Born in Murcia in 1165, Ibn 'Arabî underwent visionary conversion at Jesus' hands. Studied Islamic sciences in Andalus and North Africa before leaving for Mecca in 1201. Settled in Damascus in 1223, wrote prolifically until his death in 1240. His most famous works include Ringstones and Openings
Born in 980 near Bukhara, Iran, died in 1037 in Hamadan. Read Quran by age 10 and mastered logic under tutor Nātilī. Became court physician at age 16, cured Bukhara sultan. Opened Sāmānid library, which introduced him to science and philosophy
Born in Paris in 1903, Corbin studied Catholic philosophy and modern philosophy. Became first French translator of Martin Heidegger. Met Suhrawardi in 1928, which sealed his spiritual destiny. Taught Islamic studies at École Pratique des Hautes Études from 1954
Born in Constantinople in 1901 to Darulfünun faculty member Mehmet Ziya Bey. Graduated from Darulfünun's Political Sciences in 1921. Taught geography, sociology, philosophy and philosophy at various schools
Western philosophy originated in Ancient Greece in 6th century BCE. Presocratic philosophers like Thales and Anaximander explored cosmos through rational explanations. Socrates and Plato introduced Socratic method and moral philosophy. Aristotle developed systematic philosophy with four causes and formal logic
Leucippus and Democritus proposed indivisible particles called atoms in 5th century BC. Democritus believed atoms float in void and vary in form and arrangement. Aristotle rejected atomism, arguing matter is continuous and not made of atoms. Epicurus studied atomism but questioned its ability to explain natural phenomena