abdol rasoul kashfi; matin tayefehrostami
Volume 6, Issue 3 , October 2017, , Pages 75-100
Abstract
Abstract
According to the theological fatalism, future matters are necessary and this necessity makes them unalterable; so, human beings are not able to make the future by their free will and this is incompatible with human freedom.
Based on theological fatalism, there are four alternatives: ...
Read More
Abstract
According to the theological fatalism, future matters are necessary and this necessity makes them unalterable; so, human beings are not able to make the future by their free will and this is incompatible with human freedom.
Based on theological fatalism, there are four alternatives: first, accepting divine foreknowledge and denying human freedom, which is in fact affirming theological fatalism; second, accepting human freedom and rejecting divine foreknowledge; third, accepting both; and fourth, refusing both.
Allameh Tabatabaei and William Craig accept the compatibility between divine foreknowledge and human freedom; consequently both thinkers believe that divine knowledge about human free actions is due to His knowledge of conditions and properties of the action. Thus, God knows what the subject will freely do in any circumstance.
mohsen habibi; atefeh nasiri nasr
Volume 6, Issue 4 , March 2016, , Pages 75-98
Abstract
Abstract
Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi is the founder of philosophical illumination school (The Wisdom of Ishrāq). For Suhrawardi, reasoning (using rational arguments) is not sufficient to obtain truth and undertaking an esoteric way is essential to seek wisdom. He says that the content of philosophy is ...
Read More
Abstract
Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi is the founder of philosophical illumination school (The Wisdom of Ishrāq). For Suhrawardi, reasoning (using rational arguments) is not sufficient to obtain truth and undertaking an esoteric way is essential to seek wisdom. He says that the content of philosophy is in complete harmony with religious texts and religious doctrines. Therefore, he refers so many times to Quranic verses and divine sayings and even sometimes (occasionally) in philosophical argumentation he prays to God. He has taken some of his invocations and prayers from Islamic sources and (infallible) Imams and he wrote some of them personally. He rejected the opinion of exclusivity of the names of God, and addresses God in accordance with his mystical dispositions and in his special philosophical terminology. In his prayers, Shayakh, does not ask something form God and they are sometimes just for praising Him. He also addressed wayfarers, prophet and his household, soul, perfect natures, Bahman, second intellect, angels, heaven of oblation, heaven Saturn, Jupiter, Mars in his prayers.
Mohammad Fana'i Ashkevari
Volume 2, Issue 2 , October 2011, , Pages 79-96
Abstract
The relationship between mysticism and religion is an important one. Some have argued that mysticism is not religious in nature and can’t be reconciled with religion; hence, some groups have adopted mysticism and parted from religion while other have strictly adhere to religion and got in quandaries ...
Read More
The relationship between mysticism and religion is an important one. Some have argued that mysticism is not religious in nature and can’t be reconciled with religion; hence, some groups have adopted mysticism and parted from religion while other have strictly adhere to religion and got in quandaries with mysticism. Those who consider mysticism reconcilable with religion have different opinions on the relationship they entertain. Some have argued that mysticism is the essence of religion while other have considered it an element of religion. We suggest that the relationship between religion and mysticism must be assessed by the study of their nature. In the current article, we argue and demonstrate that mysticism is not against religion nor foreign to religion; it is not like religion, nor an element of religion, but rather is the esoteric dimension of religion. With this perspective, numerous questions and ambiguities related to the relationship of mysticism and religion are answered and their respective nature becomes clearer. Moreover, we also suggest a methodology for distinguishing between authentic and unauthentic forms of mysticism.
fatemeh rajaei; مومنی momeni
Abstract
Logicians, such as Avicenna (or Ibn Sīnā), give moral propositions (like “injustice is bad” and “justice is good”) as examples of “popular” (mashhūrāt) propositions and praised opinions in the section of dialectics. However, Islamic theologians (those adhering ...
Read More
Logicians, such as Avicenna (or Ibn Sīnā), give moral propositions (like “injustice is bad” and “justice is good”) as examples of “popular” (mashhūrāt) propositions and praised opinions in the section of dialectics. However, Islamic theologians (those adhering to justice or ‘adliyya) cite these propositions in their discussion of rational goodness and badness. This can be discussed in different respects: Are goodness and badness propositions primitively self-evident propositions or just popular propositions? Are they rational or legislated propositions? Do they admit of truth and falsity? Are they realistic or irrealistic? If they are popular propositions, then can their goodness or badness still be essential? In this paper, we are concerned with this latter question. To begin with, according to passages from Avicenna, these propositions are admittedly popular, but then the question arises of whether this is compatible with their goodness and badness being essential. This is because the essentiality of goodness and badness implies their reality, whereas a merely popular proposition does not have a reality beyond an agreement among rational agents. In the first case, popularity or general interests are at stake, whereas essentiality amounts to being detached from general interests or popularity within the society, in the sense that an act is immediately described as good or bad, but this is at odds with what logicians have suggested. The question of this research is to reveal a conflict between essentiality and rationality of such propositions on the one hand, and their popularity, on the other. We begin with an introduction of epistemological and ontological dimensions of the problem, and then consider the problem in terms of logic, referring to passages from Avicenna in this regard, and after an elucidation of the conflict, we finally formulate Muẓaffar’s solution to the conflict. The idea is that although the popularity of such propositions is incompatible with essentiality or rationality of good and badness as widely understood by theologians, a more refined understanding of essentiality and rationality will help resolve the conflict.
Mohsen Rezvani
Volume 3, Issue 2 , October 2013, , Pages 83-97
Abstract
The present paper is the first essay which investigates Charles E. Butterworth’s interpretation of Islamic political philosophy. Butterworth’s main concern is to understand and interpret Islamic political philosophy based on interpretive approach, according to which Islamic political philosophy ...
