Time for Atoms

In turbulent times, 9th-century practitioners of kalām devised a cosmology of jawāhir (discrete, primary entities) and accidents (natural properties) that accounted for all of God’s creation. Influences from all directions infused this physical theory with a syncretic, ever-shifting vibe; for generations, the struggle to articulate the workings of the natural world evolved. A cosmology suited to explain divine creation thrashed against conceptions of psychology and time, however; what worked in an immovable field of concrete particulars still had to account for the vagaries of experience and spiritual imperatives.
In this discussion, we examine three key problems that illustrate kalām reckoning with developments in theories of time and causality: volition and the temporal process of thought; the so-called “ceasing instant” problem (when did “now” end?); and the notorious Muʿtazilite theory of secondary causality (the efficacy of intermediate, generated states).
By focusing on the adaptation of the jawāhir model to these challenges, we can better appreciate the viability of kalām and demonstrate the genius of early Islamic thought.
Islamic History and Thought Lecture Series (IHTLS) is designed to invite scholars of various international academic institutions, specialising in intellectual, social and political aspects of medieval and early modern Islamic societies, to present and discuss their research. IHTLS is hosted by the Institute of Ismaili Studies (London) and convened by Dr Orkhan Mir-Kasimov since November 2023 (previously Dr Fârès Gillon).
Learn more about the Islamic History and Thought Lecture Series: www.iis.ac.uk/...