EPISODE · Jan 18, 2026 · 2H 37M
On Al-Ghazali and the Limits of Reason | Philosophy for Sleep
from sleepyphilosophyradio · host slphilosophy
In 1095, the most famous scholar in the Islamic world could not speak. Al-Ghazali had mastered theology, law, and philosophy, yet standing before thousands in Baghdad, his tongue failed and his body refused food. This three-hour exploration follows his extraordinary journey from orphan in Persia to the heights of medieval intellectual life, through complete psychological collapse, to eleven years wandering as a seeker through Damascus, Jerusalem, and Mecca.We examine his devastating critique of the philosophers, his analysis of pride, envy, and the diseases that corrupt the human heart, and his transformation of Islamic spirituality through The Revival of the Religious Sciences. His arguments about reason and certainty anticipated David Hume by six centuries and influenced thinkers from Maimonides to Thomas Aquinas.Please listen only in safe, restful contexts.(00:00) The Scholar Who Could Not Speak(10:51) The World of Medieval Islam(22:18) From Orphan to the Most Famous Scholar in Baghdad(34:26) The Incoherence of the Philosophers(52:17) The Crisis: When Certainty Collapsed(1:05:57) The Departure: Walking Away from Everything(1:16:47) The Wandering Years: Damascus, Jerusalem, Mecca(1:28:10) The Revival of the Religious Sciences(1:44:21) The Diseases of the Heart(1:56:35) The Path to Certainty: Beyond Reason to Experience(2:07:45) The Return and the Final Years(2:16:08) Legacy: From Baghdad to the Modern World(2:26:59) The Heart That Sought and FoundMusic: "Anguish" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
What this episode covers
In 1095, the most famous scholar in the Islamic world could not speak. Al-Ghazali had mastered theology, law, and philosophy, yet standing before thousands in Baghdad, his tongue failed and his body refused food. This three-hour exploration follows his extraordinary journey from orphan in Persia to the heights of medieval intellectual life, through complete psychological collapse, to eleven years wandering as a seeker through Damascus, Jerusalem, and Mecca.We examine his devastating critique of the philosophers, his analysis of pride, envy, and the diseases that corrupt the human heart, and his transformation of Islamic spirituality through The Revival of the Religious Sciences. His arguments about reason and certainty anticipated David Hume by six centuries and influenced thinkers from Maimonides to Thomas Aquinas.Please listen only in safe, restful contexts.(00:00) The Scholar Who Could Not Speak(10:51) The World of Medieval Islam(22:18) From Orphan to the Most Famous Scholar in Baghdad(34:26) The Incoherence of the Philosophers(52:17) The Crisis: When Certainty Collapsed(1:05:57) The Departure: Walking Away from Everything(1:16:47) The Wandering Years: Damascus, Jerusalem, Mecca(1:28:10) The Revival of the Religious Sciences(1:44:21) The Diseases of the Heart(1:56:35) The Path to Certainty: Beyond Reason to Experience(2:07:45) The Return and the Final Years(2:16:08) Legacy: From Baghdad to the Modern World(2:26:59) The Heart That Sought and FoundMusic: "Anguish" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
NOW PLAYING
On Al-Ghazali and the Limits of Reason | Philosophy for Sleep
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
No similar episodes found.
Similar Podcasts
No similar podcasts found.