Ahad Faramarz Qaramaleki

The methodology of Sadrian philosophy is one of the most important and controversial issues in studying Sadra's philosophy. The criticism of Mulla Sadra's philosophy in terms of its methodology has given rise to the development of numerous theories. Eclecticism, the comparative philosophy of Ishraqi Ibn Sina in line with Suhrawardi's style, the wisdom endowed with the superior language of philosophical kalam, the kind of philosophy characterized by variety of tools in the context of discovery, and epistemological modern geometry are among the major disciplines which have been posed by the opponents of Mulla Sadra, Mutahhari, Henry Corbin, Ha'iri Yazdi and other thinkers.

We can consider Mulla Sadra as the pioneer of interdisciplinary studies in theology; an approach which has a 20 years record in the Western world. This approach is capable of removing a large number of ambiguities, such the relation between unveiling and intuition on the one hand and demonstration (intellectual intuition and discourse), concerning the method and structure of the Transcendent Philosophy.

Mulla Sadra's success in his interdisciplinary studies is due to a variety of factors. These factors can be divided into psychological, linguistic, and logical groups. His great share of excitement intelligence, (EQ) open-mindedness, and flexibility are typical factors related to personality and psychological bases. Mulla Sadra's ability of verbal communication with learned people and masters of various arts and sciences in Islamic culture represent the linguistic factors.

The first logical factor is related to Mulla Sadra's innovative model of provoking efficient dialogs among different disciplines in solving theological problems. It was in the light of this model that Mulla Sadra succeeded in promoting his mastery of different sciences from a multidisciplinary level to an interdisciplinary one, and through challenging the different approaches followed in various science, found access to a transcendent approach; a collective and deeply insightful approach which led to the discovery of a number of innovative theories for analyzing philosophical issues.

The second logical factor pertains to Mulla Sadra's attention to multi-dimensional of theological issues in general and particular senses. Faith, revelation, knowledge, the relation between the world and God, and certain other issues are multi-dimensional and cannot be analyzed unless through following an inter-disciplinary approach; otherwise, they will turn into one-dimensional approach and reductionism.

Posing of the problem

Mulla Sadra's philosophical findings and the originality of his philosophical thoughts have always been targets of scrutiny since he turned into a well-known figure.[1] Making a judgment concerning the epistemological aspect of Mulla Sadra's philosophy depends on a recognition of different angels of the methodology of the Transcendent Philosophy, as a critique and systemic understanding of Sadrian philosophy are basically possible within a methodological framework.

In addition to what was discussed above, Mulla Sadra has claims to having introduced a superior philosophy and refers to the Transcendent Philosophy as his most significant philosophical work. The school of Transcendent Philosophy was introduced some centuries before Mulla Sadra's time, for example, Ibn Sina has similar claims;[2] however, in its common usage, the title 'Transcendent Philosophy' is applied to Mulla Sadra's philosophy and that of his followers. Now, one might ask, “why should Sadrian philosophy be considered a superior school of thought?”

The above question has also been posed by some contemporary thinkers.[3]^&[4] The writer of this paper believes that this question can be answered by deliberating upon the methodology of Mulla Sadra's philosophy. A review of the most important ideas of Sadralogists and Mulla Sadra's critiques can also reveal the secret of the superiority of his philosophy.

Rival theories

Considering all the ideas expressed concerning the epistemological aspect of Mulla Sadra's philosophy, we can refer to six major theories, as follows:

The first theory is a pessimistic one according to which Mulla Sadra has been accused of eclecticism and adopting his ideas from various books and sources and mixing them with each other.

