Innovative Aspects of the Theory of the Ideas in the Philosophy of Mulla Sadra

Innovative explanation of Mulla Sadra about the theory of the Ideas has a special importance. Since, he attempts to provide a new explanation about the nature, place and functions of the Ideas by using the principality and systematic ambiguity in reality of the existence which is different from the previous and even Plato. Accepting the theory of Ideas, he begins to prove them in the order of the whole universe with different ontological, epistemological, Gnostic and religious attitudes. Ontologically, it will be shown that an unchangeable issue is needed in order to ensure the unity, permanence and end of substantial movement of material existents. Epistemologically, Mulla Sadra argues that human soul observes the abstract and supreme examples of the material things in the intellectual perception which they are platonic Ideas. In Gnostic attitude, Platonic Ideas are regarded as resembling to immutable entities and divine attributes. And finally, in theological attitude, he cited to some verses of the Quran that they say that the real existence of this world is in immaterial world. Mulla Sadra considers in all of these words the existential relation such as causality, and epistemic one such as imitation and material things have ideas, and rule out the gap between intellectual and physical worlds by using the ambiguous degrees of the worlds. His attempt to explain more exactly Platonic Ideas leads to the consideration of the imaginal world which is mediate between the sensible and intelligible worlds. In this article, it is attempted to be considered the innovative aspects of Mulla Sadra’s explanation about the theory of Ideas and the measurement of success of this issue is shown.