Biannual Journal
Philosophy
Muhammad Hasan Yaghoubian
Abstract
Introduction: transcendent wisdom has three aspects, include the sage, the system of transcendent wisdom, and its cultural-social determination. The issue of this research is its third aspect is cultural-social determination. Cultural-social determination does not mean the inference of society and ...
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Introduction: transcendent wisdom has three aspects, include the sage, the system of transcendent wisdom, and its cultural-social determination. The issue of this research is its third aspect is cultural-social determination. Cultural-social determination does not mean the inference of society and culture from the perspective of transcendent wisdom rather includes the foundations, background and time of the formation of transcendent wisdom and Sadra's actions towards them and his time as a philosopher. This determination is, in fact, a dimension of transcendent wisdom, in which Mulla Sadra considered the fields of knowledge and tried to collect them in a philosophical model. Method: It is descriptive-analytical in order to obtain a clearer understanding of our current situation while examining the background, Consequences and present of the transcendent wisdom in the past and analyzing his epistemological action in those conditions. The importance and necessity of this research is due to the fact that it tries to link the originality of the heritage of Islamic philosophy to our contemporaneity and has walked and shown the way ahead and diagnosed its obstacles. Discussion:
Mulla Sadra had a multi-dimensional personality and in his philosophy, he was able to create a comprehensive philosophical system in which different sciences, centered on existence, have a methodical dialogue and connection with each other. In addition, the cultural-social determination of transcendent wisdom shows the concerns and political and religio-cultural dimensions of Sadra's time in regard to Shiite wisdom and religious science and integrationism in intra-cultural epistemological flows and that he was able to systematically connect and collect those sciences in an epistemic geometry in the third model, in addition to collecting different sciences within himself. In fact, the background of this philosophical system is from the Helleh/Maragheh school and the philosophical tradition of Shiraz to the policy of integrationism in territorial unity and the Shia approach in the culture of the Safavid period. After this philosophical system, there is the philosophical tradition of Tehran and Qom. Mulla Sadra's effort has been in the direction of philosophical reinterpretation and integrationism regarding the diversity of intra-cultural epistemological currents including theology, mysticism and philosophy in an epistemological geometry and with a religious approach to science. But his incompatibility with the political establishment and the power of that time and his distance during his isolation from the scientific circles of that day, as well as the lack of attention of his first-rate students to expand his creative philosophical system, did not give him the opportunity to transform his schema as a concrete worldview to be transferred to the public culture of the society. But now, by avoiding the general rejection and negation of philosophical others such as the philosophy of the West or the Far East, as well as avoiding self-centeredness and mere imitation of the legacy of the past, he can achieve an active wisdom that also participates in the intellectual discourse of the world.
Conclusion; Our new interpretation of Mulla Sadra's philosophy, while preserving his great efforts and merits, considers a more open approach to science and a more open educational system. Also, in paying attention to cultural-intellectual others, he can use Mirfendersky's attitude to sciences and industries and his lived experiences during his trip to India. and find its way in a correct method of comparative philosophy to re-examine this unity and plurality in the historical-cultural context and time and the concrete place of the land in our current time. Because the discussion of time and history is empty in Sadra's philosophy. In the component of place, the lack of a concrete place in the sense of community and culture is noticeable, because Islamic sages have either thought of an ideal utopia without a place, or have depicted a religious cosmopolitanism, or have followed a mystical homeland. Also in bringing together the two transcendental and worldly trends for philosophy, in addition to the hereafter happiness, worldly happiness and besides theology, consider the dimensions of the concrete life of this world. Because the prominence of the theological side, with all its importance, has gradually taken the place to pay attention to other philosophical branches and concrete matters of this-worldly life and cultural dimensions and issues from transcendent wisdom. In summing up the aforementioned components, it can be said that by rereading the transcendent wisdom in relation to the present, we should be able to recognize our existing cultural diversity and at the same time, follow the appropriate theory of their integration. This is our current project, and of course, it should be done through philosophical thinking and our local self becomes a global self, so that we can think in connection with cultural-intellectual others and participate in the intellectual discourse of the world. Of course, this participation with selfishness against the alien does not lead anywhere. In fact, these cases are among the important components in understanding and restoring the Sadrai schema and its relationship with our contemporary situation so that it becomes self-aware and relying on that original heritage, it can also think about its contemporaneity.
