The Fundamentality of Existence (A©ālat al-Wujūd)

The main question with which this essay is concerned is the fundamentality of existence (A©ālat al-wujūd). It does not follow the typical procedure, that is, by explaining the technical terms first, but both the meaning of “the fundamentality of existence and conventionality of quiddity” and the argument for them, are demonstrated through a philosophical dialogue, employing no technical terms. The content is arranged in such a way that if the reader begins, as the text proposes, to deal with it as a respondent and then as a critic and questioner, he/she will have no difficulty in grasping the depth of the idea. However, the next part, which supplements the work, illustrates the idea in technical terms. To do so, some terms like “quiddity”, “existent”, “accidental”, “substantial”, “conventional” and “fundamental” are defined before the main idea of the discussion is reviewed. The final part of the essay sheds light on the differences and consequences of the two competing theories, i.e. the fundamentality of existence and that of quiddity.