Moshe M Pavlov - Abū’l-Barakāt al-Baghdādī’s Metaphysical Philosophy: The Kitāb al-Mu‘tabar

Abl-Barakt is a renowned philosopher of the Arabic-Jewish milieu who composed in his magnum opus the Kitb al-Mutabar, a comprehensive metaphysics which challenged the accepted notions of the traditional metaphysical philosophy.

Abl-Barakt al-Baghdds Metaphysical Philosophy examines the novel philosophical conceptions of the first book of the Metaphysics of the Kitb al-Mutabar. The aim is to present a developed conception of Abl-Barakts systematic metaphysics. This is accomplished by following the order of topics discussed, while translating the relevant passages. These different topics comprise stages of cognition that move from an analysis of time, creation, and causality to the conception of a higher spiritual realm of mental entities and a conception of God as the First Knower and Teacher. The epistemological and ontological conceptions are analyzed at each culminating stage.

This book analyzes vast portions of the metaphysical study for the first time. The book will thus be a valuable resource for all those seeking an original and broad metaphysics, and for students and scholars of Jewish and Islamic Philosophy. Furthermore, it is of importance for those seeking a metaphysics related to scientific theories and those interested in the history of science and metaphysics.

Moshe M. Pavlov studied philosophy at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, taking his B.A. and M.A. in philosophy and his doctorate in Jewish Philosophy.

Routledge Jewish Studies Series

Series Editor: Oliver Leaman

University of Kentucky

Studies, which are interpreted to cover the disciplines of history, sociology, anthropology, culture, politics, philosophy, theology, religion, as they relate to Jewish affairs. The remit includes texts which have as their primary focus issues, ideas, personalities and events of relevance to Jews, Jewish life and the concepts which have characterised Jewish culture both in the past and today. The series is interested in receiving appropriate scripts or proposals.

A History of Czechs and Jews
A Slavic Jerusalem
Martin Wein

Boundaries, Identity and Belonging in Modern Judaism
Edited by Maria Diemling and Larry Ray

The Name of God in Jewish Thought
A Philosophical Analysis of Mystical Traditions from Apocalyptic to Kabbalah
Michael T. Miller

Rabbis of Our Time
Authorities of Judaism in the Religious and Political Ferment of Modern Times
Marek ejka and Roman Koan

Rabbinic Judaism
Space and Place
David Kraemer

The Role of Contradictions in Spinozas Philosophy
The God-Intoxicated Heretic
Yuval Jobani

Ethics and Suffering since the Holocaust
Making Ethics First Philosophy in Levinas, Wiesel and Rubenstein
Ingrid L. Anderson

Abl-Barakt al-Baghdds Scientific Philosophy
The Kitb al-Mutabar Moshe M. Pavlov

Abl-Barakt al-Baghdds Metaphysical Philosophy
The Kitb al-Mutabar Moshe M. Pavlov

Contemporary Sephardic and Mizrahi Literature
A Diaspora
Edited by Dario Miccoli

Moshe M. Pavlov

First published 2017
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2017 Moshe M. Pavlov

The right of Moshe M. Pavlov to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Names: Pavlov, Moshe M., author.
Title: Abul-Barakat al-Baghdadis metaphysical philosophy : the Kitab al-Mutabar / Moshe M. Pavlov.
Other titles: Routledge Jewish studies series.
Description: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2017. | Series: Routledge Jewish studies series
Identifiers: LCCN 2016050410| ISBN 9781138640498 (hardback) |
ISBN 9781315636580 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Abu al-Barakat Hibat Allah ibn Ali, active 10771164.
Mutabar. | Metaphysics. | Islamic philosophy. | Philosophy, Medieval.
Classification: LCC B748.A24 P378 2017 | DDC 181/.6dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016050410

ISBN: 978-1-138-64049-8 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-63658-0 (ebk)

Typeset in Times New Roman
by Wearset Ltd, Boldon, Tyne and Wear

PART I
The theory of the existent interacting with existence conceived by means of the second cognition

PART II
The spiritual realm and the First Knower conceived by means of the third cognition

This volume is an exposition of Abl-Barakt al-Baghdds metaphysical philosophy, as this is found in his magnum opus, the Kitb al-Mutabar. We study this metaphysical philosophy, as it is depicted in the first book of the Metaphysics of the Kitb.

The study of Abl-Barakts metaphysical philosophy owes much to the work of Shlomo Pines, concerning which Pines realized the philosophical importance and conceived many incisive remarks. He arrived at his separate study of Abl-Barakts metaphysics after having pursued previous studies of the Physics and Psychology of the Kitb. He concluded that these different books were the expanded notes of Abl-Barakt. The pioneering work of Pines thus aimed to depict certain of the various metaphysical conceptions and doctrines.

My orientation began with the metaphysical conceptions, which subsequently became a search for an integrated metaphysical theory aligned with the sciences. This led to a more comprehensive synthetic view of the sciences and the metaphysical study. The further focus upon these separate domains has led to an enhanced and sharper focus of the material and its interrelationships. This is initially presented as the broad theory of the existent with existence and the wider epistemological-ontological theory.

The difference of orientation points to deeper questions concerning the interpretation of the Kitb, for Abl-Barakts intent in composing this philosophical conception is both scientific and metaphysical. Many metaphysical conceptions are conceived integrally with the sciences, as shown by his referral to the scientific studies in the metaphysical discussions. Beyond the novel fundamental conceptions of the sciences conceived, the Kitb has an encompassing metaphysical aim, as its many discussions and climatic end attest to explicitly.