Alghazali's attack on philosophy in The Rescuer From Error
[Thesis]
Jeffrey Johnston
DiPasquale, David M.
Boston College
2014
102
Committee members: Bartlett, Robert C.
Place of publication: United States, Ann Arbor; ISBN=978-1-321-15176-3
M.A.
GSAS - Political Science
Boston College
2014
This paper is an exploration of al-Ghazali's attack on philosophy by way of an examination of his autobiographical epistle, 'The Rescuer from Error.' In this text written late in his life, al-Ghazali advises a young student about the best way to pursue knowledge. The thesis argued below is that his project is to re-form Islam around the Sufi mystics, and that he attacks philosophy as a threat to Islam; meanwhile, he covertly attempts to preserve philosophy as a study which can aid the mystics by refining their mystic knowing and providing an antidote to the poisonous error of the multitude.
Religion; Philosophy; Islamic Studies; Political science
Philosophy, religion and theology;Social sciences;Al-ghazali;Islam