Research in Theoretical Politics
Year:2014 | Volume:NEW | Issue:15|Papers Count:11

So far, the political philosophy of Farabi has been thoroughly studied from different perspective; however, paradigm analysis is one of the approaches which are considerably influential and practical in this regard. The aim of present research is to investigate the possibility of paradigm analysis in political philosophy of Farabi; in other words, we will examine whether five-aspect analysis and presuppositions of Farabi would able the researchers to have a paradigm analysis or not. The study hypothesis says that this matter is possible since such an analysis not only distinguishes the principles of ontology, epistemology, anthropology, sociology (knowledge of community)and teleology, but it also enables the depiction of a meaningfully logical line among these factors and consequently among the components of the political philosophy of Farabi.

The Paper investigates an epistemological question: is political utilitarianism adoptable with Theo-democracy? To find an answer for the question, it provides the reader with a brief exploration of the history of political utilitarianism. Based on it, as the second step, it tries to illustrate how political utilitarianism, especially according to John Stuart Mill’s approach, is adaptable with the theory of Theo-democracy. The claim has been relied heavily over this judgment: An utilitarian government can be created even when we accept a priority to amoral system. The paper tries to demonstrate how this epistemological judgment is contrary to an understanding that there is no chance for adaptability between Islam and a set of moral codes presented via a taken political utility. Based on this approach, it tries to show political utility is not necessarily and always an anti-religious theory.

Information technology is a revolution that changes all aspects of human life. The political sphere is also in the process of fundamental changes in the age information. In this article, we describe and analysis the technology asinfra structure for human behavior. Technology not also instrument that help human to change environment, but is a worldview that shapes the culture and all the meanings of life. This article examines changes in political sphere and relation powers in the information age with an optimistic logic. The question this research is that what is the possibility of information technology in political sphere? To entrance cyber field in politics, some subjects are visible, for example cyber war, digital democracy, and electric citizen and E-government.

In the ancient time, the government was at the center of theories, with consideration to the given religious nature of political community and desirable arrangement. By the entrance of modern thoughts into Iranian world in Qajar era, we witnessed the destruction of these beliefs and the need to rethink about them. The intellectuals were in charge of these affairs. How much they were successful in rethinking of these beliefs? The intellectuals faced with practical obstacles in the inherited beliefs from ancient time. So like the ancient thinkers, they set the right use of political authority as the main subject in their theories, Instead of addressing the foundations of political community and government. However, to rethink political orders and the application of political powers by the government was not possible without knowing about the nature of political community. So with reception of implicit theory about political community and by the use of “common good” and “general rights” by intellectuals, they rethought about dominion theory and the relation between religion and political order and stated a new theory about government. But the result was a gradual tension between the old beliefs and the new beliefs of political order and the appearance of juridical modern political theories. Although these theories tried to resist against new political order, But for the first time, instead of characteristics of an ideal ruler, they had to pay attention to the nature of political community. So the appearance of intellectual thought could put the query of government’s nature and political community in the center of political theories of Iran’s thinkers, and pave the way for gradual transition from "Government-oriented pattern" to the "State-oriented pattern" of political theories.

Iran shahri political thought is one of the most significant features of Iranian intellectual tradition. Rooted in ancient Iranian tradition of kingdom, this political doctrine presents a conception of political rule which is different from classical Islamic political philosophy inspired by Greek philosophers. Although the source of this doctrine is pre-Islamic Iranian civilization, one can claim that it has been continued in different forms and we can follow its traces left everywhere in Iranian intellectual history from the beginning to the present. So, study of this tradition requires a specific method of research which could explain transformation and unity of its elements. This paper aims to study the various versions of iran shahri political thought in Islamic period, especially in its middle ages, and to show different aspects of it crystallized in Muslim thinker’s political treatises. The theory of “cultural continuation of Persia” constitutes the theoretical foundation of this research and try to elucidate Islamic conceptions of iran shahri political doctrine, and “Farr” as its key concept, in the light of this theory suggested by leading figures like H. Corbin and R. Frye. We claim that the versions of iran shahri political thought in Islamic civilization can be divided in five main categories representing five conceptions of Farr -e- izadi. These five categories are represented in epic poems, mystic texts, philosophical treatises, Illuminationist wisdom and Iranian mirrors for princes.