Read More
The present paper is the first essay which investigates Charles E. Butterworth’s interpretation of Islamic political philosophy. Butterworth’s main concern is to understand and interpret Islamic political philosophy based on interpretive approach, according to which Islamic political philosophy has originality. However, Butterworth’s dual interpretation of Islamic political philosophy and particularly incomplete understanding of contemporary Islamic political philosophy caused him fails to withdraw himself from the historical approach, according to which Islamic political philosophy has no originality
amirhosein pashaei; hadi sadeqi; hamidreza shariatmadari
Abstract
In this research, for provide the basis of Islamic ethics philosophy, the theory of utilitarianism Has been compared to Islamic doctrines and Qur'anic verses and is organized in a descriptive-analytical approach in two parts: First, the ordain of divine rules has been examined since the Quran's moral ...
Read More
In this research, for provide the basis of Islamic ethics philosophy, the theory of utilitarianism Has been compared to Islamic doctrines and Qur'anic verses and is organized in a descriptive-analytical approach in two parts: First, the ordain of divine rules has been examined since the Quran's moral system is based on general rules. And second, the impetus to enact laws has not been taken into consideration and the status of the servants has been considered and the standard of moral action has been explored in terms of existing laws and regulations. as a result although the contents of many Qur'anic verses are consistent with the principles of utilitarianism in terms of practical results, the "principle of profit" cannot be regarded as the basis of moral practice or principle. However, verses that appear to be incompatible with profitability have also been mentioned.
sepideh razi
Abstract
One of the most significant issues in anthropology is the relationship between two major aspects of human life: soul and corpus. A review over philosophical texts from the early Greek era to the present time reveals the fact that soul’s relationship with the corpus is and has always been concerning ...
Read More
One of the most significant issues in anthropology is the relationship between two major aspects of human life: soul and corpus. A review over philosophical texts from the early Greek era to the present time reveals the fact that soul’s relationship with the corpus is and has always been concerning philosophers. However, over time, separation of sciences and their narrowed down branches brought made it particularly interesting for other branches of science like embryology, psychology, parapsychology, etc. The main focus of this study is human genesis since his presence in the material world which is scrutinized through philosophical views of Ibn Sina and Mulla Sadra and comparing their views with embryological theories of Thomas W. Sadler as a prominent theoretician in the field. Conception and order of formation of body organs, parents’ influence on embryo and their relationship, the time of acquiring soul and the issue of protective and exhaustive are among the points discussed in this study in order to make a better evaluation of the issue under study.Several theories have been developed on the formation of the first organ by eminent thinkers all of which could be culminated. If veins and nerves are considered as organs, they will be the first ones; otherwise, the heart is the initiator of embryogenesis. Ibn Sina concords with the second part of medical theories; however, regardless of the differences in views of Mulla Sadra on the genesis of the first organ, if the liver is the beginning point for veins and nerves, then, he will go with the first theory. For Ibn Sina, heart is the first organ for he believes that it is the origin of heat. Nevertheless, in some of his works, Mulla Sadra states the heart to be the first organ; yet, if the criteria for his selection is an overall look at his works, brain has to be considered as the initiator of embryogenesis due to its inherent priority and since liver as the origin of veins is formed earlier. Both of these approaches, however, contradict with the ideas Ibn Sina had on this issue. In the case of formation of other body organs, there seems to be almost no difference in views of these two philosophers on chronological order and for both of them, the other one’s first is the second one. Yet, Mulla Sadra’s views are supported more strongly by medical views of the modern world. This is due to the fact that, Ibn Sina puts the formation of veins and nerves two steps behind compared to the findings of modern medicine.Regarding the method and time of attachment of soul to the embryo, Ibn Sina takes the time when heart is completely formed as the time when embryo gains the intellective soul. Yet, based on his own principles, Mulla Sadra believes that when the embryo is formed, the fetus is of signs of "plant life”. In other words, the fetus at this stage eats and grows; however, it lacks sense and movement as the signs of “animal life” and intellectual perception as the main sign of “human life”. As the embryo evolves inside its mother’s womb, its aptitudes are realized and this gives it an animal soul and later on other human life traits are gradually flourished. Embryology findings of modern medicine reveal that fetus receives the essence of life from its parents and it is the beginning of birth and growth of a new creature. Thus, fetus is a living creature of life right from the conception. This concord well with the trans-substantial motion theory of Mulla Sadra. Accordingly, acquisition of soul from Mulla Sadra’s point of view and medical perspective coordinate well considering their views on the first organ of primary stages of soul and life even in their faintest forms. Views and ideas of these two philosophers on creation of soul and the protective and exhaustive factor are different. Ibn Sina believes that soul of parents is vicariously protective and exhaustive so that at first, the soul of mother is the collection of elements and creator of nature, then in the middle, mineral face or the born soul is exhaustive and protective with the aid of mother’s soul and finally the born soul becomes independent. Mulla Sadra denies this and believes that delegation in various affairs is in contractual affairs and not in real and inherent ones. For him, exhaustiveness of body organs is neither the souls of parents nor the soul of embryo but is the nutrition substances which collect the necessary and required components in its essence due to the trans-substantial motion and inherent perfection and is even more perfect and transforms as time passes and this is the plant soul of the embryo which protects it until the time comes for it to be qualified to gain the potential to show animal behavior beside above-mentioned deeds and behaviors. At this moment, human body is evolved and becomes legible to acquire intellective soul with which not only mineral deeds are conducted along with plant and animal behavior, but contemplation and perception also occur as the intellectual soul. Modern medical findings solve the problem of exhaustiveness of the embryo since they take fetus as a living creature; however, the concept of protectiveness as it is discussed in philosophy is of no ground in embryology and the only mention of it is made about the role the mother and her body has in protecting the fetus conceived in her womb. Mother’s body acts as a home and a system feeding and protecting the fetus and since it is the site for the nurture of a creature named human, her temperament and spiritual state will have their influence of the embryo.In conclusion, an overall evaluation of these views reveals that ontological principles of Mulla Sadra to elaborate on embryogenesis and the life of human embryo concord much better with modern findings of embryology as a science in comparison to the ones developed by Ibn Sina.No study has investigated the relationship between soul and corpus from this point of view. The method utilized in this study was documentary analysis using library resources. The references used in this study were all original texts including The Canon of Medicine, Book of Knowledge for Ala al-Dawla, Soul, etc. by Ibn Sina, The Transcendent theosophy in the Four Journeys of the Intellect, etc. by Mulla Sadra and Langman's Medical Embryology by Thomas W. Sadler.
Fahime Shariati; Mohammadreza Akbarzade
Abstract
Intelligence has a wide range. Degrees of intelligence can be divided into primary and secondary intelligences..Examining the word intelligence with various words almost synonymous in transcendent wisdom such as intellect, science, wisdom, etc. shows that human intelligence is dependent on higher intelligence.Artificial ...
Read More
Intelligence has a wide range. Degrees of intelligence can be divided into primary and secondary intelligences..Examining the word intelligence with various words almost synonymous in transcendent wisdom such as intellect, science, wisdom, etc. shows that human intelligence is dependent on higher intelligence.Artificial intelligence, which is the achievement of human intelligence, has very precise functions such as learning, optimization, generalizability.By describing, analyzing and comparing the intelligent machine with man, we can better understand the distance between human consciousness and the knowledge of the first causes and the entry of multiplicity and contradiction in the material world with the higher worlds.Traces of morality and will can be seen in different levels of reason, as well as in the types and varieties of intelligence in psychological issues...Although it seems that some of the human intelligence goes back to the way of performance in the field of ethics and voluntary actions, but due to the effects of external or previous conditions on human voluntary actions, the differences between these two types of secondary intelligence (human intelligence and artificial intelligence) It descends to a lower limit.Paying attention to the truth of the will and its effect on morality cannot explain the difference between human intelligence and the systemic functions of intelligent machines.Regardless of emotions, inner states or presence sciences, even the will cannot be the original distinction between human intelligence and artificial intelligence
zeinab zargooshi; reza rezazadeh; majid ziaei
Abstract
Inquiry into Some Metaphors of Causality in Philosophy of Suhrawardi Introduction This research aims at investigating some specific metaphorical applications of the concept of causality in Suhrawardi's philosophy, basically referring to the theory of conceptual metaphor.Hitherto, two traditional ...
Read More
Inquiry into Some Metaphors of Causality in Philosophy of Suhrawardi Introduction This research aims at investigating some specific metaphorical applications of the concept of causality in Suhrawardi's philosophy, basically referring to the theory of conceptual metaphor.Hitherto, two traditional and contemporary theories have been discussed in this regard. Regarding the traditional theory represented by Aristotle Metaphor, it can be regarded as the use of the name of something for something else.According to this view, the reason why one word is used instead of another is a pre-existing and objective similarity between the two phenomena.Contemporary metaphor theory holds that,in addition to objective similarity,non-objective similarities, the creation of similarities by the mind and the correlation in experience are bases for the formation of metaphors. In Suhrawardi's philosophy, causality has been conceptualized as a key philosophical concept with the help of various metaphors. Research Questions This research tries to answer basic questions: How Suhrawardi used metaphor in conceptualizing causality?What metaphors have been used in Suhrawardi's philosophy to conceptualize causality?And, finally,what is the connection between the symbol in Suhrawardi's philosophy and metaphor? Research Hypothesis -Suhrawardi has used metaphor in conceptualizing causality. -In Suhrawardi's philosophy, the metaphors of "causality is Illumination","causality is the Forced Movement","causality is the Transfer Of Possessions"," causality is to generate" and"causality is to build" were used to conceptualize causality. -The basis of metaphor formation is different.In Suhrawardi's philosophy,a metaphor whose formation is based on the inherent similarity between the two phenomena is regarded as symbol. Accordingly, the metaphors of "causality is Illumination", "causality is to generate” and"causality is to build” are symbolic metaphors. Method The research method in this paper is analytical, comparative and somehow critical.The research tool is the authoritative books and articles.Through these references, we first obtained the principles and foundations of the theory of conceptual metaphors.In the next step, we extracted the conceptual metaphors of causality.Afterwards, we studied the conceptual metaphors of causality in Suhrawardi philosophy.In the final step, the relationship between the theory of conceptual metaphor and the discussion of symbol in Suhrawardi's philosophy is examined. Results Suhrawardi has used various metaphors to describe and conceptualize causality. The introduced metaphors are only a part of the metaphors of causality in Suhrawardi's works. in fact, he is a descriptor in some of the causal metaphors.In some causal metaphors, causality is described by illumination.Immaterial effects such as ray and material effects such as shadoware depicted. Motion schema is one of the most widely used image schemas for conceptualizing abstract concepts. In the philosophy of illumination, the Forced Movement is used to illustrate causality.The metaphor of "causality is the transfer of Possessions " can also be seen in the works of Shaykh al-Ishrag.The experience of creating/generating is also one of the conventional experiences that Shaykh al-Ishrag uses to describe causality.In this metaphor, causes are conceptualized as parents and effects as child.Causality is also depicted by the metaphor of "causality is to build".According to the metaphor of "causality is illumination ", there is a similarity between cause and effect.But, according to the metaphor of "causality is the transfer of Possessions " which has three components, a kind of demarcation between cause and effect is associated.The use of the metaphor of "causality is to build" also associates inconsistency and dissimilarity between cause and effect. The most widely used metaphor in Suhrawardi's philosophy for conceptualizing causality is the metaphor of "causality is illumination".The discussion of metaphor is also related to the discussion of symbol. In Suhrawardi's philosophy, a metaphor whose formation is based on the inherent similarity between two phenomena is called symbol.The metaphors "causality is illumination","causality is to generate"and "causality is to build” are of this type. The sun and human in the material world are similar to Immaterials and are symbols of Immaterial.Thus, the causality of Immaterials is conceptualized in the following terms:sunshine and human characteristics such as generating and construction. But, the basis of metaphor is not always the inherent similarity betweenthe two phenomena. On the contrary; sometimes, the human mind creates similarities.The human mind depicts attributes as objects and causality as the transfer of objects, and on this basis the metaphor "causality is the transfer of Possessions " is formed.The basis of metaphor can also be co-occurrencein experience.The co-occurrence between change and motion in conventional experience causes that causality, which is a kind of change in the state of effect to be illustrated as motion. Besides, based on this, the metaphor of "causality is Forced Movement" is formed.
