Foreign thinker
Taha Abdurrahman
Taha AbdurrahmanContemporary Islamic philosophy, philosophical ethics, philosophy of languageMoroccanb. 1944
«Reason is not merely an instrument for calculation; rather, it is a moral energy that directs the human being toward the best action.»
Life and Thought
Taha Abdurrahman is a contemporary Moroccan philosopher and thinker known for his theories on ethics, rationality, language, and the relationship between philosophy and Islamic tradition. He is one of the prominent figures in contemporary Arab Islamic philosophy and emphasizes the connection between practical reason, spirituality, and moral responsibility.
Taha Abdurrahman was born in 1944 in El Jadida, Morocco. He pursued studies in philosophy and logic and received his PhD in philosophy from Sorbonne University in Paris. After returning to Morocco, he taught philosophy and logic at Mohammed V University in Rabat and conducted research in philosophy of language, logic, and ethics.
His thought is based on a critique of some common interpretations of modernity and contemporary rationality. He distinguishes between "abstract reason" and "supported reason" and argues that human reason should develop in connection with ethics, action, and responsibility.
Among his important works are The Question of Ethics, Religious Action and the Renewal of Reason, The Spirit of Modernity, and The Arab Right to Philosophical Difference. In his writings, he explores the possibility of a contemporary philosophy that engages with modern philosophical achievements while maintaining dialogue with the ethical and spiritual tradition of Islam.