Ebn-e-Sina’s and Sadra's Psychology: Analysis of Definition of Soul

Various disciplines including philosophy have made concerted efforts to identify and define soul and Ibn-e-Sina and Mulla Sadra, as the developers of two important intellectual and philosophical schools, have also dealt with this important issue. Adopting a library research method, the present study is concerned with the views of these two thinkers on the issue of soul. It tries to find out the commonalities and differences between these two thinkers’ views on this issue. There is a relationship between the definitions and the principles of a philosophical system. In other words, differences in definitions reflect differences in the principles of the philosophical system. The study and analysis of the definition of the soul in the philosophical systems of Ibn-e-Sina and Mulla Sadra, in addition to clarifying and comparing the specific views of the two in this regard, can also lead to the identification of their theoretical foundations. Although defining the soul in terms of “first perfection for the natural body" and "being a simple single essence", is agreed upon by both philosophers, in other cases such as the origins of the soul, its persistence and etc., we find fundamental differences between the two that are addressed in this article.