Philosophy
neda salour; Mahin Sohrabi nasirabadi; Narges Nazarnejad
Abstract
IntroductionTraditional Persian arts, with all their aesthetic and semantic aspects, are derived from the Iranian culture, thought, and beliefs and are eminent manifestations of the notion of tradition for Iranians. Traditional designs with symbolic motifs and patterns constitute the foundation of traditional ...
Read More
IntroductionTraditional Persian arts, with all their aesthetic and semantic aspects, are derived from the Iranian culture, thought, and beliefs and are eminent manifestations of the notion of tradition for Iranians. Traditional designs with symbolic motifs and patterns constitute the foundation of traditional arts. Such arts are mainly characterized by the artist’s reluctance to imitate the nature and his or her focus on abstraction and expression of symbolic concepts. If traditional motifs are measured and appraised in terms of the right criteria and principles, it turns out that they are not only non-repetitive but also fully ingenious and creative, and display themselves in the design through a refinement made in the artist’s mind. Such intellectual analyses prevailed in line with rationalistic theories that relied on reasoning and arguments since fourth century AH (tenth century CE) along with the prevalence of the rationalistic Peripatetic philosophy and then Avicenna’s theories of psychological faculties, particularly the human-specific rational or intellectual faculty. For Avicenna, the human intellect has degrees and it has the potential to move toward perfection. One comes to obtain the ability to connect to the Active Intellect (al-ʿaql al-faʿʿāl) or the Bestower of Forms (wāhib al-ṣuwar) by developing one’s intellect, and then enjoys its grace and emanation, in virtue of which one knows and understands the world and finds the ability for reasoning and acquisition of knowledge. Avicenna believes that imagination is directed at the intellect or reason, and the artist’s perceptions are of the same kind as intellectual intuition.Avicenna enumerates certain principles for the beauty of a work of art, suggesting that its beauty results from reason or intellect. The principles include good moderation, good synthesis (proportions), and good order. On the other hand, the method of drawing traditional motifs were transmitted to us through generations. The superficial aspects of traditional motifs are addressed in Dr. Ali Hasouri’s Foundations of traditional design, Dr. Abolghasem Dadvar’s Theoretical foundations of traditional arts (a collection of the views and theories of Muslim intellectuals about art and aesthetics from the perspective of Islamic philosophy and mysticism), and Dr. Yaghoub Azhand’s Seven decorative principles of Persian art (all in Persian). However, they fail to formulate the rules of formation in the method of drawing the motifs and the scientific criteria they involve. Perhaps they have taken these for granted, while an analysis and formulation of the roots and rational dimensions of the principles and rules of the traditional design can lead to creative motifs. Accordingly, preservation, revival, development, promotion, innovation, and a new discourse in the domain of traditional designs require a scientific and artistic underpinning, saturated with philosophical and intellectual grounds.Method of ResearchThe present research draws on the method of theory evaluation and an assessment of how Avicenna’s aesthetic principles corresponds to the rules of drawing the traditional motifs to present a theory about the rationalistic design of the rational traditional Persian vegetal motifs as the most fundamental and widespread motifs. The data were collected through a library-documentary method, and finally the findings are presented through a descriptive-analytic method.Discussion and ResultsThe method of drawing traditional vegetal motifs alone or alongside each other follows certain principles and rules, each of which is separately matched with Avicenna’s aesthetic principles, including:With respect to their aversion of nature, their abstraction, simplification, symbolism, and centripetalism (manifestation of unity and multiplicity), the motifs are expressive and have “good order”; that is, their parts are proportionate to, and harmonious with, the whole.The motion and dynamic of the motifs, their generativity and reproduction in varieties of frames and directions, the balance, proposition, and symmetry in design, the existence of a geometrical order among the parts, the existence of rhythm and harmony between the motifs and the design, variety in composition and frame, collation and replacement relations between motifs, and the correspondence with varieties of backgrounds, frames, and materials in the performance context are all in line with Avicenna’s definition of “good moderation” and order.Line value (intensity and mildness), which gives an impression of perspective in the two-dimensional space, equivalence of the positive and negative spaces (over and cover spaces), and the existence of the element of timelessness and placelessness in traditional designs indicate the “good synthesis” as well as the order and coherence in the design.For Avicenna, the principles of aesthetics (good synthesis, order, and moderation) are formulated based on knowledge, which is in turn a consequence of reason or intellect. Since the Avicenna’s aesthetic rules of traditional motifs are also in conformity with mathematical and geometrical proportions, it can be said to follow scientific criteria.ConclusionOur study shows that, first, the existence of order, coherence, and harmony between motifs as well as the proportion and balance within the design come from scientific criteria, which are induced by the intellectual faculty. Accordingly, once connected to the Active Intellect, the artist obtains an intuition, and after the stage of the imaginative faculty, he or she can reason by means of the intellectual faculty. Since the contribution and function of the imaginative and intellectual faculties vary at each stage of creating the design, the artist begins with senses, and then reaches the stage of imagination and abstraction until he or she attains the degree of intellection and reasoning to the point of innovation and invention in the field of art, particularly in drawing traditional vegetal motifs. This sort of intuition, which Avicenna calls “intellectual intuition,” as well as the match between the rules of the traditional design and Avicenna’s aesthetic principles, indicate the rationalistic character of the course of traditional motifs and the predominance of the intellectual faculty in the creation of innovative motifs.
