Overcoming the Dualism of Spirit and Matter in the Work of Alija Izetbegović

Abstract

The problem of the relationship between spirit and matter has been one of the fundamental problems of philosophical thought since its beginnings. From Plato and Aristotle, through Cartesian dualism, to contemporary attempts within the philosophy of reason, to integrate man’s spiritual and material aspects of existence. This relationship remains a key place for reflection on the nature of man and the meaning of existence. In this context, the philosophical and political thought of Alija Izetbegović represents a special contribution because it starts from a specific Bosnian and Islamic worldview, while using the conceptual apparatus of the Western philosophical tradition. Izetbegović’s thought system grows out of the belief that man is a being who carries both spirit and matter within himself, and that life is a constant struggle and an attempt to reconcile these two dimensions. His works, primarily Islam between East and West, offer a philosophical interpretation of man and the world that seeks to overcome one-sided materialistic and spiritualistic concepts. For Izetbegović, the meaning of existence lies precisely in the dynamics between these two poles – in man’s constant striving for unity that is never fully realized, but which gives meaning to human freedom and responsibility. In this sense, this paper aims to analyze Izetbegović’s attempt to overcome the dualism of spirit and matter through three interrelated aspects: philosophical, existential, and political. The first chapter examines the historical-philosophical framework of the problem of dualism. The second chapter analyzes Izetbegović’s integrative vision of man and the world as the center of his thought. The third chapter examines how his philosophical standpoint translates into ethical and political practice, and to what extent his attempt to synthesize spirit and matter is consistent and achievable in this sense.