The Poetic Syllogism in al-Fārābī: Some Remarks on the Current Consensus

Authors : Miguel Carmona Tabja

Pages : 7-19

Doi:10.59149/sduifd.1655975

View : 98 | Download : 157

Publication Date : 2025-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This paper critically examines three unresolved or problematic aspects of the current scholarly consensus on al-Fārābī’s conception of the poetic syllogism. The consensus, as articulated in key articles by Schoeler and Hodges & Druart, builds on earlier work by Aouad & Schoeler, and we will consider three main aspects of it: (1) the structure of the poetic syllogism and the interpretation of al-Fārābī’s examples given in the Discourse on Proportion and Composition (Qawl fī l-tanāsub wa-l-ta’līf), (2) the dismissal of certain passages as irrelevant to understanding his conception, in particular a passage of the Treatise on the Canons of the Art of the Poets (Maqāla fī qawānīn ṣinā’at al-shu’arā’), and (3) the relationship between the Discourse and other texts on poetry written by al-Fārābī. While these contributions have significantly advanced the field, this paper identifies areas where the consensus remains open to debate and calls for further scholarly attention. First, we challenge the assumption that the two examples of the poetic syllogism provided by al-Fārābī in the Discourse are structurally identical. Instead, we argue that they represent two distinct formal variations of the poetic syllogism, suggesting a more nuanced understanding of its structure. Second, we contest Schoeler’s dismissal of a passage from the Canons as irrelevant to al-Fārābī’s conception of the poetic syllogism. Contrary to this view, we propose that this passage may be closely related to the second example of the poetic syllogism in the Discourse. This connection, if substantiated, could provide new insights into al-Fārābī’s conception of the poetic syllogism and its relation with other texts written by him. Third, we highlight two significant points of divergence between the Canons and the Discourse. The first concerns the classification of syllogisms, where the Canons and the Discourse appear to differ in their treatment of poetic discourse. Whereas in the Canons poetic utterances or statements are usually considered to be false, the Discourse says explicitly that whoever says that poetry is false is mistaken. The second point of divergence pertains to al-Fārābī’s identification of “analogy” (tamthīl) as the poetic syllogism par excellence in the Canons. This form of syllogism does not align with the structure exemplified in the Discourse, raising questions about the Discourse’s attribution to al-Fārābī. While this paper does not propose definitive solutions to these issues, it underscores their importance and calls for further research to address these unresolved questions. However, even if this paper does not propose definitive solutions, it offers some guidelines to find some of these solutions. From this perspective, we propose that a fuller account of al-Fārābī’s poetic syllogism must link the examples of the poetic syllogism in the Discourse, al-Fārābī’s so-called ‘procedure’ in the Canons, and the syllogistic structure of analogy. Some links between these elements are hinted at in the present paper, such as the relationship between analogy and the Discourse, and the relationship between the ‘procedure’ in the Canons and the Discourse. Further research should be undertaken to prove or disprove these relations, or make explicit new ones, so that we could have a better understanding of the poetic syllogism. By critically engaging with the existing consensus, this study aims to stimulate a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of al-Fārābī’s poetic syllogism.
Keywords : Mantık Tarihi, şiirsel kıyas, İslam felsefesi, el-Fārābī, Arap mantığı

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL