Philosophy

Open Access Article

1 - The Borderline between Gnosis and its Homogeneous Sciences
Ali Shirvani

Gnosis is a familiar term which is frequently used in oral and written culture and has a wide range of meanings. This has resulted in some ambiguity in its various applications, particularly, in its recent usage including “pseudo-gnosis” and “newly developed schools of More

Gnosis is a familiar term which is frequently used in oral and written culture and has a wide range of meanings. This has resulted in some ambiguity in its various applications, particularly, in its recent usage including “pseudo-gnosis” and “newly developed schools of gnosis”, as well as in discussions such as “the relationship between religion and gnosis”, “the relationship between the intellect and gnosis”, and “the relationship between philosophy and gnosis”. This paper is intended to determine the approximate borderline between gnosis (the science of theoretical gnosis) and philosophy as well as the difference between gnosis (the science of practical gnosis) and ethics through clarifying the meaning and concept of gnosis, distinguishing between practical and theoretical types of wisdom, and explaining the differences between them and the sciences of practical and theoretical types of gnosis. Manuscript profile

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2 - The Relationship of Theory and Practice with Moral Habits and Man’s Essential Change in the Transcendent Philosophy
Esma’il S’aadati Khamseh

There is an accurate ontological relationship between theoretical and practical wisdom in the Transcendent Philosophy. Based on the principiality of existence and gradation of being, the trans-substantial motion, and the corporeal createdness and spiritual subsistence o More

There is an accurate ontological relationship between theoretical and practical wisdom in the Transcendent Philosophy. Based on the principiality of existence and gradation of being, the trans-substantial motion, and the corporeal createdness and spiritual subsistence of the soul, Mulla Sadra explains this relationship and the soulish change which results from it. The mutual influence of the thoughts, acts, intentions, and behaviors of an individual on each other in the course of the trans-substantial motion of the soul form the inner and real form of human beings. At the beginning of their creation, all individuals are from the same species; however, in their innermost and in the Hereafter, because of the domination of various habits over their souls, they turn into angelic, beastly, savage, or devilish human beings. The embodiment of Man’s otherworldly form and Ideal body are also proportionate to their soulish and moral habits. It is because in the Hereafter bodies are the shadows of souls. This is the same inner transformation or moral incarnation which has been mentioned in religious texts. Moreover, the soul’s trans-substantial motion, whether in the angelic path or in the, beastly, savage, or devilish path, is of the types of dressing after dressing. This is because the origin of inner and otherworldly wickedness is also a kind of gradedness in actuality. Therefore, it can be concluded that, based on the principles of Sadrian philosophy, Man’s inner and otherworldly transformation, is not of the type of impossible essential transformation. Manuscript profile

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3 - Contexts and Causes of Posing Inconsistent Philosophical Theories in Mulla Sadra’s Works
Saeed Anvari

In his various works, Mulla Sadra has presented different views concerning certain philosophical issues which cannot be gathered in a single philosophical system. In this paper, with reference to such issues, the writers have examined the causes of these different views More

In his various works, Mulla Sadra has presented different views concerning certain philosophical issues which cannot be gathered in a single philosophical system. In this paper, with reference to such issues, the writers have examined the causes of these different views. For a more thorough study of the related cases, they have investigated different theories including the trans-substantial motion, the mediating movement, the cause of time, the nature of knowledge, God’s knowledge of particulars, divine activity, the cause-effect relation, the criterion for the dependence of possible beings on the Necessary Being, meanings of quiddity, the quality of attribution of existence to quiddity, unity of being, immateriality, and createdness of the soul. A study of these issues indicate that the existence of different views in Mulla Sadra’s works is rooted in one of the following factors: 1) a change in his philosophical theories and ideas over time (initially, he believed in the principiality of quiddity, then in the principiality of existence and gradedness of being, and finally in the individual unity of existence); 2) observing the instructional aspect in expressing his views, 3) posing his theories based on different principles (people, graded unity of being, and individual unity of existence); 4) trying to compose a pseudo-encyclopedic series of books on philosophical discussions. Manuscript profile

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4 - The Role of the Ideal Level of the Soul in Establishing the Soul-Body Relation in Mulla Sadra’s Philosophy
Mohammad Miri

Unlike his preceding philosophers, Mulla Sadra believes that the distance between the rational soul and the corporeal body is too big to be filled merely with the steam-like soul. In addition to the steam-like soul, he considers the existence of Ideal existence as a lin More

Unlike his preceding philosophers, Mulla Sadra believes that the distance between the rational soul and the corporeal body is too big to be filled merely with the steam-like soul. In addition to the steam-like soul, he considers the existence of Ideal existence as a link between the rational and corporeal levels to be necessary. Mulla Sadra’s graded view of human existence led him, firstly, to introduce Man as having three supreme (rational), low (material), and mid (Ideal) levels. Secondly, he maintained that Man’s Ideal and imaginal level is the link connecting the two higher and lower levels. In order to explain the place of Ideal level in human existence, he resorts to the principle of the “conformity between the macrocosm and microcosm” and considers the two rational and Ideal levels in the human microcosm to be similar to the Heaven and Throne in the macrocosm. As acknowledged by Mulla Sadra himself, he is greatly influenced by gnostics regarding the discussion of Man’s Ideal level. Manuscript profile

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5 - The Transcendent Philosophy and a Fortiori Logic
Mahmud Zeraatpishe

On which logic is the Transcendent Philosophy based? In response to this important question, this paper refers to a fortiori logic. This logic not only reveals the effect of the graded levels of existence on the structure of propositions and judgments but also explains More

On which logic is the Transcendent Philosophy based? In response to this important question, this paper refers to a fortiori logic. This logic not only reveals the effect of the graded levels of existence on the structure of propositions and judgments but also explains the propositions inferred from the comparison of existential and non-existential affairs. The important point here is that a fortiori logic can be traced in many of the Qur’anic verses. This paper presupposes that the historical development of Islamic philosophy, from the Peripatetic philosophy to the Transcendent Philosophy with the intention to justify religious statements, indicates the similarity between the logic inherent in its structure with the logic derived from religious texts. The truth of this assumption marks the obvious effect of Islam on the Transcendent Philosophy, through which we can properly justify the use of the attribute of “Islamic” for this philosophy. Manuscript profile

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6 - Abscess and Butterfly or Bird and Cage? A Comparative Assessment of the Ideas of Ibn Sina and Mulla Sadra on the Body-Soul Relation
Abdolrazzaq Hesamifar

’s philosophies and the way its relationship with the body is explained and justified. It also asks the following questions: Do these two philosophers have the same view of the nature of the soul and its relationship with the body or do they hold different views? Whose More

’s philosophies and the way its relationship with the body is explained and justified. It also asks the following questions: Do these two philosophers have the same view of the nature of the soul and its relationship with the body or do they hold different views? Whose view is more compatible with the Islamic-Qur’anic style of thinking? Here, the writers argue that, while Ibn Sina has adduced some strong arguments in order to justify the immateriality and spiritual subsistence of the soul, a great part of them, if not all of them, are influenced by the Platonic-Neo-Platonic approach to the nature of the soul and the soul-body relation. They also emphasize that, although Ibn Sina has offered some subtle ideas and innovations in this regard, the general framework and structure of his discussion is what we have seen in the Platonic-Neo-Platonic tradition. On the other hand, although Mulla Sadra pays particular attention to Ibn Sina’s arguments regarding the immateriality and subsistence of the soul and provides a new interpretation of the issue, through relying on the theories of the trans-substantial motion, the corporeal origination of the soul, and its spiritual subsistence, he provides an approach that can only arise from the magnificent tree of the Transcendent Philosophy. This approach is consistent not only with the rational transcendent view, but also with the Qur’anic-Islamic view concerning the nature of the soul and its relationship with the body. Ibn Sina and Mulla Sadra’s view of the soul-body relation can be assimilated to the relationship between the “bird and cage” and the “abscess and butterfly”. In other words, in Mulla Sadra’s eyes, at the moment of origination, the soul is at the final stage of the development of material forms and the first stage of perceptive forms. Moreover, its being at this final moment is considered to be its last corporeal crust and the first spiritual core. Manuscript profile

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7 - Negative Theology in Qadi Said Qummi
Ensha’allah Rahmati

A study of the roots and history of negative theology in the world of Islam traces the background of this discussion back to Isma‘ilite philosophy. Hence, it is necessary to cast a glance at the views of Isma‘ilite philosophers in this regard. Among the twelve Shi‘ite p More

A study of the roots and history of negative theology in the world of Islam traces the background of this discussion back to Isma‘ilite philosophy. Hence, it is necessary to cast a glance at the views of Isma‘ilite philosophers in this regard. Among the twelve Shi‘ite philosophers, Qadi Said Qummi and his master, Mulla Rajabali Tabrizi, can be considered as the theoreticians of this school of theology. Their approach, in a sense, signifies a revived form of neo-Platonic school, particularly, the one represented by Proclus. Qadi Said Qummi believes in negative theology; however, he cannot be viewed as an advocate of agnosticism. Here, the writer explains his arguments on demonstrating negative theology and, at the same time, illustrates how, based on a theory which can be called an epiphany-oriented theology, he finds a way to exit the dead-end of agnosticism. Manuscript profile

