Spektrum Iran

Tendency to ontological unity in Western and Islamic philosophy in the 17th century, a case study of Spinoza and Mulla Sadra

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

Hosein Rahnamaei 1
Nourhejabi Nourhejabi 2

1 Member department of of Islam theoretical bases and morality/ Faculty of Islamic knowledge and thoughts/University of Tehran, Iran

2 Graduated in English translation / University of Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/spektrum.2024.491219.1010
Abstract
The concept of unity (the state of being one) or multiplicity (the quality of being numerous) of existence was one of the most significant philosophical concerns among Western and Islamic thinkers in the 17th century. This research, with the method of library research and referring to Islamic and Western philosophical works, seeks to find the points of commonality and difference between them, specifically Spinoza, the Dutch philosopher, and Mulla Sadra, the Muslim sage, about the unity of existence. Both thinkers considered the external multiplicity unreal and searched for a single truth behind the apparent multiplicity. However, they differ in expressing this unity. The most important difference between these two is in the identification and non-identification of the ultimate reality of the world. According to Spinoza, there is only one essence in existence, and the multitudes that appear in the world's objects do not have an independent truth, but we do not find any reference to the intelligence, reason and uniqueness of this essence, while a significant part of Sadra's philosophy is dedicated to the description of the perfection of the ultimate reality. These two sages have other points of difference and commonality in the subject of the unity of existence, which is mentioned in this article.

Keywords

Vielheit
Einheit
Mulla Sadra
Spinoza
Essenz

Subjects

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Spektrum Iran
Volume 37, Issue 2
December 2024
Pages 259-279

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