Reza Mokhtari khoyi; Rahmatolla Mahmoodi
Abstract
The present study examines the disparity in the extent of translation of the works of Plato and Aristotle during the Translation Movement. Contrary to the initial assumption that Plato’s ...
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The present study examines the disparity in the extent of translation of the works of Plato and Aristotle during the Translation Movement. Contrary to the initial assumption that Plato’s philosophy has greater affinity with religious teachings, the reception of Aristotle’s works was significantly greater, to the extent that nearly all of Aristotle’s writings were translated into Arabic, whereas only a limited portion of Plato’s works—and those primarily in the form of reports and selections compiled by figures like Galen—were transmitted into this language. This article, considering historical and content-related factors, explains the main reasons for this distinction along several axes. The ideological and prophetic-like view of Aristotle, coupled with Caliph al-Maʾmun’s special support for him, led to the comprehensive translation of his works. This approach progressed to the point that, to increase the acceptance of translated works, some writings by other philosophers were also attributed to Aristotle. The remarkable eloquence and rhetorical sophistication of the Greek language in Plato’s works, and the necessity of a deep familiarity with Greek culture for their accurate understanding, made the translation process for his works considerably more complex. Plato’s philosophy, in addition to an abundance of cultural and non-philosophical elements, features an interwoven connection between different intellectual domains, such that understanding and utilizing one of his works often requires mastery over the entirety of his intellectual system. This stands in contrast to Aristotle’s philosophy, where it was possible to separate and apply different components without needing to adopt other parts. Furthermore, besides Plato’s political philosophy, which could have been challenging for the Abbasid Caliphate, the specific ethical concepts present in his philosophy, and some of his doctrines such as belief in multiple gods, reincarnation, etc., could have posed a serious problem for the acceptance of philosophy in that particular period within Islamic society.
