Politics and Excellence: The Political Philosophy of Alfarabi

253 Pages·2014·15.212 MB·English

by  Miriam Galston

Politics and Excellence

Politics and Excellence
THE POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
OF ALFARABI
Miriam Galston
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
Copyright © 1990 by Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street,
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, Oxford
All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publtcation Data
Galston, Miriam, 1946—
Politics and excellence : the political philosophy of
Alfarabi / Miriam Galston.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
1. FarabI—Contributions in political science. I. Title.
B753.F34G35 1990 320'.01-dc20 90-32877
ISBN 0-691-07808-4
This book has been composed in Linotron Sabon
Princeton University Press books are printed on acid-free paper,
and meet the guidelines for permanence and durability
of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book
Longevity of the Council on Library Resources
Printed in the United States of America by Princeton University Press,
Princeton, New Jersey
1 3 5 7 9 1 0 8 6 4 2
To Ralph Lerner

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix
Note on Transliteration, Citation, and Translation xi
Introduction 3
CHAPTER I
Alfarabi's Method of Writing 22
A. Aristotle's Exdterikoi Logoi and the Post-Aristotelian 27
Traditions
B. Alfarabi and Philosophic Multilevel Writing 35
C. Alfarabi and Religious Multilevel Writing 43
D. Conclusion 47
CHAPTER II
The Problem of Happiness 55
A. The Alternative Portraits of Happiness 59
B. The Classification of the Sciences and Reason 68
C. The Autonomy of Practical Reason 76
D. The Doctrine of the Agent Intellect 82
E. Politics as Metaphor 84
F. Conclusion 92
CHAPTER III
The Royal Craft 95
A. Philosophic and Nonphilosophic Supreme Rulers 97
B. The Operation of Practical Reason 109
C. TheRulingTypesandTheirActivities 127
D. Conclusion 142
CHAPTER IV
Cities of Excellence 146
A. Mankind's Political Nature 147
B. The Possibility of Cities of Excellence 153
C. The Goals of Cities of Excellence 157
D. The Citizens of Excellence 166
E. Conclusion 175
CHAPTER V
The Autonomy of Political Science
viii CONTENTS
A. Political Knowledge Preceded by Metaphysics: Al-Siyasah
al-Madaniyyah and Al-Madmab al-Fadilah 183
B. Political Science as an Autonomous Science: Fusiil
Muntaza'ah 188
C. Political Knowledge as Dependent on Philosophical
Psychology: Tahstl al-Sa'adah 192
D. The Parallel Works 200
E. Conclusion 220
Bibliography 223
Index 235
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
MY THANKS go in the first instance to Muhsin Mahdi, who directed my
graduate studies at the University of Chicago and who started me down
the path that led to this book. Professor Mahdi's editions, translations,
and interpretations of Alfarabi are a major cause of the renewed interest
in Alfarabi's works and thought in recent years, and his meticulous schol­
arship has established a standard to which his students can only aspire.
In addition, my profound gratitude goes to Charles Butterworth, Alfred
Ivry, and Michael Marmura, who read the manuscript of this book in its
entirety. Their insights and wise counsel have contributed greatly to the
development of this work. My deepest appreciation goes to William A.
Galston, who has read, with his customary perspicacity, every draft of
every chapter of every version of this book over the last ten years. The
book also owes much to others, including Michael Blaustein, Steven Har­
vey, Frank Hunt, Lutz Richter-Bernburg, Tom Tuozzo, and an anony­
mous reviewer for Princeton University Press, whose observations and
criticisms enabled me to refine my ajrgument and helped me avoid certain
errors and omissions. Finally, it was Allan Bloom who introduced me to
Alfarabi and who taught me to love political philosophy.
This book is dedicated to Ralph Lerner, with whom I studied Tocque-
ville and Maimonides at Cornell University and medieval philosophy at
the University of Chicago. His wisdom, caring, and wit have sustained me
for twenty years and have furnished me with a model of what a teacher
should be.