Ayeneh Ma‘refat
Year:2018 | Volume:18 | Issue:56 |Papers Count:8

With the introduction of the distinction between existence and quiddity, one can find assertions which confirm one or the other or both of them-and also references to the distinction as a verbal disagreement-in the works of Muslim philosophers before Mirdamad. Since Mollasadra’ s confirmation of principality of existence and his initiation of the issue of principality of existence, the issue of verbal disagreement can be seen in some of Lahiji’ s works who was a disciple of Mirdamad. This has continued up to the present time. In the present article, we demonstrate that based on some of the interpretations of principality of existence which claim objectivity for existence and quiddity, the possibility of verbal disagreement is in essence not relevant. In some interpretations that the existence has objectivity and it has those qualities such as simplicity, since these qualities are in contrast with qualities of quiddity, the quarrel is real. The present article shows that some of the arguments proposed for principality of existence are also applicable the principality of quiddity and for this reason one can conclude that the distinction is verbal.

One of the most famous and most important doctrines of Ibn Sina’ s metaphysics is the distinction between essence and existence: a pivotal and controversial one. On the one hand, this distinction paves the way for some new metaphysical innovations to be introduced, but on the other hand it gives way to serious criticism to be levelled against Ibn Sina’ s philosophy. Meanwhile, an issue that has not been yet been resolved is whether this is a conceptual or ontological distinction and if it is ontological whether it has a nonessential signification or not. After reviewing the different views on this problem and representing a clear depiction of the point of controversy, this study shows that although all metaphysical solutions of Ibn Sina are not based on this distinction, there are some textual evidence and some solutions which imply this distinction. Then, by analyzing the concept of “ addition’ ’ as a central concept to explain the realization of essence and existence in the external world, it is demonstrated that in Ibn Sina’ s metaphysics, this concept does not imply the dependence of existence to essence. In fact, addition means that both essence and existence are realized in the external world in a manner that existence entails essence.

The subject of this paper is Aristotle’ s philosophical method in Metaphysics. He did not write any treatise on this subject, nor any chapter of any treatise; but we can find his ideas on this subject from his different writings. His most clear of Aristotle’ s remarks about philosophical method occurred in his discussion of weakness of will(akrasia) in Nichomachean Ethics. It seems that in Aristotle’ s philosophical method(aporetic method) we can distinguish four steps: 1) setting out the aporia/puzzle, 2)saying the existing phenomena/endoxa about that, 3) explaining the phenomena and resolving the puzzle, and 4)discovering the truth. In the first part of the paper by arguing the four steps of Aristotle’ s Philosophical Method, we discuss the goal and function of any of these steps. In the second part of this writing, Aristotle’ s method in the book of Zeta as an example of his philosophical method in Metaphysics is discussed, and demonstrated that the order of issues of this book is formed according to the response of puzzles of the book Beta and also those of the first chapter of the book Zeta to which Aristotle seeks the responses through his philosophical method.

To make comparative philosophy a clear and indisputable concept, one should indicate precisely what comparative philosophy is and what is not. Since our understanding of the meaning, nature, goals, and functions of comparative philosophy is closely related to our understanding of the meaning, nature, goals, and functions of philosophy, by examining the type of relationship which exists between the two, and explaining the rationale and objectives of comparative philosophy, One can shed light on scholars’ views on the issue of comparison. A number of goals have been mentioned for comparative philosophy among which we can refer to the list of similarities and differences, looking back in time and creating a third space in an attempt to resolve the problems of man in modern times, making or exploring a relationship between ideas which, at first sight, may seem quite different, giving more depth to one’ s own ideas, and getting more familiar with the potential capacity of other intellectual traditions. Some have considered comparative philosophy as a branch of philosophy or an independent trend in philosophy along with other tendencies, or as a methodological strategy. The present study is an attempt to clarify the nature of comparative philosophy not its distinction with world philosophy, the immortal wisdom and intercultural philosophy. These issues lie beyond the purpose of the present study.

Moral relativism is one of the most important topics in moral philosophy that has created a lot of challenges and reactions from moral piety and post-structuralist mortality perspectives. In its principles and morality values, moral relativism benefits from the bases of ontology, epistemology and anthropology relying on a philosophical theological approach. Its origins can be found in issues such as skepticism, rationalism, pluralism, relativism in wisdom and cognition, humanism and unreligious self-centeredness. This philosophic view has instituted a practicable morality under which contemporary man has been deprived from true perfection informed by the Islamic sources since human beings’ inclination toward moral relativity on the one hand and its consequences on the other hand have moved human being away from spiritual teachings and made them overlook absolute and subjective morality which is informed by qur’ anic verses and Islamic narratives. Adopting an analytic explanatory approach, the present article tries to show that moral relativism is inefficient in achieving the ultimate goal of morality.

This paper studies three contemporary Iranian thinkers’ hermeneutic approaches to the Qur’ an and their orientations to modern hermeneutic trends. Allameh Tabataba’ i argues that the Qur’ an contains several meanings each of which determined by God’ s intention. Accordingly, Allameh is close to romantic hermeneutics. Soroush argues that the meaning of the Qur’ an, like any other text, is independent from the author’ s intention, therefore he is consistent with philosophical hermeneutics. Finally, Mojtahed Shabestari, in some of his writings, argues for the original meaning of the Qur’ an. Nevertheless, he accepts the possibility of different valid interpretations and borrows some aspects of romantic hermeneutics and some of philosophical hermeneutics.

The confrontation of Shi'ism with other Islamic sects in the context of Muslim Scholastic philosophical discussions, more than any other topic, has revolved around the subject of Imamate. Therefore, setting the foundations of Imamate discussions in a precise and accurate manner and focusing these discussions on the Holy Qur'an has always been of canonical importance to the great Shi'a scholars in the fields of theology, philosophy and interpretation. In this regard, based on a phenomenological Epoché approach which means the seizure and suspension of any verdict on the object being studied and the mere attention to the description of what appears in consciousness, the present study reinterprets the verse 79 of Hejr surah as the central verse among the three categories of verses in this chapter. The phenomenological study shows the unity of the narrative style governing these three categories of verses and the correspondence between their elements. Accordingly, Imamate means forming and formulating a collection and maintaining its durability and survival. This meaning of Imamate, in accordance with the Quranic teachings, is applicable not only to human relationships but also to interrelationships among all different things. By combining the dispersed meanings of Imamate through setting them in the context of the Holy Quran and directing attention to the Imam's attributes, this approach incorporates a wider set of the qur’ anic verses and has the potential to embed the subject of Imamate in the discourse of Shiite extraterritoriality and to direct the tide against the flow of Quranicity. In this way, it is considered effective in strengthening the concepts mentioned in the Shi'a narratives around the concept of Imamate.