Against Ptolemy? Cosmography in Early Kalām

Anchassi, Omar (2022). Against Ptolemy? Cosmography in Early Kalām. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 142(4), pp. 851-881. American Oriental Society 10.7817/jaos.142.4.2022.ar033

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This article explores how mutakallimūn engaged with competing visions of the
cosmos—traditionalist and Aristotelian-Ptolemaic—to the beginning of the sixth/
twelfth century. Drawing on works of kalām, Quran commentary, and items from
other genres, I demonstrate that rationalist theologians remained divided on such
questions as the shape of the earth to the end of this period. These disagreements,
moreover, cannot be explained in terms of school affiliation. Based on a comprehensive
examination of published sources, I argue that cosmographical opinion
among mutakallimūn was a function of exposure to late ancient learning, intellectual
formation, and personal inclination more than doctrinal commitment.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

06 Faculty of Humanities > Department of Art and Cultural Studies > Institut für Studien zum Nahen Osten und zu muslimischen Gesellschaften

UniBE Contributor:

Anchassi, Omar Walid

Subjects:

200 Religion > 290 Other religions
900 History > 950 History of Asia
900 History > 960 History of Africa

ISSN:

0003-0279

Publisher:

American Oriental Society

Language:

English

Submitter:

Omar Walid Anchassi

Date Deposited:

27 Feb 2023 11:12

Last Modified:

27 Feb 2023 23:27

Publisher DOI:

10.7817/jaos.142.4.2022.ar033

BORIS DOI:

10.48350/179142

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/179142

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