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  1 - A Review of the Development of Semantics of Divine Attributes in Islamic Thinkers
  Abdollah Mirahmadi
  One of the extensive realms of tawhidi (related to oneness of God) problems pertains to the explanation of Divine Attributes. The existence of such attributes in different Qur’anic verses and traditions has always raised a serious question among Islamic mutikallimun as More

  One of the extensive realms of tawhidi (related to oneness of God) problems pertains to the explanation of Divine Attributes. The existence of such attributes in different Qur’anic verses and traditions has always raised a serious question among Islamic mutikallimun as to which linguistic principles could assist in grasping a correct understanding of them. In the history of Muslim thinkers three main approaches have been developed regarding the explanation of Divine Attributes: The first approach is supported by anthropomorphists (mushabbaha), literalists (hashwiyyah), corporealists (mujassamah), and then revivalists (salafiyya); while interpreting the verses on attributes based on their surface meaning, they maintain that predicative Divine Attributes can be demonstrated through assimilation and qualification. The second approach is mainly prevalent among the people of hadith; while ascribing predicative attributes to God, they are content with the mere explanation of the quality of their attribution and leave the understanding of their meanings to God. Unlike the proponents of the previous two approaches, those of the third approach, despite some methodological differences in interaction with attributes whose primary appearance is in contrast with conclusive rational principles, have adopted the method of t’awil or esoteric exegesis. A group of early thinkers and, following them, the Mu‘tazilites and Shi‘ites are among the true advocates of this approach. Here, following the method of content analysis, the author intends to provide an accurate account of these three approaches and, at the same time, evaluate their efficiency. Manuscript profile
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  2 - Plato’s Mathematical Ontology in Islamic and Western Interpretations
  Mohammad Saket Nalkiashari Ali Naqi  Baqershahi
  Mathematics has always been considered to be among certain sciences; however, the objects of mathematical knowledge have continually occupied the minds of mathematicians and philosophers of mathematics. The theory stating that the objects of mathematics consist of a num More

  Mathematics has always been considered to be among certain sciences; however, the objects of mathematical knowledge have continually occupied the minds of mathematicians and philosophers of mathematics. The theory stating that the objects of mathematics consist of a number of certain immaterial and separate affairs which are independent of the world of the human mind and thought has been attributed to Plato, and several realist philosophers who, in spite of all their differences, have been called neo-Platonists. Commentators of Plato have failed in providing any clear and consistent interpretation, whether in terms of ontology or semantics, of his philosophy of mathematics, which has resulted in some misunderstandings in this regard and some ambiguity in his whole philosophy. When completing his PhD dissertation at the University of Bristol, Paul Pritchard presented an interpretation of Plato’s ontology, according to which the objects of mathematics are the same sensible things. Here, the allegory of the divided line has been interpreted differently, and the existing ambiguities have been removed. In this paper, the authors have examined this interpretation and compared it with other interpretations of Plato’s ontology of mathematics. They also refer to its effects on Plato’s philosophy of mathematics in general and reveal that, unlike its traditional interpretation, his philosophy of mathematics does not conflict with Benacerraf’s identification problem. Moreover, the authors demonstrate that, based on Mulla Sadra’s arguments, the theory of Ideas is a completely consistent theory in terms of ontology and, thus, Plato’s philosophy of mathematics is a consistent body of philosophy. Manuscript profile
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  3 - Middle Platonism: Introduction and Analysis of Religious and Philosophical Theorems
  Mahbobeh  Hadina
  20.1001.1.20089589.1400.12.2.8.6
  Middle Platonism is one of the most important philosophical-religious schools of the first century BC. While claiming to revive the original Platonic school, it is rooted in the fundamental epistemological and philosophical theorems of that time including the essence of More

  Middle Platonism is one of the most important philosophical-religious schools of the first century BC. While claiming to revive the original Platonic school, it is rooted in the fundamental epistemological and philosophical theorems of that time including the essence of the One, God as Creator, descent of the soul, rational knowledge, and salvation. A study of middle Platonists’ works reveals that the philosophical principles of this school are mainly based on a reinterpretation of certain religious-philosophical theorems of Platonic, Stoic, Pythagorean, and gnostic schools. In fact, a clear trace of the concern for explaining the problem of the oneness and transcendence of the essence of Almighty, the quality of the creation of the world, and the presence of evil therein can be witnesses in the works of the philosophers that advocate the mentioned schools. The fundamental principles of middle Platonism are basically religious, and this school is mainly concerned with such topics as the duality of the essence of divinity in two concepts, God as the Maker or Creator of the world, the duality of the spiritual and material origin of Man and the descent of the soul, cosmology and the material structure and fate of the world, eschatology with an emphasis on the theorem of Man’s salvation through rational knowledge, and finally the discussion of ethics and the definition of its practical frameworks for attaining rational perfection, which is necessary for salvation. The present paper aims to explain and provide a comparative analysis of the principles and quality of the formation of the philosophical theorems of Middle Platonism as a philosophical-religious school. Manuscript profile
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  4 - A Study of the Principles of the Impossibility of Developing a Preference and Preponderance Without a Preponderant in Epicurean and Stoic Philosophers
  Samane  Qanbari Varnusfaderani Hassan Fathi Majid  Sadremajles Morteza  Shajari
  20.1001.1.20089589.1401.12.4.2.8
  The principles of the impossibility of preponderance without a preponderant and the impossibility of developing a preference are among the most important principles of Islamic philosophy that have been widely discussed. Since the related debates have provoked several co More

  The principles of the impossibility of preponderance without a preponderant and the impossibility of developing a preference are among the most important principles of Islamic philosophy that have been widely discussed. Since the related debates have provoked several contradictory ideas, their study aims to clarify many of the problems in Islamic philosophy. The purpose of this paper is to examine the principles of the impossibility of preponderance without a preponderant and developing a preference in Epicurean and Stoic philosophies. These two principles play extremely diverse functions in these two schools of philosophy and are utilized in ethical, epistemological, and physical discussions. Stoics have completely accepted the principle of the impossibility of developing a preference. They also agree with the principle of the impossibility of preponderance without a preponderant but believe that it is based on the principle of the impossibility of making a preference. Stoics maintain that preponderance without a preponderant leads to motion without a cause. Epicureans agree with the principle of the impossibility of developing a preference at a macroscopic scale or in the realm of bodies and events. However, they reject it in the microscopic realm of atoms at least in the case of their diversion. Epicureans accept the principle of the impossibility of preponderance without a preponderant and believe that it is generally possible. However, they acknowledge that it is discreditable in some cases and allowed in some others. They hold that preponderance without a preponderant is a supreme example of Man’s free will. Manuscript profile
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  5 - The Relationship between Daemon in Ancient Greek and Div in Zoroastrian Wisdom and Jinn in Islamic Philosophy
  Hojjatullah  Askarizadeh
  20.1001.1.20089589.1402.14.3.5.9
  There are some shared truths regarding daemon in ancient Greek, div in Zoroastrian wisdom, and jinn in Islamic theology. Although daemon is in some cases distinguished from theos in Greek philosophy, it is usually confused with other divine existents, thus creating the More

  There are some shared truths regarding daemon in ancient Greek, div in Zoroastrian wisdom, and jinn in Islamic theology. Although daemon is in some cases distinguished from theos in Greek philosophy, it is usually confused with other divine existents, thus creating the challenge of how ancient Greek gods gradually turned into div and Satan during the Christian period and after that. In the same vein, there is not only a distinction but also total contrast and opposition between Divine gods and divs in Zoroastrian wisdom. The former is divine and good while the latter is evil and satanic. There is also an existent called “jinn” in Islamic worldview and teachings that is neither angel-like nor of an absolute evil nature. On the one hand, it is close to the world of immateriality and angels and can perform supernatural and superhuman acts; on the other hand, it is the origin of evil and wicked affairs in several cases, thus deserving the name of Satan. However, it is possible to explain the challenges related to ancient Greek daemons more accurately based on Muslim philosophers’ approach in classifying spiritual and immaterial existents and the distinctions that they make among angels, good jinns, and evils. This endeavor plays an important role in understanding the roots of the ideas held in ancient schools of philosophy, particularly in ancient Greece, so that one can clarify the role of daemons in ancient Greece more effectively. Manuscript profile