Ibn 'Arabi and Modern Thought

by Peter Coates

These penetrating metaphysical and spiritual teachings cross the divides of culture and time, providing unexpectedly modern insight.

Genres: Philosophy, Islam, Metaphysics, Mysticism

Hardcover

First published February 1, 2002

Reviews

[Irwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clear and concise topographical overview of the metaphysics of Ibn 'Arabi in the landscape of modern schools of thoughts, especially philosophy and psychology. It takes me on a pleasant journey visiting, among others, logical positivism, existentialism, post modernism, behavioral psychology,etc and shows me how the relatively "ancient" wisdoms of Ibn 'Arabi from Andalusia, can be very relevant and even, changing paradigmatically.

I also enjoy visiting the discussion about the self and again how Ibn Arabi's work can fill the possible gaps among the various, sometimes conflicting, current views of the self. The explanations make "sense" to me, with my bias of modern education, which can otherwise discard it as an esoteric, irrelevant teaching. "His writings are monumental documentation of the topography of self-knowledge. It is an epistemology of Who is known rather than what is known."

I must admit that this book motivates me to dig more about this thinker from Andalusia. I am already fascinated by the place and its history. I know it has plenty more in store to my curiosity :-)

[Elizabeth Burgess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a great book for a beginner in the study of metaphysics -- however, the author did give me fair warning. I would say I understood one sentence from every other page of this book but I am actually glad I read it --Of the material I could wrap my head around I was given A LOT to think about. My biggest issue with this book is the author's writing style -- got the feeling I was listening to "that kid" -- you know the arrogant, pretentious know-it-all who sits in the front of your classroom and has a comment for everything the professor says. This book has sparked my interest in metaphysics and I would love to read a more user-friendly account of ibn'arabis work (if such a review exists.)

[Amer Zaffar · Rating 4 out of 5]

our predispositional beliefs and practices radically affect what reality can show (or not)
I will go for Sufis of Andalusia to search for how they influenced western thought :)......

following are the powerful Quotes from the book....
"A man's social self is the recognition he gets from his mate"
"with the lover it is the end which is fixed the path may be modified indefinitely"
"What we observe is not nature itself but nature exposed to our method of questioning"
The divine wish,nevertheless,is for the individual to choose consciously to return to him