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Five Co-Eternal Principles
- Abu Bakr al-Razi proposed five eternal principles: God, soul, matter, time, and place, with the last four co-eternal with God.
- He argued these are necessary conditions for God to create a universe that begins to exist rather than being eternally produced.
Sarcastic Critique Of Galen
- Razi wrote Shukuk 'ala Galen to praise then critically attack Galen's errors in medicine and philosophy.
- He used sarcasm and precise examples to show independence from ancient authorities.
Matter As Eternal Receptacle
- Razi held that matter must pre-exist as a passive potential for creation to avoid an infinite regress of creators making matter from other matter.
- He treats matter as atomic particles in a void, combining Platonic receptacle ideas with pre-Socratic atomism.