Global Philosophy Research Interest Group Talk (Reza Hadisi, Toronto)

The Global Philosophy Research Interest Group is delighted to welcome as guest speaker Reza Hadisi, an assistant professor in Philosophy and the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto. He works on questions in ethics, epistemology, and action theory through the study of the history of philosophy. He holds a particular interest in the Medieval Arabic and Persian traditions and Kant.

This is an in-person event but can be joined via Zoom as well.

Zoom Link: https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/82641363019

Passcode: 316850

Talk Title

Natural Goodness and Perfectionism in Tūsī’s Nasirean Ethics

Talk Abstract

The Nāserīan Ethics, written by Naṣīr al-Dīn Ṭūsī (1201-1274), is widely regarded as the most influential ethical treatise from the post-classical era of Islamic philosophy. In this presentation, I propose that the Nāserīan Ethics outlines three degrees of natural goodness: the restoring good, the maintaining good, and the perfecting good. I then explore two key questions related to Ṭūsī’s conception of perfecting good: whether it can be considered naturalistic, and how it relates to the other two degrees of goodness. My overarching objective is to identify and examine a flavor of ethical perfectionism that we can find in Ṭūsī’s ethical outlook.

The Global Philosophy Research Interest Group explores the benefits of drawing on diverse traditions of thought in approaching philosophical questions. These include novel insights into familiar problems, new questions and research directions, and fresh methodologies. We work to deprovincialize and decolonize all aspects of philosophy in the academy. The group currently has strengths in Sanskrit philosophy, and Chinese philosophy, Indian philosophy in English, and classical Islamic philosophy.