The Presuppositions of Science according to Positivism and to Mullāh Ṣadrā

The presuppositions of science have influence both on its deep structure and surface structure. Accordingly, different presuppositions contribute to the production of sciences which differ in terms of form and content. Since presuppositions have a logical relationship with the issues which are in the depth of knowledge, the change in the essential content of science leads to a change in its presuppositions and this change does not remain only in the exterior aspect and form of science. A studying of the presuppositions of science will enable us to integrate ontological and epistemological principles of a science with their issues and theories, and criticize them methodologically in case there is disharmony between them. According to positivism, mind is a white tablet, experience is the initial stage of induction and regularity of nature is the presupposition. Also, positivism rejects any kind of axiom and considers the method as a criterion for the separation between various disciplines. As for Mullāh Ṣadrā, he believes that sense is necessary in the process of natural science but it is not a sufficient condition. He considers experience as a kind of demonstration (burhān), establishes experience by the principle of causality and puts more emphasis on the subject matter in the separation between various disciplines.