The second theory views Mulla Sadra as an Ishraqi (Illuminationist) Ibn Sina in Suhrawardi's style. Henry Corbin, who has vastly studied Mulla Sadra's ideas,[5] maintains, “If, as a historian, we wish to determine the general characteristics of Mulla Sadra's philosophy, we must admit that we are dealing with one of Ibn Sina's advocates. Mulla Sadra was quite familiar with Ibn Sina's works and interpreted them as well. Nevertheless, he was an Ishraqi Ibn Sina in Suhrawardi's style … we should also add that this Isharqi Sinan philosopher was profoundly affected by the theories of the divine philosopher and holy gnostic, Ibn ‘Arabi.”[6]

According to the third theory, Mulla Sadra's philosophy is theological in nature. Mutahhari criticizes this view and says, “This view is unfounded. Islamic philosophy did not take a single step towards theology; rather, it was theology which was gradually influenced by philosophy and finally immersed in it.”[7]

On the basis of the distinction of the dual language in vertical variety, i.e. its topical language and metalanguage of being transcendence, the fourth theory characterizes Sadrian philosophy as enjoying a superior language. “If we decide to employ this linguistic division in clarifying and explaining Mulla Sadra's Transcendent Philosophy, we must say that he has utilized two languages for the higher teaching of his philosophy. He calls one of these languages the superior language, or the language of Transcendent Philosophy, by means of which he describes his philosophy. Accordingly, not only is his philosophy immunized against the accusations pertaining to eclecticism and instability but also it could be a basis enabling us to justify and reconstruct his innovations concerning the system (topical principle), which enjoys a unique order.”[8]

The fifth theory, on the basis of the contest of discovery and the context of justification considers this school of thought enjoys variety of the tools in the context of discovery.[9]&[10]

The sixth theory refers to the Transcendent Philosophy as a new philosophical system based on our philosophical, interpretive, theological, and Gnostic legacy. Mulla Sadra's school of thought is a crossroad connecting the Peripatetic philosophy, Illuminationist philosophy, gnosis, and Shari‘ah to each other.[11]

Interdisciplinary transcendent approach

The writer has previously criticized the above mentioned theories and proposed his own.[12]&[13] In what follows, we will analyze and clarify this view.

All the theories presented on the interpretation of the transcendence of Sadrian philosophy unanimously emphasis that Mulla Sadra has benefited from the scientific legacy of his predecessors. This agreement is a good starting point for an analysis of Mulla Sadra's epistemological view. Undoubtedly, his philosophy is a synthesis of theological, philosophical, interpretive, narrative, and gnostic teachings. However, one might wonder about Mulla Sadra's method of taking benefit from his predecessors' legacy and the approach he followed in composing and integrating the opposing ideas is his school of thought. The first theory, i.e. eclecticism, is extremely simplistic and superficial. A review of Mulla Sadra's works reveals the existence of a specific research design according to which Mulla Sadra has dealt with his greatly various sources of knowledge.

In other words, Mulla Sadra certainly had access to many different sources; however, this, firstly, indicates that he was greatly concerned with efficiency of research and, secondly, assures us that he worked within the framework of a research plan and design. Mulla Sadra intended to avoid any kind of methodological restriction and consciously follow a methodological pluralism. His design in methodological pluralism could be inferred through a thorough deliberation over his works. Mulla Sadra's pattern of attending to various disciplines has the following characteristics: first, his attention to various sciences is due to solving a single problem. He takes benefit of different methods and branches of knowledge in understanding a single problem in the vast domain of theological studies. Second, he apparently resorts to the findings and achievements of different disciplines; however, deep down, what attracts his complete attention is the collection of miscellaneous approaches. In facts, he draws on diverse approaches to analyze a single problem. Third, he does not get involved in a comparative evaluation and selection of the best approach. Neither does he try to put the findings of different sciences in solving single problems together; rather, his method is to challenge the different views and approaches to solve a single problem.

Mulla Sadra invites Ibn Sina and Fakhr al-Din Razi into an effective debate with each other. In Mulla Sadra's research program, some scholars such as Ghazzali and Ibn ‘Arabi, a number of philosophers of the Shiraz school, and of the some theologians such as the commentator of Maqasid al-falasifah enter a useful dialog with each other.

Mulla Sadra's aim is to have access to a method more transcendent. Challenging various method and approaches provides the opportunity to go beyond one's own views and developing philosophical experiences following a comprehensive approach. The method of challenging different disciplines leads to the development of a profound method, and adopting such a method, which is nowadays called interdisciplinary study, removes one dimensionality and brings about countless innovations.

A clear example of the above claim can be found at the beginning of the 8^th volume of al-Asfar (‘ilm al-nafs). Mulla Sadra poses the problem of the soul's knowledge of itself and calls Ibn Sina, Fakhr al-Din Razi, Khwajah Nasir al-Din Tusi, and other thinkers to a challenge and fruitful dialog. In this way, through accessing a transcendent horizon, finds an innovative and modern answer for self-knowledge that is unprecedented in the works of his preceding scholars.[14]

Therefore, if he synthesizes the discoursive theoretical approach with an approach based on Ishraqi intellectual intuition,[15] and if, for example, Sadrian anthropology is based on interpretive, gnostic, theological, Peripatetic, and Illuminationist sources,[16] it is because his findings are based on interdisciplinary studies rather than adoption of ideas from diverse disciplines, which leads to perplexity and eclecticism.

Reasons for Mulla Sadra's success in interdisciplinary studies

Various factors have played effective roles in the formation of Mulla Sadra's pluralistic methodology. A deliberation upon these factors can clarify the reasons for Mulla Sadra's success. The various factors leading to his success in his interdisciplinary studies can be classified into three groups: psychological factors, linguistic factors, and logical instruments.

1- Psychological Factors: Attention to diverse sciences is primarily due to tolerance and lack of disciplinary bias. Those who are biased towards their own field of expertise are often incapable of learning about other sciences and having an effective dialog with those who work in such fields. Viewing oneself as being justified and judging others as misguided deprives man from efficient communication with others. A tolerance for miscellaneous viewpoints requires certain personal prerequisites. Possessing a high level of excitement intelligence in the most important factor in this regard. Excitement intelligence means the immediate ability to perceive one's excitements and emotions, distinguishing and re-knowing them, and then, controlling them. A review of Mulla Sadra's life, clearly reveals such an ability in his communicative behaviors. In the light of this ability, he has the tolerance for hearing opposing ideas and with a breadth of view, avoids any kind of narrow-mindedness and prejudiced rebut a writing concerning expert working in other fields

2- Linguistic Factors: The dialog among disciplines, in addition to psychological bases, requires linguistic communication and verbal agreement with various branches of sciences. Mulla Sadra's profound familiarity with several sciences and his mastery over the language and literature of all the sciences he uses in solving theological problems, have granted him the ability to establish an effective verbal relation with scholars working in different fields. He neither interprets the theologians' ideas in philosophical terms nor perceives gnostic views on theological grounds; rather, through a sympathetic understanding of the ideas of masters of different sciences, he tries to raise a challenge among them.

3. Logical Instruments: The third factor determining Mulla Sadra's success in his interdisciplinary program is the use of logical instruments. Such instruments include his methodological point of view and logical skills.

Firstly, he was well-aware of the multi-disciplinary nature of a great number of theological problems and knew that certain issues related to revelation, religions, man's relation to God, and the like were rooted in different sciences, and that one could never discover all their mysteries through restricting his attention to a particular discipline. It is, in fact, impossible to succeed in solving multi-disciplinary problems through following certain methodological restrictionism.

Second, he had clearly learnt through experience that reality is of different levels and believed that the discovery of the whole truth and the ultimate perception of issues is impossible. Therefore, he always tried to get as close as possible to the truth and reach a deeper level of perception. However, the attaining of a certain level did not make him so proud so that he would lose his ability to wish for attaining much deeper ones.

Third, Mulla Sadra, due to his ability of logical evaluation of ideas, could enter into the challenge among the disciplines, lead them to the right direction, and turn the trial of various ideas into the ladder of knowledge. His commitment to the principle of the priority of criticism to the complete understanding of the view being criticized plays the most important role in Mulla Sadra's success in this regard.

Fourth, Mulla Sadra possessed the skill of comparative examination and employed it in his interdisciplinary studies. Comparative examination is not only an aim but also a method in his works for a more profound understanding of issues. He did not merely intend to discover the agreements and disagreements; rather, his aim was to find access to a comprehensive knowledge of problems through perceiving all the approaches which were for or against an issue. He always tried to go beyond surface similarities and differences to know about all opposing or supporting positions and scrutinize them.

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