Batool Ahmadi; Forouzan Rasekhi
Abstract
The question of the immortality of the soul – which is directly relevant to any discussion on the true nature of human being - is an important and even central theme of both Plotinus and Suhrawardi, the latter being known as the founder of the Perso-Islamic Illuminationistschool of philosophy.Plotinus ...
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The question of the immortality of the soul – which is directly relevant to any discussion on the true nature of human being - is an important and even central theme of both Plotinus and Suhrawardi, the latter being known as the founder of the Perso-Islamic Illuminationistschool of philosophy.Plotinus and Suhrawardiboth considered the soul to be the essence of the human being, hence,both thinkers engaged in some kind of ‘dualist anthropology’, although through two different approaches.In other words, they believed that man is not a simple thing, but a composite of ‘soul’ and ‘body’. Plotinus’ discussion of the relation of ‘soul’ to ‘body’ is a particular instance of his doctrine of participation, where higher is related to lower, intelligible to sensible, and form to matter.Individual human beings are composed of ‘soul’ and ‘body’, but body itself consists of ‘matter’ and ‘form’. Soul as the ‘form’ of the body, is a part of the World-Soul, but the individual soul is immaterial and immortal and linked with the ‘Intellect’ (nous).Suhrawardidid not concern himself with any kind of causal relation between ‘body’ and ‘soul’.In his teachings, the ‘Lordly Light’(nūr-iispahbad)- i.e. the vicegerent of the ‘Light of lights’ (nūr al-anwār)in the human soul – is connected with the body by means of the ‘animal soul’ (rūḥḥayawāniyya) and leaves the body for its original home in the angelic realm as soon as death destroys the equilibrium of the bodily elements.
Hossein Mohammadi; Abd-al-Rasoul Kashfi; Hassan Ebrahimi
Volume 5, Issue 1 , October 2014, , Pages 109-131
Abstract
One of the important issues in philosophy of mind is mind-body relationship. In this regard, there are two views: Monism and Dualism. Based on Dualism, human beings have two aspects: physical body and immaterial mind; on the contrary Monism holds that there is only one kind of ultimate substance by which ...
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One of the important issues in philosophy of mind is mind-body relationship. In this regard, there are two views: Monism and Dualism. Based on Dualism, human beings have two aspects: physical body and immaterial mind; on the contrary Monism holds that there is only one kind of ultimate substance by which the human beings are constituted.
Though Mullasadra and John Hick, from two different philosophical traditions, both believe in the two aspects, as this article wants to prove, Mullasadra’s view is monistic, however not in its prominent meaning in philosophy of mind; his view is a novel one based on his philosophical views. John Hick is a substantial dualist. He advocates his view at the cost of rejection of mind-brain identity theory and also epiphenomenalism. Nevertheless, aside his view on mind-body relationship, most of his theories are similar to Mullasadra’s theory, namely, believing in two different aspects for human beings, mind emergence procedure, mind immateriality, human physical initial creation, interrelation of mind and body, and their effects on each other