Philosophy Crates

Abu Bakr al-Razi (865–925 CE) was a prominent figure in the history of medicine in the Islamic tradition and a controversial philosopher. His philosophical ideas, though often reconstructed from reports by hostile sources, include the teaching that the cosmos is produced through the interaction of five "eternal principles": God, Soul, matter, time, and place. His metaphysical doctrine, as far as it can be reconstructed, suggests that God arranges the universe out of pre-existing principles, rather than creating it from nothing. His account of the soul features a mythic origin of the world in which God fashions a physical playground for the soul in response to its desires. Al-Razi's interest in alchemy and his belief in the transmutation of metals is also well-documented. He was a celebrated alchemist, philosopher, and physician, and his contributions to medicine, philosophy, and alchemy have had a significant impact on human civilization, especially in the Islamic world a...

Mercantilism was an economic theory and practice common in Europe from the 16th to the 18th century that aimed to maximize exports and minimize imports for an economy. It emphasized the accumulation of resources within the country, often through protectionist measures and government intervention in trade. The goal was to build a wealthy and powerful state by maintaining a favorable balance of trade, which would bring gold and silver into the country. Mercantilist policies involved high tariffs, forbidding colonies to trade with other nations and the establishment of monopolies. While mercantilism has been largely replaced by free-trade theory and capitalism, some of its protectionist policies still exist today. The surge of protectionist sentiment in the mid-1970s and the imposition of tariffs by various governments are sometimes referred to as "neomercantilism." The theory has been criticized and challenged by other economic ideas, particularly the advocates of laissez-fair...