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8 - Different Sides of Training in Sadrian Geometry with an Emphasis on its Stages, Goals, Principles, and Methods
Mohammad Reza Shamshiri

Sadrian philosophy presents a new approach to human beings and their ontological dimensions, which can be used as a foundation for developing educational theories based on an Islamic point of view. Hence, while explaining Mulla Sadra’s view of moral training along with More

Sadrian philosophy presents a new approach to human beings and their ontological dimensions, which can be used as a foundation for developing educational theories based on an Islamic point of view. Hence, while explaining Mulla Sadra’s view of moral training along with a short illustration of the related categories and using an analytic-deductive method, this study aims to draw on his theories regarding the soul as the basis for education and training in order to examine his educational denotations and conclusions with an emphasis on educational stages, objectives, principles and methods. Here, it is necessary to pay attention to the ultimate goal of moral training, that is, unveiling the truth and the related intermediate goals, including training human beings at the vegetative soul, animal soul, and human soul stages. To attain the purpose of this study, it is also of prime importance to explore the necessary interrelations between the philosophical principles of the Transcendent Philosophy and educational principles and also examine the different methods of moral training including the development of sensation, imagination, and rational faculties. Manuscript profile

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9 - Religion and Politics in Sadrian Philosophy
Mehdi Najafiafra Rohalah Modami

Religion and politics and the relationship between them are among the important problems in Mulla Sadra’s philosophy. In fact, the issue of politics, which is one of the noteworthy realms of human life, never escaped his attention. Mulla Sadra always emphasized Man’s so More

Religion and politics and the relationship between them are among the important problems in Mulla Sadra’s philosophy. In fact, the issue of politics, which is one of the noteworthy realms of human life, never escaped his attention. Mulla Sadra always emphasized Man’s social nature in his works and did not consider individual life to be enough even if it were intertwined with religion. In his view, the development of Man is possible only through living a social life. He also maintained that a society which is geared to provide the context for the growth and development of its members should be governed based on Islamic laws. Politics is different from religion in terms of origin, end, act, and passivity; however, it is completely melted in religion, which is the innermost and truth of politics. Mulla Sadra considered the relationship between religion and politics to be the same as the one between the intelligible and the sensible or between the inward and outward aspects. He argues that as the knowledge of physics is incomplete without the knowledge of metaphysics, using politics without resorting to religion will result in Man’s plunge into forms and ignorance of transcendent truths. This will cause some irreparable damages to human life. A correct clarification of Mulla Sadra’s philosophy is the best barrier against secularism, which emphasizes the separation of religion from politics. Manuscript profile

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10 - An Explanation of the Ontological Principles, Genetic Place, and Effects of Mohammedan Truth in the Transcendent Philosophy
Mahdi Ganjvar Naser Momeni

The emanation of the First Intellect as the first thing which was created without an intermediary by Almighty Truth is one of the important problems in Islamic philosophy. The First Intellect or the First Emanated in the Transcendent Philosophy is the essence and transc More

The emanation of the First Intellect as the first thing which was created without an intermediary by Almighty Truth is one of the important problems in Islamic philosophy. The First Intellect or the First Emanated in the Transcendent Philosophy is the essence and transcendent spirit of the Holy Prophet (s) or the same “Mohammedan truth”, which is confirmed based on transmitted proofs and rational principles. Following a descriptive-analytic method, this paper explains the ontological bases of this theory in the Transcendent Philosophy while clarifying its meaning and referents in Islamic philosophy and gnosis. Some of the philosophical fundamental principles upon which the understanding and explanation of Mohammedan truth depends include the principiality of existence, the principle of the One, the principle of the noblest possibility, simplicity of existence or the principle of simple truth, and the principle of the simplicity and diffusion of existence. In the final section of this paper, based on Mulla Sadra’s works, the writers have dealt with the genetic place of Mohammedan truth in the system of being and elaborated on some of the most important effects and ontological blessings of this transcendent truth, such as mediation in divine blessing and mercy, maintaining the basis and order of the world, providing guidance towards the right path and attainment of happiness, and gaining proximity to God and benefitting from His intercession. Manuscript profile

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11 - A Study of Qunawi’s Philosophical Gnosis
Gholamreza Hosseinpour

Sadr al-Din Qunawi’s Miftah al-ghayb, as the first book on theoretical gnosis, provided the basis for theoretical or philosophical gnosis. This is because Ibn Arabi, who is known as the father of Islamic theoretical gnosis, did not have enough time for doing so, thus it More

Sadr al-Din Qunawi’s Miftah al-ghayb, as the first book on theoretical gnosis, provided the basis for theoretical or philosophical gnosis. This is because Ibn Arabi, who is known as the father of Islamic theoretical gnosis, did not have enough time for doing so, thus it was Qunawi who accomplished this task. Alongside the Peripatetic and Illuminationist schools of philosophy, Qunawi founded a school that can be called philosophical gnosis. In spite of his pessimistic view of theoretical intellect, Qunawi acknowledged that unveiling and gnostic taste agree with the theoretical intellect at all stages because they find no contradiction in the proofs of this kind of intellect. Nevertheless, he believes that the perception of such proofs is beyond the capabilities of human imagination. Qunawi tried to reconcile gnostics’ principles of unveiling and philosophical theories. In developing many of his views, he benefitted from Ibn Sina’s al-Isharat and, particularly, Khwajah Nasir al-Din Tusi’s commentary on this book. As a result, one can equate the philosophical language used by Qunawi with that used in the Peripatetic philosophy, particularly with the language employed in Ibn Sina’s al-Isharat, which plays a significant role in granting a philosophical nature to Qunawi’s gnosis. Manuscript profile

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12 - Impact of Qur’anic Teachings on Suhrawardi’s Illuminationist Philosophy
Qasim Pourhassan Seyyed Mostafa Babaei

Obviously, all Islamic philosophers, affiliated with any of the three well-known philosophical schools, have been greatly influenced by Qur’anic teachings in the development of their philosophical thoughts. However, among them, Suhrawardi was the first Islamic philosoph More

Obviously, all Islamic philosophers, affiliated with any of the three well-known philosophical schools, have been greatly influenced by Qur’anic teachings in the development of their philosophical thoughts. However, among them, Suhrawardi was the first Islamic philosopher who benefitted extensively from the Holy Qur’an in the development of his Illuminationist philosophy. His use of this heavenly Book is different from that of others both quantitatively and qualitatively (in terms of interpretation). He based many of his ideas, arguments, and judgments on the teachings of the Qur’an. Here, the authors have tried to briefly explain the impact of Qur’anic teachings on Suhrawardi’s Illuminationist philosophy with regard to the four categories of luminous wisdom, light of all lights, intellects, and the soul. This is because a detailed discussion of this topic demands sufficient time and extensive knowledge. Manuscript profile

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13 - An Epistemological-Ontological Approach to the Voluntary Growth and Training of “Personality” Based on Mulla Sadra’s Philosophy
Tooba La’l Sahebi Mohammad Kazem Elmi Soola

“I” or “self” is intertwined with self-consciousness in Sadrian philosophy. The emergence of “I” begins with developing an awareness of the self and then develops, grows, and attains different levels based on the same awareness. In this paper, the writers aim to explore More

“I” or “self” is intertwined with self-consciousness in Sadrian philosophy. The emergence of “I” begins with developing an awareness of the self and then develops, grows, and attains different levels based on the same awareness. In this paper, the writers aim to explore the growth of “I” or “personality” based on Mulla Sadra’s philosophical principles. In its technical sense, “personality”, which is created in the light of training and other influential factors, is formed in the domain of the transcendent and grown “I”. This is because “I”, from the very beginning, is an individual and a particular ontological identity. However, personality, which mainly represents an individual’s voluntary attributes and features, appears at specific stages of a person’s process of development and correct intellectual education. Following a specific analytic method, the present paper examines the process of appropriate growth, which mainly takes place after puberty. Manuscript profile

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14 - A Study of the Logic of Mulla Sadra’s Four-Fold Journeys and their Implications for a New and Comprehensive Pattern for Explaining the Stages of Intellectual Thought
ابراهیم خانی Majid Sadeghi Hasan abadi Mehdi Emam Jome

The four-fold gnostic journeys provide a well-known model for explaining the stages of tawhidi (monotheistic) wayfaring. However, a study of the logic of such journeys and an investigation of the reasons for dividing mystic wayfaring into these four-fold stages reveals More