farah ramin
Abstract
Death as an inevitable reality is a subject of study in various philosophical schools. The issue of death is one of the deepest philosophical reflections. This concept can be reviewed within three realms: semantics, ontology, and epistemology. The objective of this article is to examine death within ...
Read More
Death as an inevitable reality is a subject of study in various philosophical schools. The issue of death is one of the deepest philosophical reflections. This concept can be reviewed within three realms: semantics, ontology, and epistemology. The objective of this article is to examine death within ontological realm in the thoughts of Mulla Sadra and Schopenhauer, and it attempts to answer the question that whether philosophical discussions on the concept of death in Sadra's transcendental wisdom, despite differences in principles, methods, and objectives, are comparable to Schopenhauer's intellectual framework. Using a descriptive-analytical approach, the present study first investigates the issue of death in the thought of both philosophers and then focuses on their comparative analysis.The findings of this study show that, there are similarities, compatibility, and convergences between the two philosophers' attitudes toward death. Both philosophers-Molla Sadra and Arthur Schopenhaur- believe in the dichotomy in the world, immortality of human nature after death, existence of suffering in the world, asceticism, austerity, love, and affection to all human beings. However, each of them analyzes and explains the issue of death within his own intellectual framework. School of thought, intellectual principles, philosophical methods, and historical time of Mulla Sadra are very different from those of Schopenhauer.
amirhossein pournamdar sarcheshmeh; mehdi azimi
Volume 7, Issue 3 , November 2016, , Pages 61-80
Abstract
Abstract
Almost all Islamic philosophers have directly or indirectly addressed the problem of ‘individuality’ and have provided some answers to the problem. Thus, one can review and survey all aspects of this discussion in the Islamic philosophy tradition, but here we intend to address just ...
Read More
Abstract
Almost all Islamic philosophers have directly or indirectly addressed the problem of ‘individuality’ and have provided some answers to the problem. Thus, one can review and survey all aspects of this discussion in the Islamic philosophy tradition, but here we intend to address just one aspect, i.e. the Farabi's role in the evolution of this historical discussion, and in this way, to shed some lights on the neglected and less known angles of the rational tradition of Muslim philosophers. One of those who put the issue more and more at the center of the attention of thinkers is Mulla Sadra who, as a result of his philosophy of the Principality of Existence, expressed exuberant materials about individuality. Mulla Sadra attributes the idea of individuality- existence equality to Farabi. For scholars of the ancient period or even the contemporary period, there has never been any doubt in the authenticity of this assignment. This article seeks to reconsider this established attribution and through some textual and historical documents shows that this assignment can be disputed and even the issue that Farabi has had discussed ‘individuality’ is very suspicious.
Mahdi Azimi
Abstract
Is Suhrawardi's criticisms of the peripatetic concept of definition, and the establishment of the Ishraqi theory of definition by him, a sharp divergence of Ibn Sina’slogic of the definition? Some scholars think that the answer is yes, however thepresent paper’s answer to this question is ...
Read More
Is Suhrawardi's criticisms of the peripatetic concept of definition, and the establishment of the Ishraqi theory of definition by him, a sharp divergence of Ibn Sina’slogic of the definition? Some scholars think that the answer is yes, however thepresent paper’s answer to this question is ‘no’. In Hekmat al-Ishehraq,Suhrawardihas three basic criticisms to the theory of completeessential definition, some of which can be generalized to the incomplete essential definition and also accidental definitions: (1) conflicts with the conventional use of language; (2) the incomprehensibility of the realdifferences; (3) the perpetual probability of neglect of one or more intrinsic features. The bold veins of these three critiques can be found in the treatise of Ibn Sina’sal-Hodoodva al-Ta'lighat, along with two other criticisms: (4) theperpetual probability of theacquisition ofrequisite rather than essence; and (5) the perpetual probability of the acquisition of remote genus instead of close genus. The only possible definition fromSuhrawardi point of view is the definition of quiddity through the combination of general accidents that are belonged to thatquiddity, provided that the definition proceeds in the epistemological trades between definiens and definiendum and on the basis ofdirect(unmediated) knowledge.This theory is also the extender of the line Ibn Sina has drawn in Al-Ta'lighatva Al-Isharat. Therefore, Suhrawardi'slogic of definition complementsthe Avicenna's logicofdefinition.
Kamal Nosrati Heshi; Reza Ali Nowrozi; Zohre Mottagi; Mehrnosh Amini
Volume 6, Issue 2 , July 2015, , Pages 75-100
Abstract
The main purpose of this study is to identify, according to Avicenna's views, the elements of perception and its different types, and also its training results of which we can use in upbringing. We’ll first, based on our findings, indicate that in Avicinna’s views, ‘ego’ (Nafs) ...
