Ma`rifat Falsafi

The theory of human nature (fiṭrat) occupied the central stage in the philosophical investigations of many 17th-century Western philosophers. It appeared as a philosophical, psychological, and epistemological theory that included a variety of elements and ideas. This theory is also considered as one of the challenging points of contact and philosophical criticism between Islamic and Western philosophies. This theory, on the one hand, had a historical background, and on the other, manifested itself differently in the viewpoints of the next philosophers and thinkers. This article is an attempt to shed light on the historical background of the theory before 17th century Europe, and to follow its course of development in the next period (without engaging in a discussion on the Cartesian and Kantian philosophers). Such an historical review is meant to achieve two goals: first, it can show the width of such a theory in the mind of different philosophers, and second, it may help better understand the challenge, between Muslim and some Western philosophers, revolving around the issue of Fiṭrat.