The four-fold gnostic journeys provide a well-known model for explaining the stages of tawhidi (monotheistic) wayfaring. However, a study of the logic of such journeys and an investigation of the reasons for dividing mystic wayfaring into these four-fold stages reveals that this model enjoys a desirable capacity for clarifying the stages of thinking in theoretical wayfaring. In this paper, in order to provide an extensive explanation of the model of four-fold journeys for thought, the writers initially explore their logic through referring to the background of the four-fold gnostic journeys. After clarifying the essence of these journeys, they demonstrate that the stages of desirable thinking in the process of solving any scientific problem could consist of the same stages as the four gnostic journeys. Following a detailed explanation of this similarity, the four journeys of thought in Sadrian philosophy and in relation to the problem of anthropology are briefly explored. Finally, the writers examine some of the general principles of the model of the four-fold journeys in the realm of thinking and elaborate on the educational advantages of using this particular model. Manuscript profile

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15 - “Oughts” and “Ought-nots” of Islamic Philosophy in the View of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Mohammad Rahmani Gooraji Fatemeh Masjedi

This study was conducted to explore the thoughts of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding Islamic philosophy and the required concomitants for its expansion and development based on his speeches. The researchers’ main purpose here was to develop a More

This study was conducted to explore the thoughts of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding Islamic philosophy and the required concomitants for its expansion and development based on his speeches. The researchers’ main purpose here was to develop and present a desirable model for the development of Islamic philosophy based on the grounded theory. In doing so, they studied the speeches, sermons, messages, decrees, orders and interviews of Imam Khamenei between 1981-2008 and, through employing three open, axial, and selective types of coding in the grounded theory methodology, they found 111 codes/concepts, 24 categories, and four dimensions. In the conclusion section, while presenting a paradigmatic model dominating the categories, they provide some responses to the research questions based on the research findings. Manuscript profile

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16 - A Critical Analysis of Abdulrazzaq Lahiji’s View of the World of Suspended Ideas
Zakaria Baharnezhad

Believing or not believing in the world of suspended Ideas is one of the philosophical problems which affects philosophers’ approaches and methods in conducting their studies. Hence, it is necessary to examine this problem more profoundly following a new approach and be More

Believing or not believing in the world of suspended Ideas is one of the philosophical problems which affects philosophers’ approaches and methods in conducting their studies. Hence, it is necessary to examine this problem more profoundly following a new approach and benefitting from original and authentic sources. In the same vein, the present paper is intended to, firstly, present a clear picture of the “world of suspended Ideas” and its difference from “Platonic Ideas” in Suhrawardi’s view. Next, the author explains Hakim Abdulrazzaq Lahiji’s view of Suhrawardi’s world of suspended Ideas and presents his critique in this regard. Finally, he tries to respond to Lahiji’s criticisms. The author does not believe that he has covered all the details with respect to the theme of this paper; however, he can claim that no reliable research or critical study has ever been conducted on Hakim Lahiji’s view of the theory of suspended Ideas. Mulla Hadi Sabziwari, the theologian philosopher, provided some responses to Lahiji’s criticisms in his book of Asrar al-hikam; nevertheless, his responses are not conclusive, and they are very difficult to understand. It is hoped that this study opens the way for a new series of research activities in this regard. The author also hopes that future studies on the world of suspended Ideas will not suffer from the potential deficits of this study. Manuscript profile

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17 - Ontological Analysis of the Problem of Weakness of Will in Transcendent Philosophy
Akbar pour Marzieh Hassan Moradi mahmoud saidi

This paper focuses on the weakness of will or the distance between theory and practice. Thus it tries to explore the quality of the ontological analysis of this problem based on the theory of the graded unity of being. In a quiddative analysis, the principles of willful More

This paper focuses on the weakness of will or the distance between theory and practice. Thus it tries to explore the quality of the ontological analysis of this problem based on the theory of the graded unity of being. In a quiddative analysis, the principles of willful act enjoy causal and temporal sequence; however, in an ontological analysis, they are the levels of the single truth of being. Accordingly, knowledge and act are the different aspects of a single truth which, upon being originated in essence, is called knowledge at one stage and will or desire at another stage. As a result, knowledge and voluntary act are two ends of the same continuum which has a single root in human essence; a root of the type of love and bliss. In a quiddative approach, weakness of will is rooted in the weakness of the components of the causal chain preceding it, such as the concept of act and affirmation of its advantages. Nevertheless, in an ontological approach, the weakness of voluntary act is directly related to Man’s ontological weakness and the weakness of the knowledge which is commensurate with it. The ontological view differs from the quiddative view in that it does not consider voluntary act to be at the end of a chain of basic principles in separation from knowledge. Rather, it views act as one of the manifestations of an ontological truth which is commensurate with knowledge. Manuscript profile

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18 - Ontological Place of the Guardian and Imam in the Transcendent Philosophy of Hakim Zunuzi
Abdolreza Safari

Through a study of the concept of the Guardian and Imam in the view of Hakim Zunuzi, the present paper is intended to demonstrate that it is possible to prove the necessity mode of the existence of the intellect based on some of the principles of the theoretical school More

Through a study of the concept of the Guardian and Imam in the view of Hakim Zunuzi, the present paper is intended to demonstrate that it is possible to prove the necessity mode of the existence of the intellect based on some of the principles of the theoretical school of Transcendent Philosophy, including the principles of the One, inferior possibility and, particularly, nobler possibility. Since the “guardian” enjoys the highest level of actual intellect and the faculty of stimulation, he can be matched with the level of the First Intellect as the second truth and the most perfect and closest of the substances of the realm of dominion to Almighty Truth. This level is, thus, true for the “guardian”. Moreover, unlike separate intellects, the kind of intellect which is known as “correspondent intellect” and “archetype” in the transcendent Illuminationist philosophy and as a supreme example of mustakfi existent attends to the training and administration of its inferiors because it enjoys an aspect of the divinity of Almighty Truth. An example of this kind of intellect can be observed in the human administrative lights and supreme souls, such as favorites of God and theologian philosophers. Through a study of the features and examples of this kind of intellect, the author concludes that, based on the philosophical analysis of some traditions, one can prepare the context for the matching of such features to favorites of God and, in Zunuzi’s words, introduce the white pillar of the divine Celestial Throne and universal intellect as the representative of this level. Finally, given the belief that the intellect is the noblest and the most favorite of all divine substances and the closest of them to God, it can be considered to be the spirit. Therefore, the guardian is the spirit and the rational soul who is open to the orders, rewards, and punishments of Almighty Truth. Manuscript profile

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19 - Transcendent Philosophy in Mulla Sadra
Mohammad Sadeq Alipoor

Perhaps few philosophical schools have been judged so differently or opposed as much as the Transcendent Philosophy in the course of history. The vast domain and influence of this school, as well as its strength and all-inclusiveness, have persuaded several thinkers wit More

Perhaps few philosophical schools have been judged so differently or opposed as much as the Transcendent Philosophy in the course of history. The vast domain and influence of this school, as well as its strength and all-inclusiveness, have persuaded several thinkers with different philosophical, gnostic, kalami, and even Qur’anic tendencies to take it into consideration, to describe it from their own point of view, and, consciously or unconsciously, interpret it to their own advantage. Such differences have resulted in the creation of some ambiguity with regard to the truth and nature of the Transcendent Philosophy. For example, the meaning and truth of the word “philosophy” (in Mulla Sadra’s view), which has been given the adjective of “transcendent” is one of such ambiguous cases. In the present paper, in order to clarify this ambiguity, the author has tried to describe Mulla Sadra’s philosophy by referring to his own words. In doing so, after determining the nature of wisdom and philosophy and conducting a comparative study of the common meaning of philosophy and the Transcendent Philosophy and specifying their similarities and differences, it is demonstrated that his philosophy is a particular philosophy with a prophetic and religious origin. It is indeed a divine blessing which is only bestowed upon His special servants; a kind of philosophy which safely brings gnosis and reasoning to the shore of harmony and cooperation in the light of the Qur’an. Manuscript profile

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20 - The Fall: A Ladder to the Infinity of Ascent (The Fall in the Transcendent Philosophy)
Raziyeh Niki Saeid Rahimian Abdolali Shokr

There are a variety of interpretations and esoteric commentaries written to commend and condemn Adam’s fall. However, it is necessary to discuss and investigate which interpretation is more compatible with his station of prophethood and vicegerency and is more accurate More

There are a variety of interpretations and esoteric commentaries written to commend and condemn Adam’s fall. However, it is necessary to discuss and investigate which interpretation is more compatible with his station of prophethood and vicegerency and is more accurate and well-founded. In this paper, the writers argue that, among the several existing interpretations, those which support and commend his fall are more defensible than those criticizing it. Moreover, they try to provide an answer to the question of whether one can consider a necessity aspect for the fall. In the view of the people of knowledge, particularly Mullā Ṣadrā, several gifts and blessings were realized due to Adam’s fall, including the emergence of multiple hidden borderlines in the natural world; land development; population increase; Man’s perfection in the light of love, gnosis, and act until attaining the unique station of divine vicegerency, and, particularly, the end of the world of being; the rise of the perfect Muhammedan man, the end of all prophets and the People of his House, in the form of human beings; etc. Therefore, Adam’s fall was not only a praiseworthy phenomenon but also a necessary act which must have been necessarily realized relying on God’s pre-eternal and creative will so that it could serve human beings as a ladder to take them from the nadir of descent to the infinity of ascent. Manuscript profile

