Methodology of Farabian Political Philosophy

Abstract

The methodology of Farabi’s political philosophy can be discovered through his informal logic.
Farabi’s logic, in its informal modules, encompasses five techniques of demonstration: proof, dialectics,
fallacy, rhetoric, and poetry. Obviously, proof is the first of these five arts and the last one
is poetry. There is an intimate relation between these two which I will try to explore in this paper.
The ultimate goal of proof is to motivate human beings toward rational happiness in building the
Virtuous City – i. e., al-madina al-fadila. However, as people follow their habits and nature, they
fail to perceive proof and rational matters. Imagination is the most powerful channel of motivating
the public. Thus it is wise to introduce them to rational and intelligible issues via imagination,
which could be materialized in poetry. In a nutshell, rulers use proof to address the elites and po -
etry in media to influence the public through imagination.