Ontology of Primal Matter Based on the Flowing Existence, Epistemological Consideration and Some of Its Implications

جستارهایی در فلسفه و کلام

Volume 57, Issue 1 - Serial Number 114, May 2025, Pages 253-276   

Document Type: Original Article

DOI: 10.22067/epk.2025.88187.1339

Author

Behzad parvazmanesh^*

Graduated from Tarbiat Modares University with a Ph.D. degree in islamic philosophy (transcendent wisdom)

Abstract

The characteristics that famous philosophers have stated for immaterial entities based on the primal matter of Peripatetics are incompatible with some philosophical and religious precepts of the immaterial beings. It seems that the origin of this is a conjunctional or unified interpretation of the primal matter. The approach of the research in solving this problem is to redefine the primal matter in relation to the flowing existence, in the form of analytical matter and to follow its reflections in the issue of matter and potency. In this context and with an interdisciplinary approach, first an explanation of two notable views from contemporary Neo-Sadrians is expressed. These views are based on the flowing existence and substantial motion. In the next stage, these positions are first criticized and then, with an epistemological consideration, a more comprehensive and new explanation of the position of matter is given. Replacing the conjunctional and unified matter with the analytical matter in explaining the concepts of "immaterial" and "material" with a descriptive-analytical method leads to a more precise explanation and further extension of the scope of motion, to deepening the ontology of motion, and to a greater compatibility of philosophical teachings with each other and with religious texts. The analytical material can also pave the way for a unique advancement in the Islamic aspect of the Islamic philosophy and illuminate other aspects of the capabilities of the transcendent theosophy, as well as new horizons for subsequent research in identifying and evaluating its various implications. Finally, specific cases of the implications of this explanation are listed and suggestions for further research are presented.

Keywords

Conjunctional matter; unified matter; analytical matter; material and immaterial; flowing existence; epistemological consideration

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