Journal Article

الأب الدكتور جورج قنواتي ورؤيته العلمية التنويرية

العراقي، محمد عاطف

2022

Overview

If we contemplate the life our thinkers, we will find two sorts: one that enjoys fame and seeks it; and the other on the contrary finds consolation in intellectual production. Father Dr. Georges Shehata Anawati best represents the latter sort. This is a necessary introduction, so that the reader realizes the bright aspects of the life and thought of this man, who represents Egypt in many of the -universal academic conferences, inside and outside Egypt. He has become Egypt's intellectual ambassador. Father Anawati returned to Egypt in 1944 at the moment of foundation of the Institute for Oriental Studies to become its director and editor-in-chief of its periodical MIDEO. Since father Anawati belongs to the Dominican order, he is deeply versed in the study of Aristotlian and Thomist philosophies. Regarding his scientific and intellectual activities, he became a standing member of the committee in charge of editing A verroes's Arabic works, of the history of science committee, of the Egyptian scientific council, the papal council for culture at the Vatican, and of the committee for editing Avicennia's Book of Healing. He was also a counselor for the Vatican's secretariat for non-Christians. Anawati edited several significant philosophical texts, chief among them are Avicennia's Booking of Healing, the Categories, the first part of Theology, and the Book of the Soul. Anawati's method of editing classical works can only remind us of the method used by top orientalists like Maurice Boige,'who spent his life editing classical texts in philosophy, and Monk, who edited Maimonides's \"Guide of the Perplexed' . Father Anawati authored and translated several books and articles that no scholar can overlook in Arabic, English, and French. Examples of these works are: Christians in Egypt, Christianity and the Arab civilization, the Philosophy of Averroes in 'The history of-Arab Philosophy' published in Rome, the authenticity of Averroes's faith in the light of the dispute between Muhammad Abdu and Farah Anton, Islamic-Christian dialogue, Introduction to Islamic Theology co-authored with Louis Gardet, and Introduction to Islamic Mysticism. In the field of history of Arab science, he published a set of pioneering studies, among which are: Chemistry of Avicennia, Eyes treatment of Hunainibnlshaq, Arab history of pharmacy, editing the Arabic text of Averroes's summaries of Galen's medical treatises and their translation to English in cooperation with Dr. Paul Ghalioungui, an article on Al-Biruni's book on stones, and a chapter of the history of science in Islam in a work on the history of Islam published by Cambridge University. This study focuses on Anawati's views that confirm his enlightened and rationalist orientation rib al so deals with^his classification of philosophical schools, his strong faith in reason, and his refusal of studying the effect of our thinkers on Western thought as futile attempts. It dwells on the issue of reconciliation between religion and philosophy, and here Anawati settles the dispute on Averroes's influence on Thomas Aquinas, by confirming that the latter fell under the influence of Avicennia. Finally, it analyzes the subjects included in his work on Christianity and the Arab civilization.

• Publisher: كرسي اليونسكو للفلسفة فرع جامعة الزقازيق
• Subject: الحضارة العربية / الفلسفة الإسلامية / الفلسفة المسيحية / قنواتي، جورج شحاتة، ت. 1994 م