The cultivation of the ability to "think" as the fundamental principle of "philosophical living" from the perspective of Mulla Sadra

Document Type : Research Article

Author

Assistant Professor of Ahl al -Bayt International University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The cultivation of the ability to think is a fundamental element in the project of philosophical living, which can be explored within Mulla Sadra's philosophy. Accordingly, the main question of this article is: how can we relate "Sadra's anthropological foundations" as a "model for the development and deepening of thought" and present a framework for this relation, centered around the project of philosophical living? The article's hypothesis is based on the possibility of such a relation. In this way, if the conception of a "program" for any model of living requires rational thinking, then at a deeper level, and based on Mulla Sadra's philosophy, the elevation of reason itself is considered a program for philosophical living. Moreover, the actualization of reasoning is dependent on the initial potential and capacity for this process to occur. The assumption of this insight, which not only provides an abstract-philosophical justification but can also align with the biological evolution of the human species, reinforces the necessity of imagining distinct levels of reason. Subsequently, in the process of cultivating existential-mental abilities, this potential reaches its full actualization, and reason is realized in its most complete form. Thus, every individual has the ability to cultivate their existential aspects through the process of "philosophical living." In Sadra's thought, this transcendental journey begins with the practice of thinking and culminates in a distinctive mode of "being" and a wondrous way of perceiving entities, guided by mental rules and practical principles.

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References

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History

  • Receive Date: 24 April 2024
  • Revise Date: 23 November 2024
  • Accept Date: 02 December 2024

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