Note 587 — Chapter VI

This appears partly to contradict the view which a recent judicious author, Doctor Schmolders (see his Essai sur les Écoles philosophiques des Arabes, pp. 105. 106. 133. 139, Paris, 1842), takes of this sect. According to him, the Motkalemins professed the creation from nothing; they disputed about the reality or non-reality of general notions; they endeavoured to adapt philosophy to the dogmas of the Koran; in short, they were the philosophic theologians of the orthodox sects, or dogmatic philosophers.