Modern Iranian Philosophy: From Ibn Sina to Mulla Sadra Shirazi is a concise overview of developments in Iranian philosophy from ancient times to the seventeenth century, emphasizing the era beginning with Ibn Sina and ending with Mulla Sadra Shirazi. The text places Iranian philosophy within the framework of Islamic philosophy, details the emergence of a popular theology stemming from interaction between Zoroastrianism and Islam, and addresses efforts to establish Shi'ite orthodoxy.
The book explains Mulla Sadra’s theory of existence and its contribution to Twelver Shi'ite orthodoxy. It explores Mulla Sadra’s al-Asfar, its structural makeup, and assesses the effect of Sadra’s theory on the Islamic Republic of Iran created by Ayatollah Khomeini.
In addition, the material offers valuable insight into contemporary events through chapters addressing the meeting of east and west.
Scholarly and sensitive, Modern Iranian Philosophy is appropriate for upper-division undergraduate courses. It can also be used in graduate level courses and as a tool for researchers.
Iraj Bashiri received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. He is a Professor of History at the University of Minnesota, where he teaches Ancient Iran among other courses. His published works include The Ishraqi Philosophy of Jalal al-Din Rumi, The Fiction of Sadeq Hedayat, Prominent Tajik Figures of the Twentieth Century, and Samanids and the Revival of the Civilization of Iranian Peoples.
Dr. Bashiri’s work, Impact of Egypt on Ancient Iran, offers a new view of the interaction between ancient Persia and Egypt, while his interpretation of Firdowsi’s Shahname brings the mythical hero-saints of Iran to life. He is a recipient of the CLA Distinguished Teaching Award and is currently involved in research on the philosophy of Mulla Sadra Shirazi.
