My primary research interests are in the areas of Islamic philosophy and alchemy with a focus on the philosophers of the School of Isfahan, Mir Damad and his student Mulla Sadra, in particular. In addition, I have an interest in the philosophical theology of Shaykh Ahmad al-Ahsa'i and the influence of his ideas in the writings of the Bab and Baha'u'llah, the founders of the Baha'i Faith.
My ongoing translation project at this time is to perfect my translation of Mir Damad's major philosophical work, Kitab al-Qabasat. Any feedback on the translation would be much appreciated. Supervisors: Hossein Ziai
It is now 140 years since Darwin published his famous book The Origin of Species, but the intense... more It is now 140 years since Darwin published his famous book The Origin of Species, but the intense controversy surrounding his theory of evolution has not died down, especially in America. The classical world view that predominated up until the middle of the nineteenth century understood all species as having been created by God in essentially their present form all at one time. Modification of populations was allowed in recognition of the fact that organisms do adapt to changing environmental conditions, but any change beyond the strict bounds of a species’ essential characteristics was not considered possible. This is also the view accepted by many contemporary fundamentalist Christian denominations, a view that a 1993 Gallop poll found to be supported by 47% of Americans. This view, however, stands in stark contrast to the position put forward by Darwin, and now accepted by the scientific community, which holds that no act of supernatural creation is necessary to explain the origi...
This science, which is also known as the “hidden craft,” “the science of the elixir,” and “the sc... more This science, which is also known as the “hidden craft,” “the science of the elixir,” and “the science of the balance,” should not be confused with the modern science of chemistry, and it is improbable to understand it by recourse to the latter. Alchemy is more than about transmutation. It is about artificially reproducing and mirroring the process of creation itself in order to embody spirit in matter. As such, it is part of a knowledge of the cosmos termed the ḥikmat ilāhī (“divine philosophy” or “divine wisdom”), which Muslim alchemists also know as the “sister of prophecy.” In referring to the signs of the maturity of the human race, ‘Abdu’l-Bahā states that the hidden craft is part of this divine philosophy: “As for the signs of the coming of age of the human race mentioned in the Kitāb-i-Aqdas: one sign is the advent of universal peace, and the other is the unfoldment and appearance of the ‘sister of prophecy’, the divine philosophy, of which the hidden craft forms a part.” Co...
The origin of matter, according to the Bahá’í teachings, can be explained as a spiritual reality.... more The origin of matter, according to the Bahá’í teachings, can be explained as a spiritual reality. Although this view is not modern, modern science is also finding that at the most fundamental level “permanent aspects of reality are not particular materials or structures but rather the possible forms of structures, and the rules for their transformation” (Wilczek). The Bahá’í Faith teaches that science and religion reveal complementary aspects of one truth. To Bahá’ís, the Word of God is an actual, albeit transcendent, entity with the power to bring physical reality into being. Its forces directly give rise to the structures and functions of matter. The theory of the four elements, the threefold structure of being, and the necessity of balance to life are also examined. Résumé Selon les enseignements bahá’ís, les origines de la matière peuvent être expliquées en tant que réalité spirituelle. Bien que cette façon de voir ne soit pas moderne, la science moderne est en train de découvri...
Abstract: The subject of this study is Mír Dámád's theory of perpetual creation and ... more Abstract: The subject of this study is Mír Dámád's theory of perpetual creation and the trifold division of existence into time, perpetuity, and eternity, as explained in Dámád's greatest philosophical work, Kitáb al-Qabasát, which he completed about six years before his ...
It is now 140 years since Darwin published his famous book The Origin of Species, but the intense... more It is now 140 years since Darwin published his famous book The Origin of Species, but the intense controversy surrounding his theory of evolution has not died down, especially in America. The classical world view that predominated up until the middle of the nineteenth century understood all species as having been created by God in essentially their present form all at one time. Modification of populations was allowed in recognition of the fact that organisms do adapt to changing environmental conditions, but any change beyond the strict bounds of a species’ essential characteristics was not considered possible. This is also the view accepted by many contemporary fundamentalist Christian denominations, a view that a 1993 Gallop poll found to be supported by 47% of Americans. This view, however, stands in stark contrast to the position put forward by Darwin, and now accepted by the scientific community, which holds that no act of supernatural creation is necessary to explain the origi...
This science, which is also known as the “hidden craft,” “the science of the elixir,” and “the sc... more This science, which is also known as the “hidden craft,” “the science of the elixir,” and “the science of the balance,” should not be confused with the modern science of chemistry, and it is improbable to understand it by recourse to the latter. Alchemy is more than about transmutation. It is about artificially reproducing and mirroring the process of creation itself in order to embody spirit in matter. As such, it is part of a knowledge of the cosmos termed the ḥikmat ilāhī (“divine philosophy” or “divine wisdom”), which Muslim alchemists also know as the “sister of prophecy.” In referring to the signs of the maturity of the human race, ‘Abdu’l-Bahā states that the hidden craft is part of this divine philosophy: “As for the signs of the coming of age of the human race mentioned in the Kitāb-i-Aqdas: one sign is the advent of universal peace, and the other is the unfoldment and appearance of the ‘sister of prophecy’, the divine philosophy, of which the hidden craft forms a part.” Co...
The origin of matter, according to the Bahá’í teachings, can be explained as a spiritual reality.... more The origin of matter, according to the Bahá’í teachings, can be explained as a spiritual reality. Although this view is not modern, modern science is also finding that at the most fundamental level “permanent aspects of reality are not particular materials or structures but rather the possible forms of structures, and the rules for their transformation” (Wilczek). The Bahá’í Faith teaches that science and religion reveal complementary aspects of one truth. To Bahá’ís, the Word of God is an actual, albeit transcendent, entity with the power to bring physical reality into being. Its forces directly give rise to the structures and functions of matter. The theory of the four elements, the threefold structure of being, and the necessity of balance to life are also examined. Résumé Selon les enseignements bahá’ís, les origines de la matière peuvent être expliquées en tant que réalité spirituelle. Bien que cette façon de voir ne soit pas moderne, la science moderne est en train de découvri...
Abstract: The subject of this study is Mír Dámád's theory of perpetual creation and ... more Abstract: The subject of this study is Mír Dámád's theory of perpetual creation and the trifold division of existence into time, perpetuity, and eternity, as explained in Dámád's greatest philosophical work, Kitáb al-Qabasát, which he completed about six years before his ...
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