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21 - Health and Sickness in the Transcendent Philosophy
Mohammad Ahmadizadeh Azam Ghasemi Hamed Arezaee

The nature of health and sickness and their relationship with each other is the first and most necessary theoretical issue in medical philosophy, upon which all other discussions in this field depend, and which has provoked several theoretical and practical controversie More

The nature of health and sickness and their relationship with each other is the first and most necessary theoretical issue in medical philosophy, upon which all other discussions in this field depend, and which has provoked several theoretical and practical controversies. Similar to some Islamic philosophers, Mullā Ṣadrā has also dealt with this problem. In his discussions, he explains Ibn Sīnā’s standpoint in this regard and defends him against his critics, the most prominent of whom is Fakhr al-Din Razi. In doing so, Mullā Ṣadrā follows the common wisdom of his own time and defines health as a state or condition of the soul through which mental acts are properly issued from their own specific sources and emphasizes the psychological nature of both health and sickness. Being more straightforward than Ibn Sīnā, Mullā Ṣadrā corresponds the relationship between health and sickness to that between habit and non-habit. However, he does not clearly refer to his position as to what comes between health and sickness. A study of Mullā Ṣadrā’s works indicates that, apart from his direct references to the nature of health and sickness, one can define health as “a mode of the existence of the soul which enables it to perform its acts properly at the level of physical and elemental body” based on the principles of the Transcendent Philosophy. In the same vein, through emphasizing the ontological nature of health and non-being nature of sickness and, accordingly, their being graded, one can refute the existence of any boundary or intermediary between them and, as a result, portray a distinct picture of health and sickness. Manuscript profile

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22 - Problem of Gender in Mullā Ṣadrā’s Epistemological Approach
Mahnaz Mozafari far Alireza Hassanpour Maijd Ziaei Ghahnavieh

The problem of gender has not been explicitly discussed in Islamic philosophy, in general, and in Transcendent Philosophy, in particular. However, through examining the principles of Islamic Philosophy and the work of philosophers, one can learn about their views and di More

The problem of gender has not been explicitly discussed in Islamic philosophy, in general, and in Transcendent Philosophy, in particular. However, through examining the principles of Islamic Philosophy and the work of philosophers, one can learn about their views and different interpretations of this problem. This paper is intended to reveal the relationship between the intellect and gender based on Sadrian philosophy and explain whether men and women share the same or different levels of intellectual perception. According to Mullā Ṣadrā, the most fundamental characteristic of human beings is rationality, particularly theoretical intellect, and men and women are the same in terms of their faculty of intellection. In other words, there is essentially and naturally no difference between them regarding their intellect. Mullā Ṣadrā stipulates that reaching the level of intellection – putting the intellect into practice – is an acquisitional affair, and the difference observed between men and women and even among men or women themselves in the process of knowledge acquisition is accidental and the outcome of contextual factors. Mullā Ṣadrā has demonstrated this problem in the classification of the intellect and the stages of intellection – from intellectus materialis (material intelligence) to intellectus acquisitus (acquired reason). Manuscript profile

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23 - From Wisdom to Functionalism: A New Analysis of the Nature of Mullā Ṣadrā’s Philosophical Paradigm
Hassan Rahbar Hamid Eskandari

The nature of Mullā Ṣadrā’s philosophical paradigm as a comprehensive system of philosophy has always been investigated by researchers in related fields. So far, eight views have been proposed in this regard; some of them consider Mullā Ṣadrā’s school to be a philosophi More

The nature of Mullā Ṣadrā’s philosophical paradigm as a comprehensive system of philosophy has always been investigated by researchers in related fields. So far, eight views have been proposed in this regard; some of them consider Mullā Ṣadrā’s school to be a philosophical one; some others view it as a gnostic one, while others attribute a kalāmī nature to it. Nevertheless, his words and writings contradict these views. He mainly prefers to call his system of thoughts “wisdom”, which means the knowledge of God and His attributes and acts based on a mixed kalāmī-gnostic method. However, the writer believes that wisdom has no independent identity distinguishing it from philosophy, kalām, and gnosis and cannot be deemed as an independent school. Accordingly, in order to provide an accurate explanation of his system of thoughts, in addition to internal and content-based analyses, one should observe the external features of the world Mullā Ṣadrā lived in. Hence, from an external perspective, it apparently follows “consensus-creating functionalism”; that is, his school seeks to create functional unity among the three systems of thought. From an external perspective, it follows an anthropological life-course approach; in other words, one should consider the various philosophical, social, and political conditions of his time in explaining the discussions, problems, and methods embedded in his system of thinking. Accordingly, the writer believes that three points should be considered in adopting an optimal approach to examining the Sadrian system of thought: the distinction between the truths about the intellect and the truths about faith, omission of what is inconsistent with philosophical method, and distinguishing the borderlines of intellect from those of narration and gnosis. In this paper, while presenting Mullā Ṣadrā’s view of his own school, it has been tried to clarify Sadrian thoughts based on their internal content and external conditions in order to provide a new analysis of his thought system. Manuscript profile

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24 - An Analytic Study of the Arguments for the Necessity of Corporeal Dimension of Man in Mullā Ṣadrā
Hadi Jafary Ali Arshad Riahi

Philosophical anthropology is one of the important and interesting categories which has attracted the attention of philosophers since the beginning of the history of philosophy. As one of the distinguished philosophers of the world of Islam, Mullā Ṣadrā has paid particu More

Philosophical anthropology is one of the important and interesting categories which has attracted the attention of philosophers since the beginning of the history of philosophy. As one of the distinguished philosophers of the world of Islam, Mullā Ṣadrā has paid particular attention to Man and the related problems. One of the important issues in the realm of anthropology is Man’s corporeal dimension and the relevant issues. This paper deals with the necessity of the corporeal dimension of human beings in the view of Mullā Ṣadrā. The authors conclude that this necessity can be demonstrated in the light of some of the philosophical principles of Mullā Ṣadrā such as commensurability, gradation of existence, corporeal origination and spiritual subsistence of the soul, possibility of the lower, Man’s potency for receiving trust, as well as the principle of opposition and some others. They also argue that in Mullā Ṣadrā’s view, the corporeal dimension is in fact necessary for developing a human identity and promoting and perfecting human existence. Manuscript profile

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25 - Essentialism in the Transcendent Philosophy: Principles and Concomitants
Mohammad Nejati Mostafa Momeni Faroogh Touli

Essentialism indicates the independence of external objects from human interests and perceptions. In Islamic philosophy, based on an affirmative approach, objects are generally considered to be a collection of essential and accidental attributes which are independent fr More

Essentialism indicates the independence of external objects from human interests and perceptions. In Islamic philosophy, based on an affirmative approach, objects are generally considered to be a collection of essential and accidental attributes which are independent from human thought. This problem has two major dimensions in Mullā Ṣadrā’s philosophy. In his own general approach, based on the common tradition of philosophers, particularly Ibn Sīnā, Mullā Ṣadrā also maintains that external objects are independent from human perception and consist of a series of essential and accidental attributes. Following a specific approach, Mullā Ṣadrā limits the essence of external objects to the single and unique truth of existence while emphasizing the ontological independence of external objects and based on the ontological and epistemological principles of his own philosophy. Moreover, through negating any kind of external origin for essential and accidental components as well as all quiddative consequents, he believes that existents’ possible synthesis of matter and form or genus and differentia is related to the world of the mind and subcategorized under the soul’s power of creativity. Manuscript profile

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26 - What is Metaphysics?
Reza Dawari Ardakani

Aristotle’s Metaphysics is perhaps the most fundamental work in the field of philosophy. The importance of this book is to the extent that it is now about 2000 years that its name is used to refer to first philosophy (philosophia prima) and theology. It is at least 1500 More

Aristotle’s Metaphysics is perhaps the most fundamental work in the field of philosophy. The importance of this book is to the extent that it is now about 2000 years that its name is used to refer to first philosophy (philosophia prima) and theology. It is at least 1500 years that metaphysics is viewed as a science that discusses the basic principles, first causes, and subjects in particular sciences. Metaphysics, which was initially called first philosophy and universal science, consisted of two parts, one speaking of absolute existence and its essential accidents and the other discussing theology. Accordingly, the philosophers of the Islamic world called first philosophy or universal science theology and divided it into two parts: general affairs or theology in the general sense of the word, which discusses existence and its principles, causes, and accidents, and particular theology or theology in the particular sense of the word, which deals with problems related to oneness and attributes, names, and acts of the Almighty Necessary. Islamic philosophers were unanimous at least regarding the basic principles and many essential problems. However, in modern Western philosophy, metaphysical problems have developed a new form and, thus, different fields of philosophy have come into existence. The philosophers of the modern era, from the time of Descartes until now, have provided a definition for metaphysics which is apparently different from Aristotle’s. Instead of defining and describing this science, they have defined their own philosophy. The present paper aims to clarify the nature of metaphysics through a historical analysis of the subject of this scientific discipline. Manuscript profile

