Contemporary Wisdom

The role of death contemplation in realizing freedom from the perspective of Mulla Sadra and Heidegger

Articles in Press

Document Type : Biannual Journal

Authors

amin dehghani 1
abbas javareshkian 2
Jahangir masoudi 3
Seyed Morteza Hosseini Shahrudi 3

1 Doctoral student of Philosophy (Hekmat al-Taaliyeh) at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

2 Associate Professor, Department of Islamic Philosophy and Wisdom, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

3 Professor, Department of Islamic Philosophy, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

10.30465/cw.2025.51727.2103
Abstract
The issue discussed in this article is a comparative examination of the role of mortality awareness in achieving freedom from the perspectives of two great philosophers, Mulla Sadra and Heidegger. Mortality awareness, as conceptualized by Mulla Sadra and Heidegger, is among the most significant components of their philosophies and is closely related to the concept of freedom. Sadraean freedom is defined as "transcendence in elevation" and "approaching infinite truth through self-knowledge," while Heideggerian freedom is characterized as "ek-sistence and transcendence based on authenticity." Sadraean death is understood as "entry into inner and esoteric realms," whereas Heideggerian death is defined as "the negation of Dasein." The deficiencies in Heidegger’s philosophy can be summarized as follows: (1) Neglect of the immaterial dimensions of human existence and their supporting arguments, (2) absence of a principle for the stages of proximity and freedom, (3) a linear view of human truth (from thrownness to death), overlooking origin and return, (4) lack of a precise depiction of positive freedom, (5) absence of the issue of ethics and moral freedom, (6) failure to provide a practical program for realizing freedom, (7) lack of a correct conception of the afterlife as a realm for the manifestation of inner truth, rather than a realm of origination, and (8) lack of coherence in ontology, theology, and eschatology.

Keywords

death
mortality awareness
freedom
philosophy of freedom
Mulla Sadra
Heidegger

Subjects

Contemporary Wisdom

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 08 November 2025

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