(hikmet) that will show the middle way [^11] and confute the two extremes.

[^11]:Here the author emphasises this point by using the term "hadd-i evsat," which also denotes the middle term of a syllogism.

I say science (hikmet), because for the greater part it is good. It contains evil, but this is minor. It is an incontestable principle that to abandon a matter which is mostly good because of some minor evil is to perpetrate a greater evil. It is essential to choose the lesser of two evils. Yes, ancient philosophy contained little good, its superstitions were many, [it led to] minds losing their capacity, to the limiting of ideas due to blind imitation, and to ignorance ruling the mass of people. For these reasons later generations prohibited it to an extent. But relatively to ancient philosophy, philosophy now [modern science] contains much good from the material point of view, its lies are few; thought is free and learning predominates. In any event, every age has its ethos.

The Sixth Premise

The Sixth Premise

For example, not all the matters mentioned in a Qur'anic commentary have to be commentary on the Qur'an; knowledge corroborates knowledge. But such matters should not preponderate. It is an established fact that a person skilful in engineering may be unversed in another profession such as medicine. And it is a rule of the science of the principles of religion that the opinions of a person who is not an authority in jurisprudence (fiqh) are not held to be valid by the consensus of the scholars of that science, even if he is a mujtahid in the principles (usûl) of fiqh. Because compared to them his knowledge is deficient.

Furthermore, it is an historical fact that one person cannot be expert and proficient in numerous sciences (fen). Only an exceptional person can be a specialist in four or five sciences. To attempt all means abandoning all. Proficiency in a science is that science's true form. It has to assume its true form through it. For if a person