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27 - Efficient Causality in the View of Islamic Mutikallimun and Philosophers
Seyyed Sadra al-Din Taheri

Causality is at the center of several natural relationships which are studied in empirical sciences. Presently, it is the basis of the discovery of scientific laws. Moreover, the applications of different laws in various sciences, including all the laws related to indiv More

Causality is at the center of several natural relationships which are studied in empirical sciences. Presently, it is the basis of the discovery of scientific laws. Moreover, the applications of different laws in various sciences, including all the laws related to individuals, societies, and other natural realms, in relation to fauna, flora, and minerals or inanimate things, have causality at their center. Here, the author has tried to examine the validity of the principle of causality from the viewpoints of two Islamic schools (Mu‘tazilah and Ash‘ariyyah) and two schools of Islamic philosophy (Peripatetic and Transcendent – from Ibn Sīnā to ‘Allāmah Ṭabāṭabā’ī). This paper consist consists of an Introduction, three detailed reports, a summary of findings, and a conclusion. Manuscript profile

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28 - Anthropological Bases of Sadrian Philosophy for the Interaction of Religious Sciences and Psychology
Mohammad Sadeq Fazeli Askar Dirbaz

20.1001.1.15600874.1400.26.4.5.4

The interactions between religious and modern sciences is presently one of the concerns of Islamic societies. This study investigates the anthropological principles of Sadrian philosophy based on which religious sciences and psychology can interact and exchange knowledg More

The interactions between religious and modern sciences is presently one of the concerns of Islamic societies. This study investigates the anthropological principles of Sadrian philosophy based on which religious sciences and psychology can interact and exchange knowledge with each other. In other words, it aims to demonstrate the interactions between religious sciences and modern psychology in the context of philosophical anthropology as one of the scientific foundations of these two disciplines. Following the library and content analysis methods, the researchers conclude that Sadrian philosophy, because of its anthropological principles in the two general realms of “cognitive science” and “cognitive concept”, provides an appropriate context for the exchange of data between religious sciences and psychology. Philosophical anthropology provides the necessary context for the mutual relationship between these sciences in “cognitive science” through the correct explanation of the purposes, methods, instruments, sources, structures, and criteria of religious sciences and psychology. In the context of conceptology, Sadrian philosophy has created an appropriate interactive context for the exchange of conceptual science between these disciplines through the explanation of quiddity and employment of such concepts as motivation, love, and meaning of life from an anthropological viewpoint. Manuscript profile

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29 - A Philosophical Reading of the Social Dimension of Perfect Man in Nahj al-Balāghah Based on Transcendent Philosophy
sayyed mohammad ali mirdamadi , sayyed mahdi emami jomae Majid Sadeghi Hasan abadi

20.1001.1.15600874.1400.26.4.8.7

This paper aims to provide a general picture of the social dimension of perfect Man based on the statements in Nahj al-Balāghah and their philosophical analysis relying on the principles of the Transcendent Philosophy. This social dimension includes the characteristics More

This paper aims to provide a general picture of the social dimension of perfect Man based on the statements in Nahj al-Balāghah and their philosophical analysis relying on the principles of the Transcendent Philosophy. This social dimension includes the characteristics of a perfect Man in interaction with other human beings within his social and this-worldly structure. The knowledge of perfect Man in this area reveals his civilizational role in the human society and in the actualization the Transcendent society. This study was carried out following a descriptive-analytic method. According to the teachings of Nahj al-Balāghah and the principles of the Transcendent Philosophy, beginning a philosophical revolution in society and leading it in the right direction are accomplished through intrinsic awakening and flourishing of human beings and revealing their intellectual treasures. Such treasures provide the basis for the social activities of perfect Man which, along with his other ontological perfections and because of people’s obeying him, result in the social, cultural, political, and economic development and prosperity and the establishment of transcendent society. Hence, the centrality and leadership of perfect Man and people’s obedience for him are the foundations and most important pillars of the realization of the idea of transcendent society. Manuscript profile

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30 - The Use of Intellect and Reasoning in Demonstrating Divine Attributes in Mullā Ṣadrā’s View
Mozhgan Fatahi Ali Arshad Riahi

20.1001.1.15600874.1400.27.2.3.1

Mullā Ṣadrā states in his works that the employment of the intellect and intellectual reasoning is efficient in the independent demonstration and understanding of divine attributes. By explaining Mullā Ṣadrā’s method of using the intellect, it becomes clear that he has More

Mullā Ṣadrā states in his works that the employment of the intellect and intellectual reasoning is efficient in the independent demonstration and understanding of divine attributes. By explaining Mullā Ṣadrā’s method of using the intellect, it becomes clear that he has formulated his discussion based on proof and has presented some extensive and cohesive discussions about divine attributes so that the most important of which have been clearly explained and demonstrated. Based on the present study, the most important philosophical arguments and principles which Mullā Ṣadrā has explained and demonstrated in this field include ontological proof, principle of “Truth in its simplicity contains everything”, principle of “The giver of something cannot lack it”, and principle of “The Necessary Being is necessary by essence from all aspects, and providence. Mullā Ṣadrā’s extensive discussions on divine attributes, which are based on rational arguments, indicate his belief in the truth of the intellect’s independent function in this field, on the one hand, and confirm its capability in the field of epistemology of divine attributes in an independent form, on the other hand. The result of this study is the development of an approach based on distinguishing the two independent and instrumental functions of the intellect, which has not been considered in other studies previously. Not distinguishing between these two functions has resulted in attributing an irrational and unverifiable or even eclectic nature to the methodology of the Transcendent Philosophy. As a case study on divine attributes, the present study explains the rational, verifiable, and philosophical dimensions to the Sadrian Transcendent Philosophy. Manuscript profile

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31 - Listener (Locus of Manifestation) and Source (Emanator) Intellects in Jawadi Amuli (with an Emphasis on Misbah Yazdi’s Views)
Rohollah Adineh Roghayeh Mosavi

20.1001.1.15600874.1400.27.1.4.0

The discussion of intellectual perception and the quality of intellection holds an important place in epistemology. Islamic philosophers have followed various approaches to explaining the mechanism of intellection. Mullā Ṣadrā has also used different expressions for cla More

The discussion of intellectual perception and the quality of intellection holds an important place in epistemology. Islamic philosophers have followed various approaches to explaining the mechanism of intellection. Mullā Ṣadrā has also used different expressions for clarifying the process of general perception. He views the intellect sometimes as a locus of manifestation or epiphany (listener) and sometimes as an emanator (source) of intellectual forms. Accordingly, each of the researchers and commentators of Sadrian philosophy has tried to justify the differences between the words he has used in some way. As a neo-Sadrian philosopher, Jawadi Amuli posits some discussions in his works that can introduce a new view of the process of rational perception. Following a descriptive-analytic method, the present study demonstrates that, Jawadi Amuli has directly referred to two types of rational perception and the necessity to separate them from each other. In one of them, the intellect is a listener, and the general perception is the result of conscious rational intuition and passivity of the soul. Here, perception is limited to a special group. In the other one, the intellect functions as a source, and the general perception is the outcome of mental and soulish activities. All people are capable of this kind of intellectual perception. Manuscript profile

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32 - Realism of Cyberspace: A Philosophical Analysis of Virtual Reality with an Emphasis on the Principles of the Transcendent Philosophy
Mahdi Ganjvar

20.1001.1.15600874.1400.27.1.5.1

From an ontological point of view, cyberspace should be considered a domain of original and effective reality which, given its vast growth, has exercised great influence on different aspects of modern human life. A study of the ontological dimensions of this realm of re More

From an ontological point of view, cyberspace should be considered a domain of original and effective reality which, given its vast growth, has exercised great influence on different aspects of modern human life. A study of the ontological dimensions of this realm of reality is important for different reasons. Undoubtedly, toady a significant part of human life is affected by the various manifestations of cyberspace. Moreover, this phenomenon has influenced multiple angles of human thought and behavior and introduced a new lifestyle for contemporary human beings and later generations. The present study, while investigating the virtual world from an ontological point of view and providing a metaphysical analysis of this realm, tries to rationally demonstrate that cyberspace is a real entity enjoying objectivity and truth relying on its effects on human nature and destiny. Later, based on the logical principle of “By their fruit you will recognize them”, the author first explains and emphasizes the objective effects and concomitants of cyberspace, and then discloses some angles of this secret and complicated reality based on Sadrian principles. The realism of cyberspace can suggest the idea that virtual reality is similar to a kind of existence in Islamic philosophy called the “world of Ideas” or the “world of quantitative forms”. This is because, irrespective of the differences between these two phenomena, virtual reality is also based on numbers and quantitative forms. Moreover, similar to the world of ideas, there is no trace of matter in this realm of being (cyberspace), whereas the effects and concomitants of matter can be witnessed there. The smallest philosophical outcome of exploring virtual reality is that, by revealing a realm of being including both immaterial and subtle forms, it prepares contemporary Man to perceive and experience “abstract truths” and accept holy, immaterial, and intangible affairs. Manuscript profile

