Ma`rifat Falsafi

Philosophy deals with the “existent”. Existent is usually analyzed into existence and quiddity. Investigating into existence and quiddity, philosophers have attached principality to existence. Some of them have considered existences as heterogeneous. However, transcendent philosophers have turned to gradation of existence denying heterogeneity of existences. On the other hand, men of mystic knowledge have considered existence as a particular one. Having a more profound consideration, Mulla Sadra has referred the multiplicity of existence to manifestations of the reality of existence, and like the men of mystic knowledge has counted the reality of existence – the very existence of God- as a particular one. Hence he has referred the hierarchical multiplicity to existences and effects which are the manifestations of that reality, and there is no gradation between the reality of existence and its manifestations but based on subjective consideration. The claim of the men of mystic knowledge that the reality of existence is a particular one, and the rest are its manifestations can be proved in three ways: Firstly through the infinity of the necessary being, secondly through the pure connection of the beings other than the necessary being to Him, and thirdly through the definition of gradation and the property or quality of the necessary by itself. Therefore, beginning with the principality of existence and reaching the particular unity of existence, Mulla Sadra’s philosophy has considered the multiple existences as manifestations of that particular one.