Robert A.Ghanem

                                        Robert Ghanem

- Poet, philosopher, theologian and columnist - Born in Biskinta (Lebanon,) 1939 - His father, the poet, thinker, writer, journalist and teacher for many generations, is Abdullah Ghanem. - He wrote poetry as early as 10-year old… his first poetic essays of course; and went on tearing up his “Poems” until age 17. Thereafter, he turned out to be the poet Robert Ghanem, acclaimed among the foremost in Lebanon. - Practiced teaching in the school of information, the Lebanese University, for many years, in addition to teaching Arabic literature and French language in many Francophone schools in Lebanon. - Practiced journalism and published the “Maraya” (mirrors) magazine, a literary, vocational and philosophical periodical. - A political columnist and a constructive critic, having valiant national stances in defending Lebanon and the distinction and dignity of its people. - Earned the “philosopher” title with merits following many well-deployed deeds. - Contributed in many literary societies and unions, among them: the union of Lebanese writers, the scientific ‘’La Sagesse” league, the cultural group of Northern Metn and the academia of Lebanese Thinkers. - Among his publications: “The Years of Sorrow”, “My Friend the Revolution”, “War, here comes Love” and “The Defiance”. - Contributed in launching the political daily “al-Safa” in 1961-2. - Assumed for 11 times the position of editor-in-chief for various Lebanese and Arab periodicals (Men Only, al-Rassed, Al-Hasna, Al-Anwar supplement, Al-Sayad, Nida-ol-Watan, Al-Dabbour, Sawt-ol-Ahrar, The Arab Week, Al-Farasha… - His poetry was a prominent subject for many conferences and forums in Lebanon, Syria, Soudan, Jordan, Kuwait and Iraq… - Part of his poetry was translated into various languages: French, English, German and Armenian… - He introduced around 1967 the special font now used by many media agencies in Lebanon and the Arab world, calling it “the Compressed Font”, with the technical help of Calligrapher Khalil Mousa, assisted by John Balta. - Many honoring events were held to pay him tribute in Lebanon and outside. - Contributed in discovering and coaching the great Palestinian poet Mahmud Darwish while editor-in-chief of Al-Anwar supplement in 1966-71. - Contributed in discovering and coaching poet Maurice Awad as well as the great comedian “Shoushou” to whom he wrote the first theatrical scenario. - Author of the encyclopedic work “Farther than Philosophy” outdoing all philosophical essays since early written history to our days. And way before Socrates and Anaxagoras down to the late times of Michel Foucault, across Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Avicenna, Ibn Rushd, Al-Farabi, Al-Ghazali and Saints Aquinas and Augustine. - His existentialist philosophy emanates from the deep cosmic silence. - He opposed the philosophical approaches of Plato, Aristotle and Descartes, thus establishing a personal philosophical methodology all his own. - 3 books so far have been written on him: The first by the poet and thinker Wafic Gharizi entitled: “Robert Ghanem, poet of erudition and time” (2005). The second by the critic Dr. John N. Tannous named “Robert Ghanem’s poetry and philosophy: a gate to the absolute and the infinite”, 2006. The third, also by Mr. Gharizi: “The Knowledge Doctrine in Robert Ghanem’s philosophy”, 2007. And various others under publication. - He was nominated for the Nobel Prize by various Lebanese and Arab institutions. - One of his outstanding theses entitled “Information that lasts forever” within the book: “Gradation made Easy,” covered short cuts to enlisting lawyers and to follow the professional code of conduct. - He wrote many preludes and introductions for various writers, critics and poets in their specific areas, among them the poet/critic Wafic Gharizi, the writer/critic John Salameh, the writer/lawyer Shady Abou Issa, the writer/actor Rabih Bharsafi, the author/psychologist Hadi Eid and the writer/critic Dr.Naoum Tannous. - His poetry, along with other Lebanese and Arab works of Said Akl, Elias Abou Shabake and Badr Shaker Al-Sayab, constituted together a material study for a state doctorate by the Sorbonne University. - Some of his works like “Lebanon, a Universal Country” –the new Lebanese constitution- were picked for the state doctorate project in Toulouse University, along with other studies and researches being compiled by the universities of Holy Spirit-Kaslik and Notre Dame of Lwaizi. - His name was mentioned in “The Twentieth Century Lexicon” – the white face of Lebanon. - His name was listed among the world philosopher within the “Wikipedia Blog” and the “Knowledge Blog” as well as among the list of prominent poets/writers of Lebanon in the German publication: “Anthology of Modern Lebanese Poetry”. - He was nominated for the Presidency of Lebanon through the book “Presidents of the Lebanese Republic” by the lawyer/writer Shady Abou Issa. - He earned the title “the most popular book” and the nickname “his Excellency the philosopher” in 2008. He may therefore be the first intellectual personality nominated in Lebanon – and perhaps in the world – proposed to assume the Presidency through a documented approach. - Contributed in many tv/radio meetings and talk-shows on all philosophical, literary, poetic and theological topics. - Holds various manuscripts in the domains of poetry, critique, erudition, philosophy, science and theology. - He is the “Prince of Philosophy” and the “Legend of Thinking and Erudition”… ———————————–—————–