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33 - Prerequisites and Features of Transcendent Criminal Politics
Mohammad Mirzaei Iman Amini

20.1001.1.15600874.1401.27.4.1.7

Criminal policy entails scientific planning and practical prudence in dealing with criminal phenomena. Since it is related to criminal acts and events, it is influenced by the existing norms and values in society and must be organized accordingly. In a society or system More

Criminal policy entails scientific planning and practical prudence in dealing with criminal phenomena. Since it is related to criminal acts and events, it is influenced by the existing norms and values in society and must be organized accordingly. In a society or system in which religious ideologies and values are dominant, one cannot expect the necessary efficiency from imported policies or reports rooted in the principles accepted in their sources of origin. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop a model of criminal policy that conforms to the prevalent principles and values in the target society. Transcendent criminal policy is theoretically rooted in Mullā Ṣadrā’s Transcendent Philosophy. This model, in addition to its inclusiveness regarding the provision of material and worldly advantages, unlike the common criminal policies, enjoys some metaphysical and spiritual dimensions that conform to Islamic religious beliefs and teachings and common fiṭrī (intrinsic) and human features. The ultimate goal of this policy is to enhance the luminous development of individuals and society and, at best, provide for Man’s happiness, and guide them on their path to gaining proximity to God. The present paper, similar to an Introduction, aims to explain the features and elements of this model based on the existing laws in the country. Manuscript profile

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34 - A Study of the Role of Qur’anic Teachings in Philosophical Theology
Aireza Asadi

20.1001.1.15600874.1401.27.3.3.7

Some opponents of philosophy and many Orientalists believe that Islamic Philosophy simply repeats the words and views of Greek philosophers and is not only totally far from Islamic teachings but also sometimes in opposition to them. Through explaining the extent of the More

Some opponents of philosophy and many Orientalists believe that Islamic Philosophy simply repeats the words and views of Greek philosophers and is not only totally far from Islamic teachings but also sometimes in opposition to them. Through explaining the extent of the influence of the Holy Qur’an on a rational and philosophical discussion and a study of the works of Islamic philosophers, this paper aims to demonstrate that they have benefitted from Qur’anic teachings in order to expand and develop philosophical discussions and, particularly, philosophical theology. In other words, it intends to prove that the qualitative and quantitative expansion of philosophical problems, arguments, theories, and principles in the field of philosophical theology is indebted to Qur’anic teachings. This influence is to the extent that it has led to the conceptual and structural evolution of Greek philosophy and differentiates the general approach of Islamic philosophy from Greek philosophy. Manuscript profile

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35 - Holistic Education Based on the Principles of the Transcendent Philosophy
Sude Yavari Tayebe Mahroozade Ali Sattari

Holistic education is one of the educational strategies of the 20th century in the West which challenges the existing defects in the modern educational system. Clearly, there are so many similarities between religious and Islamic education and holistic education that we More

Holistic education is one of the educational strategies of the 20th century in the West which challenges the existing defects in the modern educational system. Clearly, there are so many similarities between religious and Islamic education and holistic education that we can safely claim that the latter has always been the common method of education in our traditional educational system. The present study focuses on certain educational principles in the Transcendent Philosophy which can be categorized under the concept of holism. Some of these principles include the necessity of the gathering of matter and meaning, educating the body along with the soul, and moral and epistemological holism. Moreover, regarding epistemological holism, the authors elaborate on the particular place of reason in epistemology and derive a number of educational principles in conformity with rationality, among which reference can be made to the necessity of prudence and necessity of teaching intellection to the learner. Finally, they refer to some of the practical methods in conformity to the mentioned principles. Following the qualitative method of content analysis and philosophical inference, the authors have tried to derive a number of educational principles in line with holism through delving in Mullā Ṣadrā’s books on the Transcendent Philosophy and some of his commentators’ works. Manuscript profile

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36 - A Study of Specific Commonalities of Duties from Religious and Philosophical Perspectives: An Anthropological Approach
Ali Asghar Jafari Valani Habibeh Molapanah

20.1001.1.15600874.1400.26.4.3.2

This study investigates the problem of the possibility of similar duty from the viewpoints of religion and philosophy based on their anthropological principles. Since the problem of duty is tied to Man’s specific oneness and plurality, the study of religious and philoso More

This study investigates the problem of the possibility of similar duty from the viewpoints of religion and philosophy based on their anthropological principles. Since the problem of duty is tied to Man’s specific oneness and plurality, the study of religious and philosophical views in this regard could open some new horizons before us. Although religious figures and most philosophers advocate the “specific oneness” of human beings, existentialists acknowledge their specific multiplicity. Therefore, religions and most philosophers practically agree with the sameness of duties; however, theoretically speaking, it can be said that Man’s specific plurality necessitates the existence of different duties. Hence, it seems that there might be certain inconsistencies such as the contrast between Mullā Ṣadrā’s theory of Man’s specific multiplicity and his practical commitment to the similarity of duties. Nevertheless, to resolve this inconsistency, one can refer to Man’s stability in spite of their trans-substantial motion and specific plurality. Another contrast pertains to the verses referring to the essential equality of human beings and those emphasizing the performance of duties within the limits of one’s capabilities. One can refer to the difference between the stages of making the duties and their being made. Manuscript profile

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37 - Manifestation of Sadrian Philosophy in Imam Khomeini’s Glosses on Qayṣarī’s Introduction
Gholamreza Hosseinpour

20.1001.1.15600874.1401.27.4.7.3

The fourth chapter of Qayṣarī’s Introduction to Ibn ‘Arabī’s Fuṣūṣ al-ḥikam discusses substances and accidents following a gnostic approach and is mainly intended to explain the merciful soul. However, there is also an extensive discussion of gnostics’ merciful soul usi More

The fourth chapter of Qayṣarī’s Introduction to Ibn ‘Arabī’s Fuṣūṣ al-ḥikam discusses substances and accidents following a gnostic approach and is mainly intended to explain the merciful soul. However, there is also an extensive discussion of gnostics’ merciful soul using a philosophical language. Imam Khomeini has criticized Qayṣarī’s explanation in a commentary based on the Transcendent Philosophy. At the end of the same chapter, Qayṣarī has mentioned some points about the meaning of individuation and its types. In another commentary, Imam Khomeini has provided an accurate explanation of different types of individuation using a gnostic language. This meaning of individuation and its types as discussed by Qayṣarī has been almost completely propounded in the third chapter of the fourth level of general affairs in al-Asfār, which reflects the great influence of Ibn ‘Arabī’s gnostic tradition, in general, and Qayṣarī’s Introduction, in particular, on Mullā Ṣadrā’s philosophy. In Qayṣarī’s view, accidents must function as the differentia of substances while, in the view of Mullā Ṣadrā and, following him, Imam Khomeini, Substance is the differentia of substance and not accident. Qayṣarī believes that sometimes individuation is the same as essence and sometimes an addition to it. Nevertheless, Imam Khomeini maintains that individuation does not essentially apply to the essence of Almighty Truth because it is among the effects of attributive manifestations. However, what enjoys the oneness of all individuations is the supreme name and perfect Man. The main purpose of this paper is to provide an accurate explanation, analysis, and criticism of Qayṣarī’s Introduction and Imam Khomeini’s commentary on this work. Imam Khomeini has criticized Qayṣarī in one commentary based on the Sadrian philosophy and, in another one, has discussed his own standpoints based on, in fact, a part of al-Asfār. Manuscript profile

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38 - Myth of Peripatetic Hyle in the Transcendent Philosophy
Mohammad Reza Noornohammadi

20.1001.1.15600874.1401.28.1.4.7

The philosophical analysis of the changes in natural bodies led Peripatetic philosophers to the notion of hyle, which is a substance that essentially lacks actuality and remains fixed in the process of change. Peripatetic philosophers have employed this notion in many p More

The philosophical analysis of the changes in natural bodies led Peripatetic philosophers to the notion of hyle, which is a substance that essentially lacks actuality and remains fixed in the process of change. Peripatetic philosophers have employed this notion in many philosophical debates, including the famous division of existents into material and immaterial groups. Nevertheless, despite their emphasis upon this notion, Suhrawardī denied the existence of the Peripatetic hyle. Mullā Ṣadrā has not explicitly explained his views of hyle in any of his works; however, a careful study of his works and, particularly, philosophical principles indicates that the peripatetic hyle is not acceptable in the Transcendent Philosophy. In fact, some contemporary philosophers have even found the idea of the Peripatetic hyle to be self-contradictory within the framework of the Transcendent Philosophy. At the same time, the words hyle and matter are frequently used in Mullā Ṣadrā’s works because, apart from cases in which he explains the views of earlier philosophers, he also believes in a kind of hyle that should be called the “analytic hyle”. This kind of hyle is a secondary philosophical intelligible that is abstracted from the analysis of the trans-substantial motion. It bears a unity with from and can be used as a basis for the division of existence into fixed and fluid categories. Manuscript profile

