Dualism of the Soul and the Body in the Philosophical System of Ibn Sīnā and Descartes

Document Type : Scholary

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Dialectical Theology Department, Qom University, Qom, Iran

2 MA Holder of Philosophy and Dialectical Theology, Qom University, Qom, Iran

Abstract

The problem of human's two domains has a significant influence on human knowledge, and since the human privilege in the universe to the other beings as well as the immateriality of the soul and so on is based on proving the soul's substance separately, it worths to search in this issue about the ideas of two Western and Islamic philosophers. Ibn Sīnā with arguments such as the "suspending man" proves this matter; Descartes also proves this matter with ''Cogito argument''. In this paper, after explaining the views of these two philosophers, we have tried to compare these two perspectives. Ibn Sīnā considers the soul as “the first perfection of the natural body” and Descartes defines it as a “thinking substance”. Both of them are dualists with two truly separate substances. In each of their proofs, simultaneously, they prove the soul's immateriality and its distinction from body and its self-consciousness. Their important difference is that the Ibn Sīnā's proof is a hypothetical state, while Descartes’ Cogito is a personal experience which can be attained by a little meditation. Both of them believe in the mutual influence of the soul and body.

Keywords

References

Akbarī, Riḍā, (1382), Jāwidānigī, printing, Qom: Garden Book, First Edition.
Copleston, Frederick, (1380), History of Greek and Roman Philosophy, vol. 4, translated by G. Āwān, Tehran: Sūrūsh and scholarly publications.
Cottingham, John, (1390), Culture Philosophy of Descartes. Translation: Alī Afḍalī, Tehran: Iranian Institute of Philosophy, First Edition.
Descartes, Rene, (1376), Descartes Philosophy, translation Manūchihr Sān‘ī Darrih Bīdī, Tehran: International Hudā, First Edition.
Id. (2003), Meditations on First Philosophy with Selections from the Objections and Replies, translated and edited by John Cottingham, Cambridge University Press.
Id. (1997), Principles of Philosophy. In: Chares-arvizo. Enrique.
Id. (1998), Discourse on Method, translated by Donald A. Cress, third Edition.
Fūrūghī, M.A., (1385), Full of Wisdom in Europe, Vol. 2, Pilgrims Bookstore, Tehran, Eighth Edition.
Ibn Sīnā, ῌussein b. Abdullāh, (1379), Isharat and Altnbyhat, al-ῌaidari Press, Vol. 2.  
Id. (1375), Ishārāt and Altanbīhāt, Vol. 3, Description: Ṭūsī, Qom: Nashr Albalāgh, first edition.
Id. (1383), Explanation of Ishārāt and Altanbīhāt : The Study of Ayatullāhῌassanzadih Āmulī,Describing Khuja Naṣīr al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī, Al-Jazā Allah I am Al-Hikmah, Būstān Book of Qom, Al-Taba Al-Awli.
Id. (1381),Ishārāt and Altanbīhāt, Investigated by Mujtabā al-Zāri‘ī, Būstān Book of Qom, al-Taba al-Awli.
Id. (1376), Al-ῌayāt: My Shafā Book, correction and Introduction: ῌassanzadih Āmulī, Qom: Islamic Propagation Office, Second Edition.
Id. (1411), Al-Ta‘līqāt, Research: Raḥmān Badawī, Qom: Islamic Confirm School Publishing Center, Second Edition.
Id. (1379), Nijāt, vol. 1, introduction and correction: Allāmah Muḥammad Taqī, Tehran: Tehran University Press, second edition.
Id. (1385), Nijāt (theology), translation of doctoral dissertation: Yathribī, Qom: Garden Book, First Edition.
Id. (1404), Al-Shafā (Physics breath), the introduction of Abraham Mdkvr, forsooth: Maḥmūd Kassem, Ayatullāh Mar‘ashi Najafī Library.
Id. (1363), The Translation of the Psychology of Al-Shafā "paint Alsads Books for Al-Shafā", Translation: Akbar Dānā Sirisht, Tehran: Amīr Kabīr Publishing Institute, Fifth Edition.
Mortimer j. Adler, (1994), Great books, v. 28, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. fifth printing.
Raḥmānī, Riḍā, (1389), Philosophical Self-knowledge, Qom: Institute of Park Press Book, Second Edition.
Misiak Henrik, & Stowett Sexton Burjinia, (1378), History and Psychology Schools, Translation by Aḥmad Riḍwānī, Tehran Publishing House.
Wilson, M.D ., (1978).Descartes. London. Routledge.
Richard H. Popkin, & Avrum Stroll, (1373), Introduction to the Philosophy of the West, Vol. 2, translation and additions: Seyyid Jalāl al-Dīn Shir Alī, Tehran: Wisdom, Eighth Edition.
Seasi, A., (1333), Ibn Sīnā’s Psychology and the Implementation of the New Psychology, Tehran: Tehran University.
Spinoza, Baruch, (1382), Description of the Principles of Descartes' Philosophy and Metaphysical Thinking, translated by M. Jahāngīrī,Tehran: Samt Publications.  
Akbarī, Riḍā, e-magazine, the Fundamental Source of Islamic Thought.
Birinjkār, Riḍā, (1389), Confidence in the Quran and Hadith, a quarterly review, Issue 59 Issue 3, Qom Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy, published by Islamic Propagation Office of Qom Seminary, P. 5.
ῌātamī, M., ( 1383), Psychology Mystery of Soul and Body, Journal of Knowledge, Vol. XIII, No. 9, No. 84, p. 65.
https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestalt
 
 
Journal of Contemporary Islamic Studies
Volume 1, Issue 2
July 2019
Pages 311-326

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics