The Translation Journey (Greek to Arabic) Philosophical Translations
Ancient Arabic Philosophy
Roughly two centuries within the founding of Islam, at around 622 C.E, there was a slow but sure progressive Islamic milieu in areas around the Medieval Near East. In the East, at this initial period, the major work carried out is a translation of Greek early scholarly literature into the Arabic dialect. This period is also called the Graeco-Arabic Translation Movement, and it forms a very critical journey which determines the course of the Arabic philosophical narrative. They called philosophy ‘falsafa,’ closely resembling the Latin word ‘Philosophia.’ It is only Latin that was matched with the efficiency that was occurring in the translation of philosophical texts at this ‘stone age’ period. Greek works got translated to Latin, and at the same time, Arabic books had also been converted to Latin. Arabic translations would create a practical link between Latin and Greek texts while at the same beginning to develop a thinking generation. Greek Scientific literature formed a critical component of the studies that formed the core of the translation list. This put two crucial elements in the plan of the Graeco-Arabic Translation movement, or rather two main subjects were now focused on, that is, philosophical editing and guided scientific incorporations.
The Translation Journey (Greek to Arabic) Philosophical Translations
In the middle of the Fourth Century, there was a cessation of land by Jovianus, who was the Roman emperor at that time. Land was ceded to the more massive Persian Empire and some parts of the modern-day Syria. But later, there were conflicts between the Roman authorities and Christians of the Monohyphysite and Nestorian sects. This was at a time when Christians were persecuted because of their faith. Those who managed to escape would, therefore, gain entry in these abandoned lands. That is why most of the ini9tial works are still preserved in Syria, the dialect that was used in philosophical literature in Syria. When coming to Persia and Syria, these martyrs carried with them Greek research and together with the Syrian Christian movement, the development of falsafa kicked off. Around 762 C.E, the Abbasid dynasty came to power, and this created the bedrock of the establishment of a unique falsafa. The way of thinking influencing the editing processes can be described as leaning towards the establishments in the logic initially dictated by Aristotle. It is referred to as Aristotelian logic, and it was founded on the concepts around metaphysics, medicine and the natural sciences. This was quite similar to the approach that was adopted by the Christian theologians, and this portrays some similarity in the convergence of thoughts that can be traced for the Muslim and Christian philosophies.
Primary duties involving the translation agenda were coupled with literary style conveyances, and there are notable figures who participated at this stage. Ibn al-Muqaffa and specific members of the Kindi circle were tasked with the noble objective of driving this smooth move. Following the literary conferences, the Harranian translator, Thabit ibn-Qurra, took a leading role in the translation process. This was the same time that the caliphate of Al-Ma’ mun came to power. There was also coordination with the Syrian Christian Hunayn, Ibn-Ishaq helped by his son and his disciple, again displaying a classical unanimous approach between Muslim and Christian philosophy. The Baghdad peripatetics such as Abu Bishr Matta and Yahya Ibn-Adi carried out revisions of mostly previous versions and school editions of the initial literature, and this forms the third section of the translatory morphology.
Early Philosophical Literature Translated
Due to the presence of emerging forces championing for the translation of philosophical texts, and the overall translation cradle, it did not take too long to convert most the Greek philosophical ideologies into Arabic. Almost all of the articles of Aristotle was covered in Arabic, and was driven by the forces of rational thought. At the same time, Plato’s works were transformed into Arabic, making it accessible learning the ideals of Justice and wisdom that he had stipulated. Plato’s writings emphasized the need of treating others as they deserve to be treated whilst slightly ignoring the specific manner in which they are supposed to be processed. Peripatetics of Greek origin were critically assessed by the Arabic’ falasafia’ (intellectual community). Proses of Themistius was edited to the Arabic dialect displaying essential teachings that guided the public lives of the philosophers. Themistius believed in the assumption of duty of intellectuals majorly in the public spheres regardless of their status. Alexander of Aphrodisias was also noted among the Arab intellects. His thought was aligned towards the view of the mortality of souls. Most of his analogies were drawn from the Aristotelian doctrine, and he majorly worked to restore this perception. Later Greek Neo-Platonists, significantly, were recognized in the Arab philosophical community mainly due to the influence that was known, that of Aristotle and Plato. Conspicuously, Simplicius commentaries were not included in the editorial assessments conducted by the Arab intellectuals.
Medieval Arabic also drew inferences from the teachings of Proclus, a later Greek Neo-Platonist and particularly his articles, ‘Elements of Theology.’ It was rewritten in Arabic into ‘Fil-khayral-mahd.’ Early Arabic intellectuals did not ignore the analytical constituents of the empirical world, works of Archimedes and Euclid were subjected to critical analysis, considerations and assessment before editorial reconfiguration. Another subject which gained a lot of talk was the science behind astronomy. To draw explanations, several of Ptolemy’s philosophical propositions influenced the patterns of belief. Again some works are not dictated even shallowly in the Arabic-Philosophers’ interventions, actions bordering the knowledge on sceptics and stoics was not profoundly enshrined.
Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC)
He was a logical thinker who emphasized the practical involvement of reasoning as a tool for determining the fate of events. For instance, in deciding his perception of mortality, he argued, all men are mortal, and he is a man. This means that he is also lethal, just like all the men that are in the universe. Aristotle redefined the perception of thought that people have, towards existence. He believed in life as a substance that matters. Socrates had already provided a way forward on how to quantify elements; his thinking was that contents do not exist in anything else. This a realistic model on interpreting the life of humanity. He argued that substances have quality, quantity, and they draw significance when they are in specific places. This formed the basis of studies that were conducted in a number of fields, notably the natural sciences. In Physics, this theoretical module was utilized in the study of matter and physicists were later able to quantify and qualify objects through the determination of mass, volume weight measurements.
