Philosophical Speculations

I've been captivated intuitively by Ibn 'Arabi through an especially enticing poetic translation made by Henri Corbin.



I've already posted this on another thread but I feel its poetic power, metaphysical richness and religious realization deserve a discussion on its own.
I was led to this AMAZING presentation by Filip Holm, who delivers one of the clearest and most coherent lectures I've heard on a truly difficult topic. There are dozens of metaphysical threads in this one. It's a lengthy piece. The metaphysical core begins around the 24 min mark. I'm not a philosopher and will have little to contribute other than some personal views but I'm quite interested in hearing what you all think of it. I hope you will find it worthy of your contemplation.



OK, go at it.

I trust that you've thoroughly vetted this guy, and there are no questionable theories lurking under a Persian carpet somewhere?

Soul_of_Shu wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 9:23 pm I trust that you've thoroughly vetted this guy, and there are no questionable theories lurking under a Persian carpet somewhere?

No! I have not "thoroughly vetted", whatever that might mean and I confess that such a mission is probably way above my paygrade. I'm simply reporting a strong intuitive appeal that I feel. I'm not presenting this in order to defend but, rather, to invite expressions from other minds and intuitions.

To affirm that I do not consider myself as an uncritical disciple, let me mention that I don't buy into what seems as a possible strong anthropocentric privileging.

You appear to have missed the winky emoticon ... just joshing about the turn the Steiner 5th Gospel thread took.

Soul_of_Shu wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 10:14 pm You appear to have missed the winky emoticon ... just joshing about the turn the Steiner 5th Gospel thread took.

I missed it because I've not followed that thread at all because, quite inexplicably, I'm not intuitively drawn toward Steiner. I'll check it out.

Well, whaddaya know. I actually posted an aside after a fast skin on that thread? Maybe I was sleep-scrolling. Who knows?

Sleep-scrolling

Seriously, I feel great affinity for Ibn 'Arabi's story of awakening, and have no doubt about him being one of the truly profound mystics. Nevertheless, some naysayer may be about to jump all over him for being an adherent of Sharia Law ... you know how it goes from there.

Soul_of_Shu wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 11:22 pm Sleep-scrolling

Seriously, I feel great affinity for Ibn 'Arabi's story of awakening, and have no doubt about him being one of the truly profound mystics. Nevertheless, some naysayer may be about to jump all over him being an adherent of Sharia Law ... you know how it goes from there.

I think that the saving grace may be that he was a Sufi and perhaps did not push a conquering colonial line toward other cultures. If I understood the lecture correctly, this was not a tolerant religious pluralism as much as a respect for boundaries. Perhaps, more like saying, "A vegetarian MUST NOT eat meat."

Also, the Islam of those times was not the same as today. For example, back the 12-13th Century cultural context, women were at times accorded leadership roles in religious institutions and Ibn 'Arabi was a strong supporter of this practice.