Sciences between Ancient and New: The Pamphlet Ta?n?f al-?Ul?m by İzmirli İsmail Hakkı

Abstract

This article aims to study the pamphlet Ta?n?f’ al ?Ul?m written in Ottoman Turkish by İzmirli İsmail Hakkı (d. 1946), and to provide information on the date the pamphlet was written, its belonging, its individuality, and its content on the basis of its only known copy. In order to ensure unity as well as pointing out the place of the pamphlet in the literature, the article also touches upon the other works of İzmirli such as Falsafa-?ikma and Fann al Man?hij, which includes İzmirli’s thoughts on System of Sciences. Besides, his views on the knowledge and disciplines prevalent in his era are introduced within the framework of Ta?n?f al-?Ul?m. The main problems and topics discussed in the pamphlet are identified within the philosophy-science context through which İzmirli produced ideas. In this way, the ontological/ metaphysical, epistemological and methodological approaches of İzmirli to classical and modern science classifications are discussed in the context of the text. This article, in which the science classifications in the modern period are particularly criticized, also presents the criteria by which the author analysed the classifications of the western philosophers and clarifies the criteria by which an acceptable and ideal classification should be made. Thus, the classification model adopted by İzmirli among the existing science schemes has been put forward. © 2022 University of Bologna. All rights reserved.