Al-Farabi’s Philosophy: Soul and Cosmology
In “Enumeration of the Sciences” (Iḥṣa’ al-Ulum), al-Farabi explores the concept of the soul within the framework of Aristotelian physics, identifying it as a unifying principle for various forms of life. He aligns with Aristotle’s description of the soul as the form or actualization of a natural organic body with potential life. Al- Farabi identifies different faculties of living beings, such as the nutritive, sensitive, appetitive, and rational, attributing their presence to the diversity of souls. This understanding is deeply rooted in his metaphysical, cosmological, and biological perspectives.
Al- Farabi ‘s philosophical psychology and epistemology are inseparable from his ontological and cosmological views. His works, “The Political Regime” and “The Virtuous City,” offer a metaphysical and ontological structure of the universe that combines Neoplatonic emanationism with Aristotelian celestial theories. This synthesis has spurred considerable debate among scholars. Some interpret al- Farabi’s cosmological narratives as political metaphors, while others, like P. Vallat and D. Janos, argue that his cosmology is fundamental to his political thought. Accepting al- Farabi’s cosmology as genuine has significant implications for understanding his views on the soul and intellect.
Al- Farabi ‘s cosmology, drawing from sources like the Proclus Arabus and late ancient commentators, features a hierarchical emanationist model with six principles: the First Existent (First Cause), second intellects, active intellect, soul, form, and matter.
The First Existent, a singular and unique entity, is the source of all beings through an emanation process. This entity, characterized by its oneness and immaterial nature, aligns closely with Neoplatonic conceptions of the One but retains distinct Aristotelian elements as an actual intellect.
In the emanation process, the First Existent gives rise to the second intellects, which in turn create celestial bodies. The active intellect plays a crucial role in governing the sublunary world and facilitating human understanding, thus linking cosmology with human epistemology and psychology.
Al- Farabi’s explanation of the soul integrates his hylomorphic views, where the soul is the actualization of the body, perishable with it. He maintains that the rational part of the soul can achieve a degree of perfection, separating itself from the body to become an eternal intellect. This process reflects a complex ontological and cosmological journey, where the soul attains higher perfection through its faculties.
So, al- Farabi’s conception of the soul is intricately tied to his cosmological model, where the emanative hierarchy and the interplay of form and matter underpin the existence and faculties of the soul. His integration of Aristotelian and Neoplatonic elements provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the nature of the soul and its quest for intellectual and existential perfection.
