Shihadeh (Arabic and Islamic studies, U of Exeter) analyzes how Al-Razi (1149-1210 CE) constructed a gap between the two schools of Islamic ethics: kalam, which focused on the nature of God's justice; and falasifa, which was concerned with developing human character. He says he set forth a meta-ethical theory that underlies both schools and that manifests differently in the two contexts: as consequentialism in relation to action, and as perfectionism in relation to character. The quotations are in English. The study is highly revised from his 2002 Ph.D. dissertation in oriental studies at Oxford University. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)