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Kalam responses to Ibn Sina's arguments against atomism
Abstract by Dr. Alnoor Dhanani On Session 148  (Reason and Revelation)

On Saturday, November 20 at 02:30 pm

2010 Annual Meeting

Abstract
In the Physics, Aristotle refutes the atomism of Democritus and Leucippus through a series of arguments. The later atomist Epicurus therefore had to answer the challenge of the Aristotelian critique in his revision of atomism. Similarly, Ibn Sina refutes the atomism of the mutakallimun in the Physics of the Shifa' (and in other works). My paper will examine the response of post-Avicennan mutakallimun to the challenge posed by Ibn Sina's critique of kalam atomism. I intend to focus primarily on the Ash'arites, in particular Fakhr al-din al-Razi, al-Iji and his commentators, and al-Taftazani, but will also review the positions of the Mu'tazili-leaning Zaydi mutakallim al-Jushami, the Shi'i mutakallims al-Hilli and al-Bahrani, and the Maturidi mutakallim Abu al-Mu'in al-Nasafi.
Discipline
History
Geographic Area
Islamic World
Sub Area
Islamic Thought