Aristotle introduced the thinking that substances, in them, could generate action, and that is why they were present in the world. Aristotle’s view on physics was that there were some natural physical causes which scientific knowledge could approve. He believed that physics could account for the existence of specific phenomena, for instance, a wooden door. Knowledge in physics could explain and determine the material and purpose of objects that human beings used. Aristotle also described physics as the study of motion and its related changes. He stated that matter could acquire several forms such as fire, air, water and earth. On action, he narrated that modifications to it were the cause of the ultimate alterations that are experienced in the world.
His views on cosmology were simple, and the cosmos is in motion. He developed a theory that this process was either self-moved or moved by another mechanism. After several postulations, he concluded that there was also an unmoved mover of the universe. His view on the cosmos is much similar to that which is enshrined in the Neoplatonist literature. He perceived the world as having a temporal origin meaning that everything was moving concerning a specific changing thing. This pre-determined movement due to the presence of changing jobs, he called time. On-time, he stressed that there is a particular change which time can measure and that the theory of time accounting for nothing was absurd.
Aristotelian Psychology
In his actualization, the first occurrence is the organic body and particularly life. He also perceived plants to be living things. On human cognition, he stated that the perceptions that we see would depend on the specific object that is placed under illumination. He also laid down ideas that governed thinking, emphasizing that the actual process of thought occurs via an immaterial intelligible form. This intelligible form is universal and relatively unbound by the environmental conditions. He postulated that there was specificity in perception and that only the most conspicuous phenomena would be introduced as thoughts. He stated that, ‘In thinking, human being utilize a mechanism of immaterial consumption which is felt by the receiver according to the specific perceived intention.
Ptolemy (150 C.E)
He considered the earth the centre of the universe, and he was a Greek Mathematician, Geographer and an Astronomer. He introduced the concept of the cosmos as being comprised of deferents and epicycle. The large heavenly bodies like the earth and other planets were considered to be deferents while the lighter bodies that moved around them were described to be epicycles. These movements occur in a well-directed manner and in a somehow-uniform speed and direction. He then went further to describe the initial states of matter that had been laid by Aristotle. According to his analogy of state of matter description, the fire was hot and dry; water was cold and wet, the air was warm and moist while the earth was cold and dry. This became an active ingredient that forms the basis of how weather and seasons are described and interpreted today.
Hippocrates (460 B.C.E)
He fused practical philosophy with medicine, and he is credited for being the ‘father of medicine.’ He relayed mechanisms which dictated that diseases were not caused by the belief in superstitions and gods but rather through natural causes. This meant that Religion and medicine were two distinct subjects and with different empirical approaches. In his articulation of physiology and anatomy, he also involved humorism in the treatment of ailments. Hippocrates laid down the natural constituents of human beings. He categorized the fluid components of the human body as; phlegm, black bile, yellow bile and blood. Drawing previous analogies he established that phlegm was cold and wet, blood he stated as hot and humid. Black bile appeared cold and dry while yellow bile was the warm and dry constituent of human fluidity.
Medieval Islamic Period
Many classical Greek scholarly commentaries gained considerations into the Arabic falsafa during this initial period. Aristotle’s influence was widely subjected to critique. Theories were drawn, showing that the active intellect was not immortal. Aristotelian knowledge restored sanity in the philosophical spheres because it was now thought that the keen intellect actually had a soul. The soul is described to be the permanent part of the body which survives human death. Alexander of Aphrodisias articulated this. Philoponus continued to pursue the perception of the active intellect, and he established that the intellectual belongs to all humanity. The concept of the understanding was broke down further to include the keen mind and the potential intellect.
Metaphysical derivations were used to explain the physical world. This cemented the concept of the presence of an ‘unmoved mover’ in the universe. Philopinus had proposed theories which attributed the changes in the world to similar alterations in motion. The movements of the earth, therefore, led to the occurrence of mixtures of seasons with time. Arabic philosophers paid attention to the writings of Plato, most notably, ‘Republic.’ Al-farabi was able to incorporate Plato’s, ‘The Principles of the Opinions of the People of the Excellent City’ into Arabic philosophical literature. Ibn Rushd drew political theories from the ‘Republic.’ The Muslim falisifa also obtained teachings from the Qur’an and similarly fused wisdom into writing.
Al-Kindi (801- 873 AD)
Classically, he is referred to as the philosopher of the Arabs. He thrived during the era of the caliphs’ al-Mamun, and he championed the translation of Greek scientific and philosophical literature into Arabic. He was able to differentiate the presence of the rationalist and the traditionalist theologians, and at the same time, he rejected eternity. Most of his works focused on the development of optics, music, medicine and mathematics.
Conclusion
Ancient philosophers argued their theories based on basic universal law, truth and practicality. Some of the views they laid converged, like the belief in the presence of heavenly bodies such as planets, the moon and the sun. They also agreed that the cosmos was not eternal. If the universe was eternal, it means that an infinite number of days has passed, but this is not the case because according to Al-Kindi, the infinite cannot be crossed. This means that a finite amount of days has been given that the universe has a temporal origin with a limited number of immortal souls.