Primary sourceBookc. 900s
The Philosophical Life
Abu Bakr al-Razi · c. 900s
Al-Razi's late personal defence of his own way of living, written against critics who compared him unfavourably to Socrates.
Al-Razi's own defence of his personal philosophy, the nearest thing to an autobiography in his own words.
About this source
What it is
Sīrah al-falsafīyah, The Philosophical Life, is a written work by Abu Bakr al-Razi in which he defends his own lifestyle against critics who accused him of straying from the example of Socrates, the philosopher he and others saw as a model. Al-Razi responds by arguing that even Socrates changed his habits later in life.
Why it matters
This text is the closest thing we have to al-Razi speaking about himself in his own words. It shows him engaging directly with Greek philosophy and defending a philosophical life that still allowed for ordinary pleasures and duties, rather than strict asceticism.
Look closer
- Why might al-Razi feel the need to publicly defend how he lived?
- What does his argument about Socrates changing over time tell you about how he used historical examples?
- How reliable is a person's own account of their life compared to what others say about them?
This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Al-Razi on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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