The Encyclopedia of the Brethren of Purity, written by a mysterious band of philosophers in 10th Century Basra in what is now Iraq. It is generally considered the original encyclopedia.
"...to shun no science, scorn any book, or to cling fanatically to no single creed. For [their] own creed encompasses all the others and comprehends all the sciences generally. This creed is the consideration of all existing things, both sensible and intelligible, from beginning to end, whether hidden or overt, manifest or obscure . . . in so far as they all derive from a single principle, a single cause, a single world, and a single Soul."
- from the Ikhwan al-Safa, or Encyclopedia of the Brethren of Purity; Rasa'il IV
The Brethen divided the sciences into three categories, outlined here, with help from Professor De Callataÿ at the Institure of Ismaili Studies in London.
Propaedeutic Science: the sciences of education, which serve the quest of subsistence and for the goodness of the living in this world, including: writing and reading, language and grammar, calculation and operations, poetry and prose, auguries and auspices and the like, magic, talismans, alchemy, tricks and the like, professions, crafts, sale and purchase, trades, cultivation, breeding, biographies and histories.
Religious and Conventional Science: the sciences of the healing of souls and for the quest of the hereafter, including: science of revelation, science of interpretation, narratives, reports, jurisprudence, norms and laws, recollection, exhortations, asceticism and mysticism, interpretation of dreams.
Philosophical Sciences:
Mathematics: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music
Logic: poetics, rhetorics, topics, analytics, sophistics
Natural Sciences: science of corporal principles, science of the heaven and the world, science of coming-to-be and passing-away, science of atmospheric events, science of minerals, science of plants, science of animals
Metaphysics: knowledge of the Creator, science of spiritual beings, science of psychic beings, science of politics (with 5 subdivisions: prophetic, royal, public, domestic, private), science of the Return
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2 comments:
I am still reading their work and so far I am reading the 6th letter out of 52. It is surprising to know how much did people at that time knew. What I like most is that they reference their work to its original author such as the Greek philosophers. I am reading the Arabic version of it and I do suggest it to everyone to read. I wonder if there is a downloadable English version of these letters that I can suggest to others. However, I noticed that the Ismaili sect claim the work to be of their scholars where the most evidence show that they belong to Shia sect.
Radwan
Unfortunatly I cannot read arabic...and i don't think it has been translated to english yet.
Can someone guide me through my quest of putting my hands on this
precious knowledge?
Lamia
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