Between 1995 and 2003 many of critical factors for development of new middle class like economic growth, expansion of cities, improvement of education and literacy, development of political institutions and state bureaucracy and so … continued to growth and, as a result, we can expect for a larger middle class in this period. On the other hand, in many of class-based analyses about presidential elections results in 1995 and 1999 in Iran, scholars focused on new and recently developed middle class role in shaping election results and victories of slogans about political development. But in presidential election in 2003 (in first round) candidate who represents political development slogans lost and in second round despite of heavily rally of Reformists in support of rival candidate, winner candidate has no any relation to political wishes that usually respect to new middle class. The article, tries to explain this dilemma and shows that ”there is a structural condition that can called “Rentier state” economic structure in Iran that constrains class-based analyses in explaining election behavior of new middle class and in forecasting election results. We cannot stress heavily on factors that relate to quantitative expansion of middle class and its role on shaping elections wishes of different groups in society. ”The article stresses on structural factors related to political economy of oil in shaping social layers in oil rich countries and shows how these factors help shaping a special middle class that necessarily have not those characteristics and wishes that is relate to this social group in standard theories of political development.

Islamic revolution that provided a new discourse in Iran socio-political area carrying a new discourse in foreign policy too that it contained concepts like against-arrogance (Istekbarsetizi), Jihad, poor government and … . but it did not take long from beginning that Iran encountered a destructive war from Iraq’s Baath’s regime that analyzing, explaining and interpreting it in different theories and approaches, can indicates its different aspects. In line with it, the main question is that what is the reason of occurring Iran-Iraq war? The forward hypothesis is that the area and context of conflict among Islamism discourse in Iran’s foreign policy and geopolitics discourse in Iraq’s foreign policy, on the one hand, and the conception and interpreting of Iraq’s commanders about Islamism discourse and its existing situation, on the other hand, caused the occurrence. The findings of this essay that is in form of library and documental method indicate that antagonism of Iraq’s geopolitics discourse (with revolution exportation contrast, Pan-Arabism and security signifiers) toward Islamism discourse of Islamic revolution (with revolution exportation, fighting against arrogance and national interests signifiers) is clearly observable and what made Iraq as the war beginner, was Iraq’s officials conception about Iran’s political instability situations at that time and the opposite discourse conflict with Iraq’s discourse.

In Imam Khomeini's thoughts and attitudes that get started from monotheistic religion of Islam, believers are a singleummah and, too, they need to a single religious, political and practical orientation, based on the requirements and with regard to their common destiny within the credit geographical and national boundaries for the realization of the their sovereignty. They can achieve the caliphate of God on earth with this orientation and with Etesami to Hablallah. Therefore, in this article, we examine what are political and rational foundations in the views of Imam Khomeini about national unity. The analytical study of the ideas of Imam Khomeini (RA), show to our until find that the issue of national unity as well as other forms of unity and solidarity based on political exigencies and environmental requirements is a necessity: the necessity that it is based on both of rational arguments and evidence and religious arguments. As a result, Imam Khomeini has two-dimensional look - intellectual and revelation - to the cause of unity. But what are discussed in this paper are the reasons and political arguments of national unity and solidarity in the thought of the founder of Islamic Republic of Iran. Imam Khomeini emphasized on: rational evident of unity, the demand of political reason, the common enemy, the development of cultural, political and social principles of maintenance of the Islamic Revolution and its values and Finally, national unity is the plan as a strategy to achieve freedom, liberation and victory.

One of the most important philosophical and mystical concepts which Ahmad Fardid had brought up theorizing about it under the title of theosophy, is the concept of truth. the concept of truth is so important for Fardid that it embraces his whole contemplative atmosphere about all subjects from cosmology to theology and anthropology. In other word, one of the most basic subjects for becoming familiar with philosophical, mystical and political thoughts in Fardid's viewpoint knows the truth. However, on the other way, Fardid isn't considered political philosopher specifically. His viewpoint about history can have political consequences. So, issues relate to society and politics would be considered precious, moral and noteworthy to the extent to which they are connected to the truth and if political philosophy couldnot get near to the truth of the subject under investigation, it would become subject to criticism and in some cases being rejected. In theorizing the theosophy of history, Fardid makes a complicated and impregnable connection between the truth and politics and considers understanding of the truth prior to knowing the political subject. So he represents a new definition of politics which has been less taken into interpretation. The most important political implication of truth in Fardid theosophy viewpoint is to ignore and pay no attention to political action which causes the change in the essence and meaning of the political and causes the transformation and conversion of political action into mystical and spiritual act. The present text describes and interprets Fardid's thought in the case of truth and investigates the relationship and influence of this key concept in Fardid's theosophy and spiritual history on the political and political action.