An Islamic philosophy of virtuous religions : introducing Alfarabi / Joshua Parens.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 155-158) and index.

Introduction -- Alfarabi's life and his influence -- Alfarabi's manner of writing -- Overview -- The impossibility of the city in the Republic -- Kallipolis as ideal state or totalitarian nightmare? -- The three waves and the problem of possibility -- The first wave -- The second wave -- The digression on war -- The third wave -- The a fortiori argument -- Alfarabi on the Republic in the Attainment of happiness : educating philosopher-kings to rule the inhabited world, the challenge -- Tension in the "unity of the virtues" : hard vs. soft -- The uneasy peace between prudence and wisdom -- Alfarabi on jihâd -- From îmân vs. kufr to Islâm vs. harb -- Alfarabi's Aphorisms on Jihâd -- Aphorisms 67 and 79 -- Aphorisms 11-16 -- Aphorisms 68-76 -- Alfarabi's Attainment of happiness on Jihâd -- Challenges to compelling good character -- The multiplicity argument -- The increasing tendency toward conquest and domination -- The task of deliberation : shaping a multiplicity of characters -- The task of theoretical virtue : shaping a multiplicity of opinions -- Religion as an imitation of philosophy -- The limits of knowledge and the problem of realization -- Knowledge and exploitation -- Attainment of happiness -- The Philosophy of Aristotle : the limits of our knowledge of final causes -- Certainty and the knowledge of universals and particulars -- The limits of knowledge and the inherent multiplicity of religion.