The Function of Islamic Philosophy in Establishing Affirmative Ontological and Epistemological Principles of Theology (Kalam)

Some opponents of Islamic philosophy think that philosophy is a harmful and destructive science which lacks any positive function and scientific and epistemic benefit. Therefore, they hold that all other Islamic sciences are independent of philosophy and "reject" the idea that it influences and contributes to these sciences. The present paper believes that Islamic philosophy is a very "useful" and "influential" science and has several functions in different epistemic fields. One of these functions is establishing affirmative ontological and epistemological principles of theology (Kalam). Theologians have made distinct the need of theology for philosophy and its positive and "useful" function in theology by borrowing the "principle of the impossibility of infinite regression" from philosophy, as the affirmative ontological principle of theology, and "the principle of possibility of attaining definite knowledge compatible with reality" as the affirmative epistemological principle of theology. A descriptive-analytical method is used in this paper.