Read More
The main purpose of this study is to identify, according to Avicenna's views, the elements of perception and its different types, and also its training results of which we can use in upbringing. We’ll first, based on our findings, indicate that in Avicinna’s views, ‘ego’ (Nafs) plays very important role such that we can say that it is the cornerstone of perception. Then, after having some words on perception, its definition, and its types and levels, we’ll consider its educational implications, specifically targets and procedure centered on perception basis. Finally, ‘achieving bliss’ is recognized as an ultimate aim of Avicenna education system. However, achieving such aim is associated with achieving some secondary objectives, such as development of sensory, imagination, intellect, and intuitive understanding abilities. Therefore, the training methods resulted from this study will be: active usage of the senses, remembering, to orient imagination and creativity, intellectual development, research-based training, thought strengthening, intuition or verbal and esoteric observation (guess), and syncretic methods.
Azam Ghasemi
Volume 1, Issue 1 , September 2010, , Pages 77-100
Abstract
The relation between tradition and modernity and providing solutions to the challenges created by modernity are among the major intellectual concerns of Dr. Nasr. In his view, one cannot make any assertions on this relationship, without understanding the foundations of modernity and understanding man ...
Read More
The relation between tradition and modernity and providing solutions to the challenges created by modernity are among the major intellectual concerns of Dr. Nasr. In his view, one cannot make any assertions on this relationship, without understanding the foundations of modernity and understanding man is one of the crucial foundations of modernity, which has a basic conflict with tradition. The present article investigates the approach of Dr.Nasr to metaphysical anthropology with regard to Traditionalism. The importance of this discussion lies in the fact that the modern and postmodern anthropology have very unpleasant and harmful consequences. Some of these consequences such as the environmental crisis have affected the life of the whole humanity in the world. Dr.Nasr investigates and crticizes Humanism, not the Christian anthropology, and attempts to analyze the shift from Theocentrism to Homocentrism in the history of the western thought. By citing the main characteristics of the modern man and contrasting them with the main characteristics of the traditional man, he attempts to show the contranst between these two types of anthropology. He finally analyzes the evil and harmful consequences of the modern anthropology and shows that the way to overcome the challenges in this domain is a basic return to traditional anthropology.
Abbas Javareshkian; Ali Ghaffarpour; Alireza Kohansal
Abstract
Sadr al-Dīn Shīrāzī (Mullā Sadra, 1569-1640), composed philosophical commentaries on the Qur’ānic concept of the ‘transformation of the Earth’ through epistemological and ontological approaches. In fact, Sadr al-Dīn composed a rich, multi-faceted commentary, dealing with relevant ...
Read More
Sadr al-Dīn Shīrāzī (Mullā Sadra, 1569-1640), composed philosophical commentaries on the Qur’ānic concept of the ‘transformation of the Earth’ through epistemological and ontological approaches. In fact, Sadr al-Dīn composed a rich, multi-faceted commentary, dealing with relevant philosophical issues, on the following Qur’ānic verse about the transformation of Heavens and the Earth: ‘One day the Earth will be transformed into a different Earth, and so will be the Heavens, and (men) will be marshalled forth, before Allah, the One, the Irresistible’ (Q 14:48). In certain parts of his work, Sadr al-Dīn makes use of the principle of ‘substantial motion’ (al-harakat al-jawhariyya) to explain the transformation of the Heavens and the Earth (referred to in Q 14:48), but in some other passages, he considers the same transformation as a result of the final return of all existing things to their divine origins. Besides that, Sadr al-Dīn regarded the possibility of the occurrence of this transformation in the sight of the ‘Universal Man’ (al-insān al-kāmil), when the ‘eternal Ideas’ of the Heavens and the Earth come to be manifested in the ‘imaginal realm’ of both the soul and the universe.
Seyed Hamid Talebzadeh
Volume 1, Issue 2 , March 2011, , Pages 79-95
Abstract
Philosophy in modern age has begun with rationalists. The theory of innate ideas, their foundation of epistemology, was introduced by Descartes and developed by the other rationalists as Spinoza and Leibniz. This theory then was attributed to Kant and he was assumed as an innativist.This paper is trying ...
Read More
Philosophy in modern age has begun with rationalists. The theory of innate ideas, their foundation of epistemology, was introduced by Descartes and developed by the other rationalists as Spinoza and Leibniz. This theory then was attributed to Kant and he was assumed as an innativist.This paper is trying to prove that Kant is not innativist and is going on a different path in western tradition.The theory of innate ideas is a starting point for Kant to introduce new perspectives in west thinking.
Parisa Goudarzi
Volume 4, Issue 4 , July 2014, , Pages 79-98
Abstract
Qûnawî in his interpretation of Sura Fatiha, maintains that the God’s absolute being is a developing absoluteness of His Being without Qualification and free from the shackles of the composition and plurality. In his view this being is a mere existence, not a plurality, not a hybrid, ...
Read More
Qûnawî in his interpretation of Sura Fatiha, maintains that the God’s absolute being is a developing absoluteness of His Being without Qualification and free from the shackles of the composition and plurality. In his view this being is a mere existence, not a plurality, not a hybrid, not adjective, not descriptive, no name, and no formal, no relation, no predication, it is just a pure existence. Fanaari, the commentator of Miftaah al-qaib, considers His existence as an absolute one without any valid adverbial, though it can be taken with or without constraints. However, the discussion is not unconditional although derived bound constraint is applied. Qûnawî provides five arguments to prove that the Necessary Being is the Absolute, and then discusses some doubts and criticisms which have been presented against the proofs. Imam Al-Khomeini in his commentating on Mesbah, seeks to answer the problems. He argue that except the first three arguments, the other arguments don’t establish the claim, so he rejects them and thinks that the main mistake and fault of the invalid arguments are the confusion between concept and extension, the primary essential predication and common technical predication, the conceptual meaning and external reality, and between absolute being and being as a being
Fahimeh Shariati
Abstract
Despite the physicalistic approach to the mind in the present century, the existence of the mental states different from body states has caused various scales to be put forth regarding mental issues, the most important of which are awareness, being first person, and intentionality. Awareness possesses ...
