The Forgotten Science: Metaphysics between Alchemy and Prophetism in the Arabic Medieval Tradition

Metaphysics is commonly considered the highest theoretical and most abstract science, a science of generalities. Yet there are certain ambiguities surrounding its proper meaning and its final goal. In the Arabic medieval tradition, the main concept of metaphysics tends to shift from being towards intellect, giving rise to new possibilities, understandings and even practices. Those are the peculiar meanings of metaphysics that Western reason has obscured, forgotten or simply denied. Todorov will explore how in these strange dimensions where metaphysics meets alchemy, medicine and astronomy, it becomes a major anthropological, cosmological and definitely a political project.