The Idea
The claim prefers al-Tawhidi to Ibn Rushd in terms of intellectual openness, emotional resonance, and imagination, not on the basis of legal or purely logical superiority alone. Al-Tawhidi thus appears here closer to a human sensibility that allows thought to be joined with feeling, and criticism with inner freedom. This preference does not mean canceling Ibn Rushd’s value; rather, it highlights another mode of writing that broadens the space of human experience.
Condensed Formulation
Arkoun: prefers al-Tawhidi over Ibn Rushd in intellectual openness, emotional resonance, and imagination
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This claim occupies a place within Arkoun’s argument, which seeks Arabic sources that show the possibility of free thought outside the rigid scholastic model. Al-Tawhidi thus becomes evidence that the heritage is not limited to abstract demonstrative reason, but also contains forms of intellectual sensitivity and imagination. In this way, the claim serves the rereading of tradition as multifaceted rather than monolithic.
Why It Matters
The importance of this claim becomes clear in that it shows Arkoun’s criterion is neither traditional fame nor scholastic centrality, but the capacity to open a broader human horizon. It also helps the reader understand that his critique of tradition does not negate it, but selects from it what supports intellectual freedom and emotional expansiveness. The claim therefore illuminates an important aspect of his way of rearranging the symbols of Arab thought.
Reading Questions
- What makes him regard emotional openness and imagination as an important criterion in reading tradition?
- Is this preference a final judgment on Ibn Rushd, or a rebalancing in favor of a neglected voice in the tradition?
Degree of Documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear location in the book’s material.