Unity of the Soul (nafs) in Transcendent Philosophy and its Relationship with the Unity of Existence

In Transcendent Philosophy, the human self or soul (nafs) possesses a unity amidst multiplicity, just like the existential system. The unity of existence is the natural result of the fundamentality of existence and its gradation. However, whether Mullā Ṣadrā has gone beyond the idea of gradation to reach the particular unity of existence or not has been a contentious issue requiring clarification. Since understanding the soul paves the way for the understanding of existence, analyzing its characteristics can provide answer to the question that whether the unity of the soul resembles more to the gradational unity or to the particular unity of existence. Through this answer, the type of unity of existence also becomes apparent. The soul has a kind of unity with the body and its different stages, as well as with its faculties. Examining this unity through the application of the theory of substantial motion and the gradual development of the soul, reinforces its gradational nature. While, on the other hand, numerous evidences indicate the particular nature of the unity of the soul. These evidences include the inherence of the stages of the soul in relation to it, the quality of rationality, simplicity of the soul and its presence, and the analysis of the relationship between the soul and the body.