--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Charles Kahn offers the following summary…" description: "\"“Charles Kahn offers the following summary of how a new metaphysics takes shape in Islamic philosophy: 'My general view of the historical development i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/james-conant-187309_church-fathers_charles-kahn-offers-the-following-summar_2167197.jpg" --- # Charles Kahn offers the following summary of how a new… ![“Charles Kahn offers the following summary of how a new metaphysics takes shape in Islamic philosophy: 'My general view of the historical development is that existence in the modern sense becomes a central concept in philosophy only in the period when Greek ontology is radically revised in the…” quote by James Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/james-conant-187309_church-fathers_charles-kahn-offers-the-following-summar_2167197.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/james-conant-187309_church-fathers_charles-kahn-offers-the-following-summar_2167197.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/james-conant-187309_church-fathers_charles-kahn-offers-the-following-summar_2167197.jpg) > ““Charles Kahn offers the following summary of how a new metaphysics takes shape in Islamic philosophy: 'My general view of the historical development is that existence in the modern sense becomes a central concept in philosophy only in the period when Greek ontology is radically revised in the light of a metaphysics of creation; that is to say, under the influence of biblical religion. As far as I can see, this development did not take place with Augustine or with the Greek Church Fathers, who remained under the sway of classical ontology. The new metaphysics seems to have taken shape in Islamic philosophy, in the form of a radical distinction between necessary and contingent existence: between the existence of God on the one hand, and that of the created world on the other.' The new metaphysics that takes shape in Islamic philosophy proves fateful for subsequent philosophy in various ways. What will interest us immediately below is how it plays a role in triggering a debate about how to conceive divine creation. What will be of implicit interest later in these replies is how a remarkably unvarnished version of this new metaphysics comes to be detached from its original theological context. The ensuing detheologized modal metaphysics remains in force in some quarters of analytic philosophy, even though it takes its point of departure from a topic (how to understand the act of divine creation) that is no longer of much interest to most analytic philosophers. For the new metaphysics introduces concepts and ways of thinking that, once divested of their theological garb, continually resurface in the history of philosophy up to the present day.”” [James Conant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-conant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Islamic philosophers introduced a new metaphysics distinguishing necessary (God) and contingent (created) existence, reshaping later philosophical debates. **In simple terms:** Islamic thought created a new way to see existence. Key Takeaway Study the impact of necessary vs. contingent existence. Themes philosophy metaphysics Islamic thought existence creation history Mood analytical historical thoughtful Type Church fathers:0 Contingency:1 Creation:1 Existence:1 Existence of god:1 History:1 Islamic:1 Logic:0 Modern:1 Necessary:1 Philosophy:1 Present day:0 Religion:1 Theology:1 Islamic Philosophy:1 New Metaphysics:1 Metaphysics Creation:1 Metaphysics Introduces:1 Metaphysics Comes:0 Metaphysics Takes:0 When to use this quote - academic research - theology - philosophical debate - curriculum design Key Concepts Islamic philosophy contingency necessary existence metaphysics of creation Questions to Reflect On - How does this distinction affect modern analytic philosophy? - Can the view be separated from its religious roots? A Different Perspective Complex theological origins may be oversimplified. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Church fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-fathers/) [Contingency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contingency/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Existence of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-of-god/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Islamic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islamic/) [Islamic Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islamic-philosophy-213239/) [Logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logic/) [Metaphysics Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysics-comes-4625351/) [Metaphysics Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysics-creation-4625349/) [Metaphysics Introduces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysics-introduces-4625350/) [Metaphysics Takes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysics-takes-4625352/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary/) [New Metaphysics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-metaphysics-4625348/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Present day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-day/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology/) ## Related quotes > [Rationalism and Newtonian science has lured us into dark woods, but a new metaphysics can rescue us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/rationalism-and-newtonian-science-has-lured-us-into-dark-woods-but-a/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [Before the 3rd century you're having several philosophical schools still as a going concern. 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The new metaphysics seems to have taken shape in Islamic philosophy, in the form of a radical distinction between necessary and contingent existence: between the existence of God on the one hand, and that of the created world on the other.' The new metaphysics that takes shape in Islamic philosophy proves fateful for subsequent philosophy in various ways. What will interest us immediately below is how it plays a role in triggering a debate about how to conceive divine creation. What will be of implicit interest later in these replies is how a remarkably unvarnished version of this new metaphysics comes to be detached from its original theological context. The ensuing detheologized modal metaphysics remains in force in some quarters of analytic philosophy, even though it takes its point of departure from a topic (how to understand the act of divine creation) that is no longer of much interest to most analytic philosophers. 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