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39 - God’s Knowledge of Particulars in the Views of Ibn Sīnā and Thomas Aquinas
Mohammad Mahmoodi Hossein Kalbasi Ashtari

20.1001.1.15600874.1401.28.2.8.3

One of the fundamental questions in the field of philosophical theology is whether God has the knowledge of particulars. Some philosophers have tried to either demonstrate or deny the divine knowledge of particulars regardless of the term “God”, which is a controversial More

One of the fundamental questions in the field of philosophical theology is whether God has the knowledge of particulars. Some philosophers have tried to either demonstrate or deny the divine knowledge of particulars regardless of the term “God”, which is a controversial issue. In a philosophical tradition that began with Plato and Aristotle and was advocated by Ibn Sīnā, the divine knowledge of particulars is denied. However, within the framework of the same philosophical school, Thomas Aquinas, as a theologian, demonstrates this knowledge for God. In Ibn Sīnā’s view, there is a fundamental difference between quiddity and existence as two different levels of being. The Necessary Being is the cause of granting existence to quiddities and, thus, cannot know them in terms of their particulars, as they lack “existence” in separation from Him. However, Ibn Sīnā does not deny the divine knowledge of particulars through their “existence”. In Aquinas’ theological concept of God, as a personal God, the denial of the divine knowledge of particulars defaces the divine power. Moreover, in case of denying this Knowledge, Man, who is created by God, will be placed at a higher level than their Creator because they can gain the knowledge of particulars. Aquinas, who speaks as a theologian here, ignores the borderline between philosophy and theology and objects to Ibn Sīnā by stating that some universals such as “animal” and “human” cannot function as the distinctive features of a particular such as “Socrates” in comparison to others. The present paper provides a comparative analysis of the views of these two philosophers regarding God’s knowledge of particulars. Manuscript profile

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40 - Morphology of Practical Wisdom and the Role of Five Crafts
Ahmad Mohammadi Peiro

20.1001.1.15600874.1401.28.2.1.6

There is an inseparable connection between practical and theoretical wisdom. The five crafts, as a part of theoretical wisdom, can play a role in practical wisdom, which is used sometimes as knowledge and sometimes as temperament or virtue. The present study was conduct More

There is an inseparable connection between practical and theoretical wisdom. The five crafts, as a part of theoretical wisdom, can play a role in practical wisdom, which is used sometimes as knowledge and sometimes as temperament or virtue. The present study was conducted to answer the question of the extent and quality of the role that the five crafts play, firstly, in producing the cognitive elements of practical wisdom and, secondly, in the origins of the emanation of act. It also aims to identify the factors and variables in relation to the five crafts that construct the practical wisdom. The significance of explaining the relationship between the two types of wisdom lies in the fact that mental habits determine the human identity, and that the five crafts are mental habits that can play a role in determining the human life by influencing the origins of emanation of acts. As a result, they can affect all aspects of human life, such as academic, social, or political ones. In this paper, the author initially introduces the five crafts and, particularly, their common features based on logical books. Then, following a descriptive-analytic approach, he examines their effects on the elements of cognitive and temperamental practical wisdom. The first section discusses an epistemological turn of erroneous concepts and judgements, the efficiency of the methodology of practical wisdom, formation of mentally-posited concepts at the level of act, and attainment of the intellection of practical wisdom by different human beings. The second section explains the regulation of the particular task of practical wisdom, the development of the skill of matching cognitive affairs with administrative ones, affecting the cognitive origins of emanation of acts, and the formation of human acts as the results of the study. Manuscript profile

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41 - Graded Introversion and Moral Motivation in the Philosophy of Action in Mullā Ṣadrā
Mehdi Zamani

20.1001.1.15600874.1401.28.2.3.8

Following a descriptive-analytic approach, the present study investigates Mullā Ṣadrā’s view of moral motivation. He has provided two types of explanation, quiddative and graded, for man’s source of motivation for doing acts in his works. In his quiddative explanation, More

Following a descriptive-analytic approach, the present study investigates Mullā Ṣadrā’s view of moral motivation. He has provided two types of explanation, quiddative and graded, for man’s source of motivation for doing acts in his works. In his quiddative explanation, in line with his preceding philosophers, he attributes motivation to the first loop of the origins of emanation of act, that is, cognition and imagination. However, in most cases, he believes that the main source of motivation is related to the second loop or desire. The desire emerging after perception (concept and judgement) and before free will (consensus and resolution) motivates the doer. Accordingly, the doer might perceive and affirm the goodness of the act but not feel enthusiastic about it. However, it is also possible that they do not put their mind to doing the act they feel enthusiastic about. Hence, a contingent relation develops among the three stages. Based on the ontological and graded explanation, there is a profoundly essential unity among perception, desire, and free will, which can be interpreted as “graded introversion”. Mullā Ṣadrā’s belief in three factors, including the flow of knowledge, desire, and free will all through existence; the single identity of the soul and the unity of potentials and acts, and the dual cognitive-motivational role of practical reason, are the reasons that can contribute to explaining this type of introversion in his approach. Manuscript profile

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42 - A Study of the Quality of Abstraction of Philosophical Concepts Based on the Principles of the Transcendent Philosophy
Mojtaba Rahmanian Koushkaki Mohsen Heidari Seyyed Mohammad Musawy

20.1001.1.15600874.1402.28.3.4.5

The common view is that philosophical concepts, such as existence, unity, causality, and necessity, have no objective existence and, even if they have, Man is not capable of perceiving them. This is because Man’s encounter with the world of sensibles is through the sens More

The common view is that philosophical concepts, such as existence, unity, causality, and necessity, have no objective existence and, even if they have, Man is not capable of perceiving them. This is because Man’s encounter with the world of sensibles is through the senses, which can only perceive sensible qualities of objects and are not even capable of perceiving all accidents. Based on these two points, the abstraction of philosophical concepts from external sensible realities seems to be totally impossible. Following a descriptive-analytic method and based on some of the principles of the Transcendent Philosophy, including the subsistence and affirmation of philosophical concepts in the outside and the quality of the existence of the soul and the quality of perceiving it, this study is intended to demonstrate that philosophical concepts are attained directly and without any intermediary from the heart of sensory perceptions. Although this theory does not exist in Mullā Ṣadrā’s works, his philosophical principles fittingly provide the context for such an explanation. Manuscript profile

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43 - Spiritual Journey Based on Dialectical Wayfaring in Plato’s Philosophy and its Compatibility with Gnostic Journeys
Atiye Zandieh Leila Eftekhari

20.1001.1.15600874.1402.28.3.7.8

In Plato’s philosophy and Islamic gnostic tradition, the world and Man enjoy two corporeal and spiritual dimensions. Man’s spiritual dimension can have ascending and descending journeys in the worlds of being. In Islamic gnosis, going through the levels of being – the f More

In Plato’s philosophy and Islamic gnostic tradition, the world and Man enjoy two corporeal and spiritual dimensions. Man’s spiritual dimension can have ascending and descending journeys in the worlds of being. In Islamic gnosis, going through the levels of being – the five divine presences – has been explained by resorting to the four-fold journeys, which include moving from the creature to the truth, traversing the truth, moving from the truth to the creature and, finally, travelling with the truth in the creature. The spiritual journey in Plato’s philosophy can be explained by using the dialectical wayfaring, analogy of the divided line, and the allegory of the cave. Plato generally dealt with this spiritual journey and did not intend to classify its levels. However, his views can be formulated in a way to conform to these four journeys. In this way, spiritual journey in Plato’s philosophy will include the following four stages: moving from shadows to the world of Ideas, traveling through the Ideas, moving from the world of Ideas to the world of sensibles and, finally, traveling with the Ideas in shadows. Therefore, given the differences between these two schools of thought regarding their views of the highest levels of being and the perfect Man, the first, second, and fourth journeys can be more clearly matched with each other. The third journey can also be matched with one of them but not as clearly as the other three. Gnostics’ religious views, their emphasis on ascetic practice and purification of the soul, and the long time interval between these two systems of thought have resulted in a number of great differences between them. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

44 - Ontological Principles of Man’s Identity in the Transcendent Philosophy
Ali Zamani Kharaei J‘afar Shanazari Seyyed Mahdi Emami Jome‘e

20.1001.1.15600874.1402.28.4.5.8

Identity is one of the most important key terms in humanities in the contemporary world. Similar to other theoretical concepts, it originates in metaphysical principles and cannot go beyond them. A study of the principles of the Transcendent Philosophy with reference to More

