Ma`rifat Falsafi

In the epistemology of Muslim philosophers, there is no room for innate (fi¬ri) knowledge. By innate knowledge, they mean mind or mental contents, or in other words, cognitive forms (whether concepts or judgments) that actually exits in human mind from the beginning, rather than being acquired. Muslim epistemologists have criticized Kant for believing in the existence of such knowledge. However, a detailed review of Kant indicates that what he considers as innate is not mind or mental forms existing in mind. Therefore, the two schools of epistemology are not speaking about the same thing. Innate knowledge (fi¬rīyāt) as existing from the beginning is also denied Kant. On the other hand, what Kant considers as innate is accepted in the works of Muslim epistemologists in other expressions and patterns.