The problem of time and the quality of existence of priority and posteriority of its components are among the important issues in Islamic philosophy. In Ibn Sīnā’s view, the existing priority and posteriority among the components of time are of a temporal type; however, More
The problem of time and the quality of existence of priority and posteriority of its components are among the important issues in Islamic philosophy. In Ibn Sīnā’s view, the existing priority and posteriority among the components of time are of a temporal type; however, Suhrawardī believes that they are of a natural type. Mīr Dāmād has adopted a critical approach regarding Suhrawardī’s view by presenting two criticisms and finally trying to provide another view of natural priority and posteriority as components of time in addition to temporal priority and posteriority. The quiddative unity of the components of time and the consideration of external separation in temporal priority and posteriority comprise the essence of Mīr Dāmād’s criticism. He believes that the impossibility of the gathering of elements of time with each other confirms the truth of temporal priority and posteriority, and the need of some elements of time to some others and their dependence on them confirms the truth of natural priority and posteriority. This paper firstly explains Suhrawardī’s view in this regard and, then, after an accurate analysis and investigation of Mīr Dāmād’s criticisms, critically examines a part of his approach to the problem based on an analytic comparative method.
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