Muhammad Taqi Yusefi / Associate Professor in Department of Philosophy Baqer al-Uloom University

Received: 2019/11/27 - Accepted: 2020/09/15                                                              yosofi@bou.ac.ir

ABSTRACT

The discussion on unity or duality of the soul and body has been, and is, the focus of attention by scholars. Although Mulla Sadra believes in two domains for the soul, he emphasizes on the unity of the soul and the body. It does not mean, however, that two independent essences are unified; rather, human soul is a being with orders; its lower order is the body and its higher order is the soul. Accordingly, Mulla Sadra’s theory can be called bi-domain unity. This is while the content of the verses and traditions cannot be considered consistent with his view as he wishes. This is because although the Quranic verses denoting the creation of the man from a material origin and in a gradual way are initially consistent with his theory, it is difficult to prove it as an evidence for this. On the contrary, there are many verses and traditions asserting the duality of the soul and the body.

KEY WORDS: soul, body, spirit, bi-domain unity, duality of the soul and body.