Critique and Evaluation of the Most Famous Argument of Sadrian Principality of Existence with Its Manifold Assertions

Deliberating on Mulla Sadra Shirazi’s works, we realize that the most important or at least the most famous positive argument of the principality of existence is the argument by the causality of existence in certainty of objects (quiddities) which is presented as two reasons in Al-Mashaer merely because of the difference in the assertions and not the substance. Furthermore, some contemporary scholars have considered Molla Hadi Sabzevary and Molla Modarres Zonouzi’s assertions of this argument as new arguments. As a result, different assertions of the same argument are considered four separate arguments due to disregarding the philosophic principles enshrined in these assertions, the content of their premises and their conclusions. Further confirmation of this claim comes from similar criticisms raised by different scholars against these assertions. In this regard, theory of attribution of quiddities to the forger, emphasis on quiddities being forged in essence without the merits of restraining and the problem of “begging the question” in terms of some subjective principles have attracted the attention of the critics more than anything else. The aim of the present paper, is to describe each of the assertions of this argument and then reflect on the critiques of critics on this argument after explaining the equality of these arguments in terms of their premises and their substance, and also intermediate and initial assumptions. In this respect, it is concluded that the problem of begging the question is more dominant in the sbove-mentioned argument.