The Philosophy of Osman bin Bakar

Abstract

This article examines the philosophy that Osman bin Bakar has published in English. Beginning with his biography and theoretical groundings, and especially the influences that Greek, Chinese, Indian, and Islamic philosophers have had on his thought, the article then turns to Bakar's philosophy of science, ‘ilm al‐tawhīd, how knowledge about the world should be classified, and especially evolutionary theory within Islamic philosophy. These developments in philosophical grounding provide Bakar with a platform to suggest how science can be used as a vehicle for inter‐civilizational dialogue.

Acknowledgements

A first draft of this paper was completed while I was a postgraduate student at McGill University's Institute of Islamic Studies. I thank an anonymous referee and the editor of this journal for their useful suggestions.