Politics, Wisdom, and Happiness: A Statistical and Comparative Analysis of Greek and Islamic Philosophy

Abstract

This study presents a comparative analysis of political wisdom, conceptions of happiness, and models of the ideal polity in major Greek and Islamic philosophical texts. Using hermeneutic close reading and thematic coding with NVivo, the study examines selected works of Plato, Aristotle, al-Farabi, Ibn Sina, and Ibn Rushd. The analysis identifies three thematic domains: political wisdom, happiness, and the structure of the ideal polity. Descriptive comparisons show that Islamic philosophers devote greater textual emphasis to these themes, particularly in al-Farabi’s systematic theory of the virtuous city and Ibn Rushd’s reconciliation of Aristotelian philosophy with Islamic intellectual traditions. While preserving key Hellenistic concepts, medieval Islamic thinkers also introduced distinctive elements, especially the integration of prophetic authority and spiritual dimensions into political philosophy. The study argues that Greco-Islamic philosophical dialogue produced more elaborate reflections on governance, ethics, and the good life, highlighting the continuing relevance of cross-civilisational philosophical exchange.