Identity is one of the most important key terms in humanities in the contemporary world. Similar to other theoretical concepts, it originates in metaphysical principles and cannot go beyond them. A study of the principles of the Transcendent Philosophy with reference to the attention to the truth of existence and the related principles reveals that Man’s true identity is the same as its status, which is simple and, while enjoying stability in character, is gradual and fluid. Accordingly, in the course of its motion, the human identity experiences different changes and attains several scientific and practical perfections that result in different effects and levels with each having its own specific attributes and names. This perception of Man is not only consistent with the realities of human life and Iranian-Islamic culture but also capable of resolving many of the concerns and challenges in modern sciences in relation to anthropology and identity crisis. The present paper examines the ontological principles of the Transcendent Philosophy in relation to Man’s identity and its effects.In the course of its movement, this existence experiences various changes and achieves many scientific and practical perfections, which causes it to have various effects and degrees in such a way that various attributes and characteristics are obtained from each of its stages. This recognition of human beings is not only compatible with the realities of human life and Iranian-Islamic culture, but also eliminates many concerns and challenges of new sciences in the field of anthropology and identity crisis. This article points to the ontological foundations of transcendental wisdom and its relationship with human identity and examines its results. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

45 - Levels of Faith in Mullā Ṣadrā’s Transcendent Philosophy and Stages of the Growth of Faith in Fowler’s View
Mehdi Zamani Ziba Shafiee khoozani

20.1001.1.15600874.1402.29.1.3.3

Mullā Ṣadrā has discussed the levels of faith based on the principles of the Transcendent Philosophy, particularly the trans-substantial motion and gradation of the levels of existence, Man, and knowledge. He divides faith sometimes into imitative, demonstrative, and ob More

Mullā Ṣadrā has discussed the levels of faith based on the principles of the Transcendent Philosophy, particularly the trans-substantial motion and gradation of the levels of existence, Man, and knowledge. He divides faith sometimes into imitative, demonstrative, and obvious types and sometimes into external and true, verbal, semantic, real (demonstrative or unveiled) and drowning into the light of oneness types. In his view, the highest level of faith belongs to masters of theoretical and practical intellect, only a few of whom reach the level of divine vicegerency and the perfect Man. James Fowler, the contemporary theologist and psychologist, explains the growth of faith at six stages: 1) intuitive projective faith, 2) mythic-literal faith, 3) synthetic-conventional, 4) individuative reflective faith, 5) conjunctive faith, and global faith. He does so under the influence of certain modern Christian theologians, such as Tillich, and psychologists, such as Piaget, Kohlberg, and Erikson. Fowler believes that figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa exemplify the sixth level of faith in the light of their cognitive and moral breadth of insight. Here, following a descriptive analytic method, the authors initially explain Mullā Ṣadrā’s view regarding the levels of faith and Fowler’s view of the stages of the growth of faith and then compare, contrast, and evaluate the two views. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

46 - A Comparison of Anthropological Principles of Mullā Ṣadrā and Maslow
Mohammad Azadi Seyyed Mohammadali Dibaji Masoud Azarbaijani

20.1001.1.15600874.1402.29.1.4.4

Maslow, as a humanist psychologist, and Mullā Ṣadrā, as one of the greatest thinkers of Islamic tradition, have provided different views regarding the whatness of human beings. Given the fact that both thinkers have paid particular attention to explaining the required f More

Maslow, as a humanist psychologist, and Mullā Ṣadrā, as one of the greatest thinkers of Islamic tradition, have provided different views regarding the whatness of human beings. Given the fact that both thinkers have paid particular attention to explaining the required features and pre-requisites for Man’s perfection itself and the process of Man’s perfection as well as the characteristics of perfect Man, a comparison of their anthropological principles can yield some valuable results. Some of the shared principles of these two philosophers’ include enjoying essential dignity; free will; the ability to move towards perfection, and pre-mordial nature and accepting spiritual experiences and the infinity of the process of Man’s perfection. However, they have provided various interpretations of these principles. Moreover, they have different views regarding the centrality of God in Man’s life, existential dimensions, fundamental needs, stages of Man’s growth, end of Man’s perfection, and characteristics of Perfect Man. Mullā Ṣadrā has managed to present a system based on cognitive principles through benefitting from religious, gnostic, and philosophical fundamental rules, synthesizing them with each other, and introducing a comprehensive and consistent portray of Man’s truth. An all-inclusive and meticulous analysis of such principles can be of great value to related discussions in modern philosophy. A synthesis of gnosis, religion, and reasoning is one of the most important features of Mullā Ṣadrā’s philosophical thoughts, which affect all the acceptable elements of Man’s Whatness. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

47 - Explaining Horizontal Pluralities in the Vertical Worlds of Existence Based on Sadrian Philosophy
Ali Sedaghat Hasan Fathzadeh

20.1001.1.15600874.1402.28.4.7.0

Based on the principle of the gradation of existence in Sadrian philosophy, the world of being enjoys a vertical system that extends from the highest point to the lowest levels, and each existent possesses a specific degree of existential intensity and weakness. The acc More

Based on the principle of the gradation of existence in Sadrian philosophy, the world of being enjoys a vertical system that extends from the highest point to the lowest levels, and each existent possesses a specific degree of existential intensity and weakness. The acceptance of this principle in Sadrian philosophy alongside one’s observations in our surrounding world of horizontal existents with no cause-effect relation, such as a stone and a tree, gave rise to an important question in the post-Sadrian period: How can these two truths come together in one place? The responses to these questions during the last 400 years have resulted in some disagreements among commentators of Mullā Ṣadrā’s works. In this study, the authors aim to demonstrate that the acceptance of the vertical and graded system of existence is not in conflict with accepting horizontal pluralities, and what is accepted in Sadrian graded existence is a differential system among all existence and not merely a cause-effect system. The key to the understanding of horizontal pluralities in Sadrian philosophy must be found in the discussion of archetypes and their additions. In presenting his own system of emanations, Mullā Ṣadrā has been greatly influenced by Suhrawardī’s philosophy and defended the quality of the emanation of archetypes at different occasions. Archetypes are the same horizontal intellects the acceptance of which is equal to resolving the problem of horizontal pluralities in all vertical worlds of existence. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

48 - Against the Law of Causality and the Related Responses Based on the Principles of the Transcendent Philosophy
Hossein Oshshaqi

20.1001.1.15600874.1401.28.1.8.1

Fakhr al-Dīn Rāzī, one of the prominent Ash‘arī mutikallimun, has raised 18 objections against the law of causality in his al-Maṭālib al-‘alīyah min al-‘ilm al-ilāhī. He has quoted these objections from others; however, it seems that he has raised them himself. Muḥaqiq More

Fakhr al-Dīn Rāzī, one of the prominent Ash‘arī mutikallimun, has raised 18 objections against the law of causality in his al-Maṭālib al-‘alīyah min al-‘ilm al-ilāhī. He has quoted these objections from others; however, it seems that he has raised them himself. Muḥaqiq Lāḥijī has responded to some of these objections in his Shawāriq al-ilhām. Nevertheless, most of them have remained unanswered. In the present paper, the author has referred to 15 of the most important questions and provided others’ responses to them. Most of these objections have not been answered while they can be based on the Transcendent Philosophy. Therefore, the author has provided a summary of Fakhr al-Dīn Rāzī’s words and then tried to answer them relying on the principles of Sadrian Transcendent Philosophy. Some of these objections cannot be answered based on any of the principles of Peripatetic, Illuminationist, and Transcendent Philosophies and should be answered based on gnostic principles. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

49 - Whatness, Origin, and Purpose of Essentialist Education
Ahmadreza Azarbayejani Mohammdreza Sarmadi Faezeh Nateghi Alireza Faghihi

20.1001.1.15600874.1402.29.2.4.6

Mullā Ṣadrā places the “truth” in idealism alongside “truths” in realism in his Transcendent Philosophy. For him, truths are the same truth that reveals itself at different levels. In the view of gnostics, the four-fold spiritual journeys are a way for gnostic transcend More

Mullā Ṣadrā places the “truth” in idealism alongside “truths” in realism in his Transcendent Philosophy. For him, truths are the same truth that reveals itself at different levels. In the view of gnostics, the four-fold spiritual journeys are a way for gnostic transcendence that the wayfarer traverses at different stages. This journey begins from fiṭrah (primordial nature), which has different levels with nature as its lowest level. Therefore, this journey or, in a sense, this process of learning begins with nature and becomes complete through a hierarchy of stages. The level of learning includes the level of theory and practice at the same time. Mullā Ṣadrā’s philosophical methodology is based on revelation, rational demonstration, and intuition in the sense that all elements must perceive and confirm the reality and truth of a finding. Relying on the Transcendent Philosophy, the present study follows a demonstrative method in order to define essentialist education and explain its origin and purposes. In doing so, it benefits from a meta-analytic method to introduce the levels of essentialist learning, which is based on human fiṭrah. The purpose of this study is to present a conceptual model for education and learning whose philosophical foundations are not necessarily limited to one specific philosophical school. Manuscript profile

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