We must not take many of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s statements as
dogmatic finalities, for there are other points which when added to them round
out the picture. For instance, when He calls Aristotle and Plato Philosophers
of the East, He is obviously placing them in that category because He believes
they belong more correctly to Eastern culture than to Central European and the
New World cultures of the West. When He calls the philosophers of the West
materialistic this does not for a moment mean He includes all Western
philosophers for, as you truly point out, many of them have been very spiritual
in their concepts....
- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 7 June 1946 written on behalf of
Shoghi Effendi; ‘Arohanui: Letters from Shoghi Effendi to New Zealand’)
