A Review of Mulla Sadra’s Narrative Proofs for the Particular Unity of Existence
Murteza Rezaee[١]
ABSTRACT
One of the most important issues in philosophy is a discussion on the unity and plurality of existence. There are different views common among philosophers, ranging from the view of difference among beings to the view of the particular unity of existence. The theory of ‘unity of existence’, with its mystical origin, has an important status in Mulla Sadra’s transcendental theosophy. This theory, however, is not an axiomatic one and needs to be proved. Mulla Sadra attempts to prove this theory by putting forward some arguments and to use it in various philosophical discussions. Along with philosophical arguments, he has presented numerous transmitted evidences to show the verity of this theory. The present article is a review of the Quranic verses and traditions adduced by Mulla Sadra for unity of existence and its implications. These evidences can be classified into five categories. Naturally, we can accept the Quranic verses and traditions as evidences for this claim only if there is no flaw in inferring unity of existence from these texts.
KEYWORDS: particular unity of existence, sovereign encompassment, absolute unity, copulative existence, status and manifestation.
[١] Assistant Professor in Department of Philosophy IkI. Mrezaeeh٥٠@gmail.com
Received: ٢٠١٤/٥/٦ Accepted: ٢٠١٤/١٢/١
The Intellectual Existence of Soul and its Physical Origination in Mulla Sadra’s Thought
Muhammad Miri[١]
ABSTRACT
Mulla Sadra has nullified the theory of eternity of soul, believing in origination of soul on the one hand, and holding that soul – in previous origin, before its origination in this world – enjoyed intellectual existence. In the present study, we attempt to find the way out of this seeming disparity between the two theories in Mulla Sadra’s thought. This is because Mulla Sadra has dealt with this issue on numerous occasions, stressing that each of these two theories, in a certain meaning, can be proved for soul. In other words, soul is eternal because of its intellectual existence, and at the same time, is originated with physical origination because of its very being soul and in view of its belonging to worldly origin.
KEY WORDS: origination of soul, eternity of soul, rational existence of soul, collective existence of souls, the way the soul exists.
[١] Assistant Professor IKI. [email protected]
Received: ٢٠١٤/٦/٧ Accepted: ٢٠١٥/١/٥
Evaluating the Efficiency of Islamic Philosophy in Solving the Problems of Religious Epistemology
Mahdi Hussein-zade Yazdi[١]
Muhammad Hussein-zade Yazdi[٢]
ABSTRACT
The present article investigates the question of what the reaction of the Islamic philosophy to the problems facing the religious epistemology is. Is it passive to them? Does it justify them and withdraw or it solves the problems and presents rational and wise solutions? The authors, after their constant efforts in a few decades, have found that the Islamic philosophy, with its broaden domain, has the ability to solve the problems of philosophy of religion and religious epistemology. The collection of solutions it presents can, at least, be considered as alternate solutions – along with other solutions – by those thinkers who do not favor this disposition. After stating a list of problems and their answers based on the Islamic intellectual and philosophical tradition, the present study investigates, for example, two reasons among the most important reasons for disability of intellect and intellectual reasoning in [proving] God’s existence (i.e. the meaninglessness of the words and concepts of necessary and possible [being] and denial of predicative existence) and presents answers based on that tradition.
KEYWORDS: predicative existence, philosophical concepts, relational meanings, logical concepts, necessary, possible