Proclus's Theory of Emanation, and it's impact in The Islamic Philosophical Thought. (Al-Farabi, and Avicenna for Example)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Doctor of Greek Philosophy Faculty of Education - Alexandria University

Abstract

One of the greatest points for philosophy to take care of the life of thought, as it evolves, as it moves through different civilizations. The openness of some civilizations to each other is undoubtedly followed by the friction of cultures, which leads to their familiarity or conflict, and we can't exclude Islamic civilization from this rule. Although the Greek spirit differs from the Islamic spirit, the attempts of  Islamic philosophers and speakers, in reconciling the two ideas, despite their opposition, has yielded many important philosophical theories, which have shown interest in the flags of Greek thought, and we can say that the impact of the modern Platonism represented in Plotinus (270 AD) and Proclus (485 AD) is no less than the impact of Aristotle in the Islamic world.
    The two books of Proclus: (Clarification in the pure good), and (Elements of theology) a significant impact in Islamic philosophical thought, especially with regard to the theory of Emanation, which was known in Islamic thought as: (Ten minds theory), especially at: Al-Farabi (v.339AH=872AD), and Avicenna (v.427AH=1037AD), and that to explain how the many emerged from the one; in order to preserve the main Greek philosophical principle: that the One emerge only one, and the Cause only produces Her sex.
- The problem of research:
    The mainly problem of  this research is to understand Proclus's Theory of Emanation, and it's impact in The (Ten minds theory), especially at: Al-Farabi, and Avicenna, so that we can stand on the most important philosophical ideas contained in the Greek text, and it's development in the Islamic Philosophical Thought.  
- Approach used:
    Some different research approaches was used in this research: the historical approach; which is used to follow the idea of ​​the Emanation in both Greek and Islamic thought, and the analytical approach; to analyze the philosophical texts, for Proclus, Al-Farabi, and Avicenna. And the monetary, and comparative approaches ;in order to find out the differences and convergence between them.

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