BA Publishes The Late Alexandrian School and its Influence on Islamic Philosophical Heritage
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The BA has published Dr. Hussein el-Zahry’s book The Late Alexandrian School and its Influence on Islamic Philosophical Heritage. The book contains a foreward written by Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Director of the BA.
The 171-page book includes three chapters covering the contributions of the late Alexandrian school to transferring science to the Arabs, with special focus on the writings, methods, and commentaries of Ammonius Hermiae, the Alexandrian philosopher, how his heritage was transferred to the Islamic world, and his influence on the philosophy of Al-Farabi.
The importance of this book lies in how it sheds light on an ambiguous historical period in terms of scientific studies produced in Alexandria though its late philosophical school. This era begins with Ammonius Hermiae, who had many contributions to science and philosophy in his commentaries on the writings of Aristotle. Ammonius Hermiae’s contributions were very important in developing the Alexandrian scientific approach throughout the 6th century until the beginning of the 7th century.
The author, Dr. Hussein el-Zahry, expounds on the reason behind this study by saying that he wanted to add more information to Arab knowledge about the history of the Hellenic period and its philosophy.