Foundations and Basic Principles of Mulla Sadra’s Philosophy

 

All philosophical systems, in addition to the minor and major problems which they treat, are based on a series of principles or pillars. Mulla Sadra’s school of thought is not an exception in this regard. In a treatise called Shawahid,[1] he recounts his philosophical achievements as amounting to 170. Nevertheless, the most important principles and bases of his school are usually considered to consist of the following: the principles of the principiality of existence (rather than quiddity); of gradation of existence in infinity; of motion in the substance of things; of the immateriality of imagination; of the Simple Truth is everything (and is none of them); of the corporeal origination of the soul from the body; theory of the origination of the world; and the relation between knowledge and existence.

In what follows, we will briefly discuss each of the above principles and theories separately.

 

 

 


Note:

[1]. Shawahid al-rububiyyah is a short treatise which is different from al-Shawahid al-rububiyyah. Please refer to the list of Mulla Sadra’s books.