The Routledge Companion to Islamic Philosophy

Recent publications focused on Arabic/Islamic philosophy have traditionally considered this under the history of ideas and Oriental or Islamic studies. There is a need for a comprehensive collection of essays that treats Islamic philosophy as philosophy, and not merely as a conduit of intellectual history for delivering ideas from the ancient Greeks to medieval Christians. With this aim, The Routledge Companion to Islamic Philosophy is conceived as a well-structured and wide-ranging thematic approach, accessible for a broad spectrum of readers, from students to scholars interested in Islamic thought, philosophy, theology, and religious studies.

This valuable reference work synthesizes and elucidates traditional themes and issues in Islamic philosophy as well as prominent topics emerging from the last twenty years of scholarship. Written for a wide readership of students and scholars, The Routledge Companion to Islamic Philosophy is unique in including coverage of both perennial philosophical issues in an Islamic context and also distinct concerns that emerge from Islamic religious thought. This work constitutes a substantial affirmation that Islamic philosophy is an integral part of the Western philosophical tradition.

Featuring 33 chapters, divided into seven thematic sections, this volume explores the major areas of philosophy: Logic, Metaphysics, Philosophy in the Sciences, Philosophy of Mind/Epistemology, and Ethics/Politics as well as philosophical issues salient in Islamic revelation, theology, prophecy, and mysticism.

Other features include:

•A focus on both the classical and post-classical periods

•A contributing body that includes both widely respected scholars from around the world and a handful of the very best younger scholars

•"Reference" and "Further Reading" sections for each chapter and a comprehensive index for the whole volume

The result is a work that captures Islamic philosophy as philosophy. In this way it serves students and scholars of philosophy and religious studies and at the same time provides valuable essays relevant to the study of Islamic thought and theology.