Theology Assignment Neo-Platonism in Islamic Philosophy - 550 Words

Theology Assignment: Neo-Platonism in Islamic Philosophy (Essay Sample) Content: Neo-Platonism in Islamic PhilosophyStudent's NameInstitutional AffiliationNeo-Platonism in Islamic PhilosophyIslamic view of the world and civilization have been significantly impacted by Neo-Platonism philosophy. Islamic philosophy in the medieval era was firmly grounded in Neo-Platonism, and Aristotelianism the influences derived from Neo-Platonism became visible enough with the promotion by Muslim scholars such as Al-Farabi ( Fakhr, 2014). Despite its high impact in the tenth century, it weakened towards the end of the 11th century following a strong counter-reactions. This was mainly propagated by Al-Ghazali who opposed the Neoplatonic school of thought. Though with its death in the Islamic world, its ideas still permeate into the logic behind Islam practices and their way of life. This paper seeks to highlight the significance of Neo-Platonism for Islamic philosophy and the contributions that Al-Farabi and Ibn-Sina had in the propagation of this thought and bel iefs of Islam.The primary influence of Neoplatonism is the linking of the transcendence of God together with his creation ( Iqbal, 2013). Enforcing a lot of stress on the transcendent nature of their Quranic God, the creative aspect and character of God were ignored. Neoplatonists believe that everything has its emanation from one God. Al-KIndi who is considered as the father of the philosophy of Islam also has been known to hold Neoplastic views. The doctrine comes to its peak of intellectual understanding with the development of emanationist hierarchies that Ibn Sina and al-Farabi worked them out. The opinions of these two Islamic scholars were developed and modified further by great thinkers such as Ibn al-Arabi and Shabab al-Din al- Suhrawardi. Neo-Platonism became one of the fundamental strata in the theology of Ismailis and had had a lasting impact on this group of Muslims. Despite the fact that the decline in its acceptance developed due to the rise of other philosophies, its cultural, religious and historical legacy remains to the present day.Gods description that is found in the holy book of Muslims is clear and well elaborated. However, by looking at several issues in the religion such as Gods attributes, the omnipotence character of God and mans freedom of choice, and anthropomorphism, interpretation of theology in Islam became complicated. The God in the Quran is immanent and transcendent ( Iqbal, 2013). In all things that are known and yet to be known, nothing is comparable to him but is very close to all people than anything else. He provides revelations of himself to human beings and is interested keenly with the twists of our history. Moreover, he is the one God that brings ex nihilo into existence. Neoplatonic emanation concept is found nowhere in the Quran. However, Neoplatonists shift from emphasizing on the belief of creation and putting more emphasis on that of emanating eternally.It is evident that the philosophy of Neo-Platonism has been used to emphasize the transcendence of the deity that is also consistent with teachings of the Quran though neglecting the immanent aspect s...

My journey - From medical doctor to Executive MBA

Written by Toby Shephard, first year Executive MBA student at Hult International Business School. My journey to an Executive MBA has not been a traditional one. I first spent 6 years at medical school to become a doctor and then started working as a junior doctor in a  hospital. When we graduated, all my medical school friends were passionate about their new careers, but for me, there was something missing. The future felt a little blurred and not clearly marked out. So, what should I do? Stick it out and hope that I find my place? Or look for other opportunities that would utilize my transferable skills and medical knowledge, and find success on another path? That was my story from 1996 until late 2001 when I took the decision that clinical medicine was not going to give me what I needed to fulfill me in my professional life. I had to find another career path. So, in March 2002, I found myself starting work in Paris for a small French pharmaceutical company, Les Laboratoires Servier, in their global marketing department as an International Scientific Project Leader. My role was the scientific and medical back-up to the global marketing teams for brands they marketed across the world. Since then, I have continued to successfully work in the pharmaceutical industry, in different countries, utilizing my medical skills to great effect. I can safely say the career decision I took in 2002 changed the rest of my life. A time for decisions   2002 was not the only time I would be making key decisions in my career. Over time we hit points in our career journey where we need to take a breather, reflect on where we are, where we want to go, how we want to get there, and why? So, a few years ago, I took a step back to look at these 4 questions and how they related to me. I realized that I wanted to move up the organizational ladder, but wasn’t sure about the best way of achieving that? I was already relatively senior in my organization and I was working with some very talented people, so I needed something that could allow me to stand out from the crowd and provide me with a ‘unique selling point’. I looked at all manner of courses, at reviews of executive educational options but I always seemed to be routed back to the Executive MBA. Being a medical doctor, an Executive MBA is not necessarily perceived as a match made in heaven as MBAs are often seen to be about ‘business and making money’ and medical doctors are about ‘making people better and improving their lives’ which, if you believe those perceptions, are like ‘ying and yang’.   However, these perceptions could not be farther from the truth: The learnings, experiences,  and subjects that the Executive MBA student is exposed to broadens the mind, stretches your capabilities and develops you to become a far more effective leader and person overall. The right school   So having decided on the Executive MBA, I had to decide which school? I believe this is a very personal decision which combines both emotional and practical factors. Practical considerations are the school’s location, its alumni network, access to resources, the curriculum, the quality of the teaching, the career development services, and so on, are all factors that affect the decision-making process. But I also believe that to truly engage with a course at a ‘mature age’ there needs to be an emotional attachment to the ‘school’ in terms of the people, the building, its culture, its values and approach and what it stands for as an organization. I liken this to my decision about the medical school I attended, which was based ultimately on an intuitive feeling I had when I visited it for my first interview. My choice of medical school was certainly the right one for me. Hult just felt different What initially attracted me to Hult was the innovative and practical-based curriculum taught by experts in their field. What convinced me that it the right for me, was that there was an energy about the school that I did not experience at the other business schools I visited. Hult just felt different: When I attended a year 1 and year 2 lecture I saw, first-hand, the camaraderie, energy and drive that Hult students have. I saw the cultural diversity I was seeking. For me, and the stage of my career, I wanted to be exposed to a new world. I wanted to be taken out of my comfort zone through the curriculum  and challenged by my fellow students. To date, Hult and my Executive MBA has given me this in bucket loads and more! If you would like to find out more about Hult’s global business programs,  download a brochure here. Follow me on Instagram to learn more about my Executive MBA journey at Hult. Grow your leadership capabilities with an MBA in international business at Hult. To learn more, take a look at our blog Skills networks: How my MBA made me an entrepreneur, or give your career a boost with our Masters in International Business. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .