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Hosseini Sangchal A. Attributing Quiddity to Existence in Dawani’s Opinion and Objections of Ghiyath al-Din and Sadr-al-Din Dashtaki. jpt 2025; 5 (1) :97-108
URL: http://jpt.modares.ac.ir/article-34-79511-en.html
URL: http://jpt.modares.ac.ir/article-34-79511-en.html
Department of Islamic Philosophy, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran
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Introduction
The problem of attributing quiddity to existence is one of the most important issues in the history of Islamic philosophy. Fakhr Razi's problems with Ibn Sina gave a new life to this issue [Ibn Sina, 1996: 99; Razi, 2005: 361]. Philosophers after Fakhr Razi are trying to answer these problems [Hilli, 2009: 91; Tusi, 1996: 587]. Sadr-al-Din Dashtaki, Jalal al-Din Dawani, and Ghiyath al-Din Dashtaki are three important members of the Shiraz school of philosophers. Each of these three philosophers has provided a solution to this problem. Each of these three philosophers' solutions has its special principles.
Dawani's special principles
The Theory of Predication
The Theory of Predication is one of the most important principles in Devani's thought. Each of these three philosophers has a special point of view on this issue, and to prove their point of view, they criticize the opposite points of view [Ghoshji, 2014: 110].
The referent of Predication
The main focus of Dawani's discussion is the referent of Predication. Dawani says that to analyze the referent of predication, we need to distinguish between four propositions: "human is reasonable", "Michael is blind", "The sky is above the earth", and "This wall is black" [Ghoshji, 2014: 328]. The problem of attributing quiddity to existence is analyzing simple whetherness such as "There is Michael".
Simple whetherness
Simple whetherness such as "There is Michael" is a member of which category of the above four? Dawani has two analyses about simple whetherness, such as "There is Michael" [Ghoshji, 2014: 113, 208, 214]. Based on the first analysis, he says "There is Michael" means "Michael has existence". Dawani says simple whetherness such as " There is Michael" In the first analysis should be analyzed like " Michael is blind". Based on the second analysis, he says "There is Michael" means that "Michael has a connection to existence" not that "Michael has existence". According to the author, simple whetherness such as "There is Michael" in the second analysis cannot be analyzed like "Michael is blind" [Ghoshji, 2014: 210, 233; Dawani, NDb: 55; Dawani, 2002: 129]. Also, simple statements like " There is Michael" cannot be analyzed like "The sky is above the earth". According to the author, Dawani should probably believe in the fifth referent of Predication.
The Rule of Presupposition
Another principle of Dawani is the Rule of Presupposition [Ghoshji, 2014: 126, 399]. The presupposition rule generally states, “The proof of something for something requires the proof of what it is proven for, not what is proven”. This rule has important effects on some philosophical problems: the proving of mental being based on presupposition rule in cases such as “co-existence of two contradictions contrary to the co-existence of two contraries”, the truth of affirmative propositions, the analysis of the problem of qualification the essence to being, the analysis of privative propositions such as “Michael is blind” analysis of the philosophical secondary intelligible. Dawani, regarding the necessity or non-necessity of the proposition in the presupposition rule, refers to the cases of violations. According to the authors, there are four cases of violations, and accordingly, he abandoned the presupposition rule and replaced it with the implication. This reading of Dawani’s presupposition rule will be very useful in interpreting Mullah Sadra’s philosophy. Some of Mulla Sadra's arguments on the primacy of being, Mulla Sadra’s final analysis of the qualification of A to B and the theory of the conversion of predication, the reconstruction of the definition of the secondary philosophical intelligible and the first intelligible in the transcendental philosophy are examples of the effects of Dawani’s presupposition rule in the foundations the transcendental philosophy. Dawani gives a special analysis of the presupposition rule, which must be interpreted in the totality of his thought. Dawani accepts the prediction theory as “conceptual otherness-unity in being” and considers unity both by itself and by accident. This attitude helps him to create a development in the corresponding of prediction and to establish a developed theory of qualification. The presupposition rule consists of three parts: the necessity of proof of what is proven, proof of what it is proven for, and the previous proof of what it is proven for. Dawani’s presupposition rule is organized under the influence of all the above foundations, and based on that, proof of what it is proven for is necessary. Still, the proof of what is proven is not necessary. In the end, Dawani gives up on previous proof of what it is proven for and the presupposition and considers the implication sufficient due to many violations.
Dawani’s solution
According to Dawani, in the second analysis of "There is Michael", the problem of attributing quiddity to existence is solved because the second analysis of "There is Michael" means “Michael has a connection to existence", not "Michael has existence" [Dawani, 2002: 133]. According to Dawani, in the first analysis of "There is Michael", the problem of attributing quiddity to existence can be solved by distinguishing between a container that attributes quiddity to existence and a container in which the attributing quiddity to existence is there [Ghoshji, 2014: 228]. According to Dawani, existence is not attributed to quiddity outside. Existence is not attributed to quiddity in the mind. Still, existence is attributed to quiddity in the thing in itself, and in this case, the problem of attributing quiddity to existence arises again [Ghoshji, 2014: 309; Dawani, NDb: 274, 276]. Dawani tries with his special analysis of the Rule of Presupposition solves this problem. Existence is attributed to quiddity in the thing in itself, but quiddity does not have to pre-exist [Dawani, NDb: 272].
Conclusion
Existence may be attributed to quiddity in the thing-in-itself and quiddity after existence in the thing-in-itself. Dawani's vision had a great impact on Mirdamad and Molla Sadra. Dawani's works and views are important sources of Mirdamad and Molla Sadra's thought.
The problem of attributing quiddity to existence is one of the most important issues in the history of Islamic philosophy. Fakhr Razi's problems with Ibn Sina gave a new life to this issue [Ibn Sina, 1996: 99; Razi, 2005: 361]. Philosophers after Fakhr Razi are trying to answer these problems [Hilli, 2009: 91; Tusi, 1996: 587]. Sadr-al-Din Dashtaki, Jalal al-Din Dawani, and Ghiyath al-Din Dashtaki are three important members of the Shiraz school of philosophers. Each of these three philosophers has provided a solution to this problem. Each of these three philosophers' solutions has its special principles.
Dawani's special principles
The Theory of Predication
The Theory of Predication is one of the most important principles in Devani's thought. Each of these three philosophers has a special point of view on this issue, and to prove their point of view, they criticize the opposite points of view [Ghoshji, 2014: 110].
The referent of Predication
The main focus of Dawani's discussion is the referent of Predication. Dawani says that to analyze the referent of predication, we need to distinguish between four propositions: "human is reasonable", "Michael is blind", "The sky is above the earth", and "This wall is black" [Ghoshji, 2014: 328]. The problem of attributing quiddity to existence is analyzing simple whetherness such as "There is Michael".
Simple whetherness
Simple whetherness such as "There is Michael" is a member of which category of the above four? Dawani has two analyses about simple whetherness, such as "There is Michael" [Ghoshji, 2014: 113, 208, 214]. Based on the first analysis, he says "There is Michael" means "Michael has existence". Dawani says simple whetherness such as " There is Michael" In the first analysis should be analyzed like " Michael is blind". Based on the second analysis, he says "There is Michael" means that "Michael has a connection to existence" not that "Michael has existence". According to the author, simple whetherness such as "There is Michael" in the second analysis cannot be analyzed like "Michael is blind" [Ghoshji, 2014: 210, 233; Dawani, NDb: 55; Dawani, 2002: 129]. Also, simple statements like " There is Michael" cannot be analyzed like "The sky is above the earth". According to the author, Dawani should probably believe in the fifth referent of Predication.
The Rule of Presupposition
Another principle of Dawani is the Rule of Presupposition [Ghoshji, 2014: 126, 399]. The presupposition rule generally states, “The proof of something for something requires the proof of what it is proven for, not what is proven”. This rule has important effects on some philosophical problems: the proving of mental being based on presupposition rule in cases such as “co-existence of two contradictions contrary to the co-existence of two contraries”, the truth of affirmative propositions, the analysis of the problem of qualification the essence to being, the analysis of privative propositions such as “Michael is blind” analysis of the philosophical secondary intelligible. Dawani, regarding the necessity or non-necessity of the proposition in the presupposition rule, refers to the cases of violations. According to the authors, there are four cases of violations, and accordingly, he abandoned the presupposition rule and replaced it with the implication. This reading of Dawani’s presupposition rule will be very useful in interpreting Mullah Sadra’s philosophy. Some of Mulla Sadra's arguments on the primacy of being, Mulla Sadra’s final analysis of the qualification of A to B and the theory of the conversion of predication, the reconstruction of the definition of the secondary philosophical intelligible and the first intelligible in the transcendental philosophy are examples of the effects of Dawani’s presupposition rule in the foundations the transcendental philosophy. Dawani gives a special analysis of the presupposition rule, which must be interpreted in the totality of his thought. Dawani accepts the prediction theory as “conceptual otherness-unity in being” and considers unity both by itself and by accident. This attitude helps him to create a development in the corresponding of prediction and to establish a developed theory of qualification. The presupposition rule consists of three parts: the necessity of proof of what is proven, proof of what it is proven for, and the previous proof of what it is proven for. Dawani’s presupposition rule is organized under the influence of all the above foundations, and based on that, proof of what it is proven for is necessary. Still, the proof of what is proven is not necessary. In the end, Dawani gives up on previous proof of what it is proven for and the presupposition and considers the implication sufficient due to many violations.
Dawani’s solution
According to Dawani, in the second analysis of "There is Michael", the problem of attributing quiddity to existence is solved because the second analysis of "There is Michael" means “Michael has a connection to existence", not "Michael has existence" [Dawani, 2002: 133]. According to Dawani, in the first analysis of "There is Michael", the problem of attributing quiddity to existence can be solved by distinguishing between a container that attributes quiddity to existence and a container in which the attributing quiddity to existence is there [Ghoshji, 2014: 228]. According to Dawani, existence is not attributed to quiddity outside. Existence is not attributed to quiddity in the mind. Still, existence is attributed to quiddity in the thing in itself, and in this case, the problem of attributing quiddity to existence arises again [Ghoshji, 2014: 309; Dawani, NDb: 274, 276]. Dawani tries with his special analysis of the Rule of Presupposition solves this problem. Existence is attributed to quiddity in the thing in itself, but quiddity does not have to pre-exist [Dawani, NDb: 272].
Conclusion
Existence may be attributed to quiddity in the thing-in-itself and quiddity after existence in the thing-in-itself. Dawani's vision had a great impact on Mirdamad and Molla Sadra. Dawani's works and views are important sources of Mirdamad and Molla Sadra's thought.
Article Type: Original Research |
Subject:
Metaphysics (Islamic)
Received: 2025/01/20 | Accepted: 2025/03/3 | Published: 2025/03/17
Received: 2025/01/20 | Accepted: 2025/03/3 | Published: 2025/03/17
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