Read More
Despite the physicalistic approach to the mind in the present century, the existence of the mental states different from body states has caused various scales to be put forth regarding mental issues, the most important of which are awareness, being first person, and intentionality. Awareness possesses an extensive domain incorporating senses, perceptions, recalling, visual representation, tendencies, imagination, beliefs, and thoughts. Being a first person means immediate reception such as all the intuitive perceptions deployed as opposed to acquisitive ones. In fact, it can be stated that the indicators mean presence by one’s own self. The intentionality means reference to a thing or being about a thing. In a mental issue, a man gains a certain experience, such as hope or doubt, in regard of a certain issue in the external world. Such mental affairs as doubt, hope, belief, and so forth are issues that have an attachment to a thing in the world outside and make reference thereto; doubt in…, hope in…, and belief in… are all characteristics of this intentionality. This is the common attribute of all voluntary actions and sensory perceptions as well. Intentionality is indeed a personal representation of the external world. Each of these indicators has difficulties in representation of mental issues. As opined by some, awareness is so diverse that it has to be separately defined for each of its type. For example, qualitative awareness cannot be grouped in a class with phenomenal awareness. In some others’ opinions, awareness is a process, not a phenomenon. It also exists in animals because of the similarity of their cerebral structure to human beings, even though it is more advanced in the latter. Another case of breach in introducing the indicator as an index of mental issue should be sought in human being’s unconscious states. The existing shortfall in regard of being first person is that there are many non-intermediated and immediate affairs that are not mental. Can pain be truly considered mental as ruled based on this indicator while it can be imagined by all the creatures? Meanwhile, the intentionality is a less flawed indicator. Investigations on the Transcendent Philosophy (Ḥikmat-i Mutaʿālīa;) are well reflective of the importance of ego attention or notice. Mulla Sadra made use of intention or attention of ego (soul) in his works about God, human beings and other creatures such as animals, plants and inanimate ones. It means that the concept was applied in Mulla Sadra’s works for three types of existents, namely necessary being, speaker (thinker) existent, and all other non-speaker existents. The use cases of ego attention and intention will be examined regarding the human actions in the Transcendent Philosophy so as to conclude that how and under what conditions the ego (soul) intention can be introduced as a criterion for distinguishing non-bodily from bodily affairs? Perception: Sadr al-Mutiʾallihīn knows perception nothing more than ego (soul, nafs) attention. Acquisition of Sciences: In some expressions, Mulla Sadra states that all the perceptions related to the human mind in a rank by rank manner in sum, and realizes them all as the result of ego’s attention to intellect and the heart of the truths. Creativity: A type of extrinsic ego attention is intended in the Transcendent Philosophy in which intention is directed from a superior being, the Righteous One, to the inferior being, the creatures. The attention, by itself, causes the inscription of the truths in the ego and generates creativities as well. Liberty (Ikhtīyār) and Intentionality: In the Transcendent Philosophy, the type of human deeds and behaviors or human liberty is a function of non-essential ego attention to the two general extreme ends. Actions are purposive as long as they are functions of this attention or intention. Judgment: Judging the right or wrong is nothing more than paying attention to the connection of a sentence’s components. Worships and Prayers: Mulla Sadra constantly speaks of an inherent intention inside all the creatures in their doing of their deeds, and this makes the nature of things move in a certain direction. But, as for the human beings, consideration of attention or not disregarding the attention is unique and specific. Guess, Thought: intellectual issues are obtained by a middle term. It means that there is a need for a middle term in order to be able to figure out knowns from unknowns, thereby, to arrive at intelligibles. Pleasures and Pains: Joy is the perception of consistency and compliance of an issue with the human nature. Love and Zeal: An intentionality of ego is named zeal and love. In a sort of classification, Mulla Sadra divides attention and intention into two sets, namely innate (inherent) and unnatural (extrinsic). In another general categorization, he divides the intention into intention to superior things and intention to inferior things. In this way, although attention or intention of a thing is shared by human beings and other creatures, its application is vividly divided into two parts, called “essential attention” and “non-essential attention”, and he excludes various kinds of attention in animals. Amongst the human actions as well, such indicators as “nonphysical” or “ego-oriented” are “ego’s non-essential attentions” based on the Transcendent Philosophy. The “essential ego attention” is the necessary and enough condition in distinguishing the ego-oriented affairs. The indicator “essential intention” is succinctly characterized by awareness because not all sorts of insights are required for a mental issue. This latter indicator encompasses all the other distinctions as well, is conclusive and exclusive of all the mental issues, and is in perfect coordination with the other basics of ego study by Mulla Sadra.
Seyed Abbas Zahabi
Volume 4, Issue 2 , October 2013, , Pages 81-100
Abstract
Unlike the Christian philosophy, in the Islamic philosophy, the question of individuality was emerged and grew gradually in a philosophical ground. The naïve form of the problem can be found in the Farabi and Ibn Sina's works, and its perfect form can be seen in Bahmanyar’s writings. Then, ...
Read More
Unlike the Christian philosophy, in the Islamic philosophy, the question of individuality was emerged and grew gradually in a philosophical ground. The naïve form of the problem can be found in the Farabi and Ibn Sina's works, and its perfect form can be seen in Bahmanyar’s writings. Then, Suhrawardi considered the problem at a totally different view and separated from Peripatetics basically. After Suhrawardi, Nasir al-Din Tūsi and Mulla Sadra, were dealt with the problem, while the differences between the two philosophers’ approaches were more than their agreements.