The encyclopedic masterpiece: “Farther than Philosophy” A guidebook to erudition… not a philosophical essay By the poet/philosopher Robert Ghanem The “Prince of Philosophy” The “Legend of Thinking and Erudition”

‘’Farther than Philosophy”, the encyclopedic work by the poet/philosopher Robert Ghanem, is paradoxical to the entire philosophical concept since the dawn of documented history until this modern age. It conveys us from the classical philosophy, though immersed in inventiveness and creativity, to the realm of cultured intellect; thus classified as an encyclopedic erudition untapped yet by the human brain power even through its prominent giants like Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Kent, Heidegger, Ibn Rushd, Avicenna, Al-Ghazali, Al-Farabi, Teilhard de Chardin and Saints Augustine and Aquinas…

Philosophers considered this world, this terrestrial planet and the rest of worlds both seen and unseen, as existing, and dwelt deep in examining and analyzing them both physically and metaphysically. Yet contradictions were obvious in their deliberations: disagreements abounded among them so that Descartes’ dictum: “I think, therefore I exist”, had its opposing paradox in Martin Heidegger’s saying: “I exist, therefore I think”.

‘’Farther than Philosophy” comes in its three volumes to shed new lights over such oppositions. A fourth related volume written by the poet/critic Wafic Gharizi on both Robert Ghanem and his works supports and sustains the substance of these works.

Unlike all such philosophers, Robert Ghanem, this lone and intrepid one, went out and queried in a bitter pungency: was there really a need to craft this universe… to generate this world?

And then, should this universe-world not have existed, what would have been “the existence?” Here again, the philosophers and indeed the great metaphysicians among them, departed from the points of nothingness and nonexistence and followed through. Robert Ghanem himself, started off ahead of the nonexistence. The other query: was this universe-world a half hazard project or a planned scheme? In addition to that, certainly was the frightful and poignant questioning: where from? Why? And where to?

His treatise starts with several physic-social dissertations, to plunge thereafter in the anxious and troubling realm of metaphysics, all the while navigating through the apprehensive and anxious mind of this philosopher that reshapes noticeably and dangerously the history of mankind.

The whole philosophy that he read, all the way from Socrates down to Jean Guyton and Michel Foucault, did not – relatively - satisfy him. Hence his attempt ‘’Farther than Philosophy”, where his total concern focused on the march towards erudition, and erudition only, for without that dedication, the human being would rather not have to exist on this meaningless planet.

No matter how one attempts to produce a clear image about ‘’Farther than Philosophy”, one remains at a loss to capture its true intellectual and philosophical value. Here, Robert Ghanem stands taller and mightier than conventional philosophers. He seems apt and able to lead and educate the human mind into the realm of erudition, without which a human would dry up and foil into frustration.

The true identity of ‘’Farther than Philosophy” and its author can better be discovered by reading and indulging in their many features. Attached are some spotlights on both, enabling the reader to navigate through this big body of knowledge, without which, this Universe-world would remain shadowy and depressing.