Biannual Journal
Philosophy
ali fathi
Abstract
Abstract:Mulla Sadra’s philosophy and his Transcendent Wisdom (Hikmat al-Muta‘aliyah) are deeply interwoven with the doctrines of the primacy of existence (asalat al-wujud), the unity of existence (wahdat al-wujud), and the gradation of existence (tashkik al-wujud). Consequently, any subject ...
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Abstract:Mulla Sadra’s philosophy and his Transcendent Wisdom (Hikmat al-Muta‘aliyah) are deeply interwoven with the doctrines of the primacy of existence (asalat al-wujud), the unity of existence (wahdat al-wujud), and the gradation of existence (tashkik al-wujud). Consequently, any subject or issue within his philosophical system must be examined with reference to these fundamental principles.The central question of this study is how Mulla Sadra’s ontological interpretation of knowledge, based on his fundamental philosophical principles, can provide a justification for knowledge in its general sense and for the correspondence theory of truth. Employing a descriptive-analytical method and drawing upon Mulla Sadra’s works and those of his commentators, this study aims to demonstrate that a precise interpretation of knowledge in Mulla Sadra’s thought, considering the novel ideas and concepts introduced in his philosophical system (Hikmat al-Muta‘aliyah), leads to a new understanding of knowledge. According to this reading, all forms of knowledge ultimately possess an existential status. Through this perspective, knowledge and cognition, within the framework of his philosophy, are justified and explained in accordance with the correspondence theory, in a manner that is in harmony with the foundational elements of his philosophical thought. IntroductionThe problem of knowledge and its justification has been one of the fundamental issues in philosophy and has been particularly emphasized in Islamic philosophy. Among the philosophical traditions, the Transcendent Wisdom (Hikmat al-Muta‘aliyah) of Mulla Sadra provides an ontological interpretation of knowledge, attempting to explain it based on the principles of the primacy of existence (asalat al-wujud) and the gradation of existence (tashkik al-wujud). In this system, knowledge is considered coextensive with existence, and thus, the attributes of existence apply to it. This study aims to investigate how Mulla Sadra’s ontological interpretation of knowledge can serve as a justification for the correspondence theory of truth. Materials & MethodsEmploying a descriptive-analytical method and through an extensive examination of Sadra’s works and those of his commentators, this research argues that, unlike classical theories, Sadra’s correspondence theory is not based on the mere conformity of mental forms with external objects but rather on the principle of the subsumption of the lower reality under the higher reality (ḥaml al-ḥaqīqah ʻala al-raqīqah). Discussion & ResultThe Nature and Types of Knowledge in Islamic PhilosophyThe issue of knowledge has been a central topic in philosophical discourse from Plato to contemporary times. In modern philosophy, figures such as Descartes, Hume, and Kant have given special attention to epistemology. In Islamic philosophy, although epistemology was not traditionally treated as an independent discipline, discussions on topics such as mental existence (wujud dhihni) have addressed fundamental epistemological concerns. Philosophers such as Al-Farabi, Avicenna (Ibn Sina), Suhrawardi, and Nasir al-Din al-Tusi explicitly distinguished between ilm huduri (immediate or presential knowledge) and ilm husuli (acquired or representational knowledge).Knowledge in Mulla Sadra’s Transcendent WisdomMulla Sadra does not consider knowledge as an independent category but rather as an ontological reality. According to his doctrine of the primacy of existence, knowledge is a mode of existence and follows the same hierarchical structure as existence itself. This perspective challenges conventional epistemological interpretations of acquired and presential knowledge, proposing that knowledge is not merely a cognitive representation but an existential phenomenon.The Primacy and Gradation of Existence and Their Implications for KnowledgeOne of the fundamental principles of Transcendent Wisdom is the asalat al-wujud, which asserts that entities derive their reality from existence rather than essence (mahiyya). Consequently, knowledge, as a form of existence, is actualized not through mental concepts but through presence and unveiling (kashf). Additionally, the principle of tashkik al-wujud (gradation of existence) states that all beings exist within a spectrum of intensity and weakness. This principle extends to knowledge, implying that cognition also possesses degrees of intensity corresponding to the ontological rank of the knower.Presential and Acquired Knowledge and Their Relation to the Correspondence TheoryIn Transcendent Wisdom, ilm huduri (presential knowledge) is understood as the direct and immediate presence of the known object to the knower. Due to the existential unity between the knower and the known, presential knowledge is infallible and does not require epistemological justification. In contrast, ilm husuli (acquired knowledge), which involves mental representations of external objects, is susceptible to error and necessitates an examination of its correspondence to external reality.Islamic philosophers have proposed two main theories to explain this correspondence:The Theory of Mimetic Shadows (Ashbah Muhaki): According to this theory, mental representations are akin to shadows of external realities, and their correspondence is based on their resemblance to real objects.The Theory of Essential Identity (Ayniyyat Mahuwiyya): This view holds that mental forms share the same essence as external objects but exist with a different ontological modality.Both theories face challenges in explaining how mental representations genuinely correspond to external objects. Mulla Sadra addresses these challenges by proposing the return of acquired knowledge to presential knowledge, arguing that even representational knowledge is ultimately rooted in existential presence and unity between the knower and the known.The Relationship Between Knowledge and the Unity of BeingA key principle in Mulla Sadra’s philosophy is the wahdat al-wujud (unity of being), which posits that all entities are manifestations of a single existential reality. This principle extends to knowledge, suggesting that cognition is fundamentally an existential connection between the soul and the reality of being. The higher the ontological rank of the knower, the deeper and more profound their knowledge.The Theory of the Contraction of Reality (Haml al-Haqiqah ‘ala al-Raqiqah) and a New Interpretation of the Correspondence TheoryIn his interpretation of the correspondence theory, Mulla Sadra utilizes the principle of haml al-haqiqa ‘ala al-raqiqah, which is derived from the gradational nature of existence. According to this principle, a reality that exists in a lower ontological level is a weaker manifestation of the same reality in a higher ontological plane. In epistemology, this means that a mental form is a lower-grade manifestation of an external object, ensuring an existential correspondence between mind and reality. This view not only provides a justification for the correspondence theory but also offers a solution to the classical epistemological problem of how the mind relates to external reality.Gradational Knowledge and the Hierarchy of CognitionLike existence, knowledge is structured in a hierarchical manner within Transcendent Wisdom. The more elevated the ontological rank of the knower, the more complete their knowledge. In this framework, knowledge progresses through a hierarchical continuum from sensory perception to imagination (khayal), intellect (‘aql), and finally, intuitive or mystical knowledge (ma‘rifa shuhudiyya). Human cognitive development is thus viewed as a gradual ascent from lower to higher forms of knowledge. Importantly, the susceptibility to error in acquired knowledge is not due to its inherent nature but rather to its lower ontological standing in the epistemic hierarchy. ConclusionMulla Sadra’s ontological interpretation of knowledge redefines it not as an abstract epistemological category but as a mode of existence. In this framework, presential knowledge is regarded as the foundational form of knowledge, while acquired knowledge is ultimately reducible to presential knowledge. The correspondence theory, rather than being treated as a mere semantic relation between propositions and reality, is reformulated within the context of haml al-haqiqa ‘ala al-raqiqah, wherein mental representations are seen as weaker existential reflections of external objects. This ontological approach to knowledge, combined with the doctrine of the unity of being, establishes a tashkik (gradation-based) system of epistemology in which knowledge and reality are intrinsically linked. Consequently, cognition is not merely a mental process but an existential unveiling of reality, occurring progressively across the different planes of being.
