO Abu Rumaneh, Damascus, Syria

    Philippe Vallat

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  1. Department of Philosophy, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Henrik Lagerlund

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Vallat, P. (2011). Alexandrian Tradition into Arabic: Philosophy. In: Lagerlund, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Medieval Philosophy. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9729-4_26

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