Rereading the Definition of the Soul According to the Principles of Studying the Soul in Transcendental Philosophy

Fahima Shari'ati / Assistant Professor in Faculty of Theology and Islamic Knowledge Ferdowsi University Mashhad    Shariati-f@um.ac.ir

Received: 2021/03/01 - Accepted: 2021/09/21

ABSTRACT
Due to specific innovations such as essential motion and the physical origination of the soul, Mulla Sadra's study of the soul has explained the creation of the soul and its relationship with the body as well as the survival of the soul after the body in a distinctive manner. Besides, it goes beyond many challenges of the dualist philosophical study of the soul. In Mulla Sadra's transcendental philosophical study of soul, looking at the soul is both from the viewpoint of the essence and from the viewpoint of its belonging to the body. The definition pertaining to the soul's belonging to the body has been completely explained; however, it cannot be considered for the study of soul from the viewpoint of the essence. The definition originated from the study of soul based on the essence is something like the 'limits of things'. The extent of distancing from the matter means lacking, and the extent of realization of perception in any being defines the soul of that being and the distinctive features of that type, which includes all beings of the universe and is based on flow of life and knowledge in all particles of the universe. This type of giving identity to the soul is quite in harmony with the content of gradational unity of existence, the non-physical identity of soul and body, and evidences from the Quranic verse and human experience in various sciences.
KEY WORDS: Mulla Sadra, transcendental philosophy, soul, knowledge.