Document Type : Biannual Journal
Author
Assistant Professor of Department of Islamic Philosophy, Faculty of Theology, Ferdowsi University Of Mashhad (FUM), Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
In cognitive linguistics, conceptual/cognitive metaphor refers to the understanding of an idea, or a conceptual domain, in terms of another. In fact, in the ‘cognitive metaphor theory’ (CMT), metaphors are mappings from one conceptual domain known as the source domain onto another conceptual domain, known as the target domain, thus, the removal of metaphors will result in the failure of the relevant cognitive process. Greek and Muslim philosophers, including Parmenides, Plato, Aristotle, Avicenna and Sadr al-Dīn Shīrāzī (Mullā Sadrā), made use of the cognitive metaphorization of the real- or substantive existent entity as a ‘state of subsistence’. Each of the abovementioned towering philosophers presented their own recognition of a substantive-existent entity, but all converge in their emphasis on the crucial role of the ‘subsistence’ as a conceptual metaphor for understanding of the ontological state and the qualities of a substantive existent entity. Muslim philosophers also made use of terms such as ‘establishment’ (taqarrur) and ‘righteousness’ (qawām) which actually remain in the semantic sphere of ‘subsistence’ (thubūt) and are usually applied as cognitive metaphors for understanding of the qualities of a substantive existent entity. In the school of Avicenna, both being/existence (wujūd) and quiddity/essence (māhiyya) are considered to be in a state of subsistence, but in Sadr al-Dīn’s school, it is only the existence/being which must be regarded as being so.
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