This book explores the life and work of Omar Khayyam as a provocateur of peace. While Khayyam is known for his poetry, he was foremost a prominent mathematician who looked at the world from a unique perspective. Using the transformative power of mathematics, he brought together seemingly irreconcilable concepts in his work. Through his art, philosophy, and mathematics, Khayyam sought to create harmony between what on the surface looks like a clash between his scientific view, romantic and often provocative poetry, and philosophy. The book sheds light on his spiritual and philosophical journey through a cross-sectional account of his poetry, philosophical view, and mathematics and science. It explores the complex inner life of a multidimensional scholar as he negotiated between faith and science, constructing a framework for peace by looking at the world as it presents itself to us, contemplating the temporality of life and enriching it with wisdom and joy.
Historically and culturally informed, this book will be indispensable to readers of Omar Khayyamâs poetry and philosophy. It will also be of interest to students and researchers of peace and conflict studies, mathematics, science, Middle East literature, history, and popular culture.
Series Editor's Preface
Introduction
1 The World Khayyam Was Born Into
2 The Creative Space
3 Life as Integration of Moments
4 Khayyam, the Peace Provocateur
Conclusion
Appendix: A Stylometric Analysis of Khayyam's Poetry
References
Index
Biography
Nick M. Loghmani is the coauthor of Harmony and Exchange: Toward a Legoic Society (2017). A researcher and tech executive by day, author by night, he received his BSc in Mathematics from the University of Waterloo, Canada, and his MSc in Applied Data Science from Syracuse University, USA. He cofounded Solidarity with Iran, a diverse group that promotes inclusiveness and democratic principles, and is the coauthor of Charter 91, a blueprint for promoting new participatory avenues in Iran. He contributes to Radio Free Europe, BBC Persian, the Huffington Post, and Indian Seminar magazine. He divides his time between Toronto and San Francisco.