The issues related to the ‘individuality’ can be divided into four distinct debates: The conceptual bases of individuality; the affirmative principles of individuality; the Criterion of Individuality, and its justification. In the affirmative principles of individuality they are almost consentaneous, but in the other debates we can see some serious disagreements. The quiddity’s ability to justify “individuality” is the most important controversy between them. Nasir al-Din Tūsi considers quiddityas Criterion of Individuality, but Mulla Sadra belives that it is just ‘existence’ which can be the Criterion of Individuality.
Ali Sharifi
Volume 4, Issue 3 , March 2014, , Pages 81-101
Abstract
Professor Toshihiko Izutsu, a Japanese Linguists, philosopher and Quranic scholar (1914-1993), in addition to his famous Japanese translation of Quran, has two main quranic books named: God and Men in Quran and Ethico-Religious concepts of Quran. In the two books basic structures of Quranic teachings ...
Read More
Professor Toshihiko Izutsu, a Japanese Linguists, philosopher and Quranic scholar (1914-1993), in addition to his famous Japanese translation of Quran, has two main quranic books named: God and Men in Quran and Ethico-Religious concepts of Quran. In the two books basic structures of Quranic teachings have been expressed and explained.
He is counted as one of followers of Ethno-linguistic school or Bon School that is one of the famous semantic schools. According to this school, each language has its own worldview. Izutsu from the school framework, studied keywords of Quran with a semantic approach, wanted to discover the meaning connections of words in a vast semantic network, in order to achieve a coherent conceptual system of Quran.
He has used two semantic methods; historical and synchronic analysis. In synchronic one, he uses seven methods which have been surveyed in this article. Our main criticisms of Izutsu in this article are in these headlines: Having no attention to sentence semantic; inter-textuality; contextuality of meaning; unfamiliarity with diverse semantic schools; having no attention to the differences of opinions after descending Quran period; Having no obvious standard in to identify the axial words; and taking a mere philosophical approach to study Islamic views and neglecting rhetorical sciences.
Mohammad Miri
Volume 5, Issue 3 , November 2014, , Pages 81-99
Abstract
The steam which comes out of subtle parts of body is known as steamy soul. Steamy soul is the most subtle part of physical body and its role is mediating between soul and physical body. The nature of steamy soul and its issues had been vastly explained by Avicenna, and after him we can find Avicennian ...
Read More
The steam which comes out of subtle parts of body is known as steamy soul. Steamy soul is the most subtle part of physical body and its role is mediating between soul and physical body. The nature of steamy soul and its issues had been vastly explained by Avicenna, and after him we can find Avicennian explanation in the works of Sheikh- e- Eshragh and Molla -Sadra.
As much as it is related to human physical health and illness, however, steamy soul has been at canonical attention of physicians in medical profession, and as much as it, if any, roles as a mediator between soul and body it has been very attractive to philosophers, so steamy soul has been discussed a lot in philosophical psychology.
Steamy soul denial by modern medicine does not invalidate reliability of philosophical psychology, because philosophical psychology assumes it as a reliable theorem taken from ancient medicine
habibullah daneshshahraki; mostafa malekshahi sefat
Abstract
Ayatollah Javadi Amoli's position in Iran after the revolution is very similar to that of the Jewish Philo in Alexandria in the first century AD; In a way that can and should be the root of many of the great ideas of both philosophers in their social conditions; Because a person's way of thinking cannot ...
Read More
Ayatollah Javadi Amoli's position in Iran after the revolution is very similar to that of the Jewish Philo in Alexandria in the first century AD; In a way that can and should be the root of many of the great ideas of both philosophers in their social conditions; Because a person's way of thinking cannot be unrelated to his or her social status. But in the meantime, Alexandria, due to its time precedence and diverse cultural arrangement, has been the origin of the first historical sparks in questioning the relationship between religion and philosophy; And again, in the meantime, the position of Philo of Alexandria has been very significant. Philo's interest in Greek culture and philosophy, on the one hand, and his attribution to the Hebrew tradition and Judaism, on the other, led him to present a plan for the establishment of religious philosophy; The components of Philo's design are still considered by religious philosophers; In a way, a character like Javadi Ameli, who is 2,000 years away from Philo, has also used them in his collective plan; The summary of both plans is this: All the sciences in the breadest sense of the word _which particullarly includes philosophical teaching_ directly derive from revelation and teachings of the prophets (AS) or is referred to it. Finally it must be said that philosophers such Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, are payroll of great prophets such as Abraham and Moses.
Azam Ghasemi
Volume 2, Issue 1 , October 2011, , Pages 85-101
Abstract
Environmental Issues (crisis) are great concerns in the present world. Seyyed Hossein Nasr believed that environmental crisis has deep spiritual, philosophical, and religious roots and causes, and a deep transformation of our understanding of nature and of the human state are quite necessary. He also ...
Read More
Environmental Issues (crisis) are great concerns in the present world. Seyyed Hossein Nasr believed that environmental crisis has deep spiritual, philosophical, and religious roots and causes, and a deep transformation of our understanding of nature and of the human state are quite necessary. He also believes that this crisis cannot be solved by good (better) engineering, economical planning and even by change in our conception in development and change. Although there are technologies which can reduce pollution, but he does not believe that those technologies alone will save this crisis. He argued that a very radical consciousness_ that the traditional humanity always had_ is reqiured. The aim of this paper is to describe and evaluate the view point of Seyyed Hossein Nasr regarding the environmental issues and its solution
davood hosseini
Volume 7, Issue 1 , May 2016, , Pages 85-106
