Analysis of Mulla Sadra's ViewConcerning Monism and Dualism in "Soul-Body" Problem

In psychology, Mulla Sadra's initiatives have changed forms and contents of many issues. Nevertheless, in some issues, he has followed the predecessors; and, this has caused some ambiguity in interpreting some Sadra's ideas. The main question in this study is: "Is Mulla Sadra's approach to the problem of "soul-body" a monist one or a dualist one? If it is monist, may it be reconciled with his dualist approach adopted in some other cases? In the present article, three approaches have been identified on the basis of Sadra's writings and principles: 1- an approach in which Mulla Sadra accepts duality between the soul and body; 2- a view according to which he believes in unity of the soul and body; and 3- an approach in which he thinks that the soul is the same as body. In the present article, the author has tried to prove that Mulla Sadra's view is based on gradated unity; and there is no inconsistence between duality and unity of the soul and body. Then arguments posed by Sadra to prove unity of the soul and body and that the two are the same have been discussed and it has been maintained that some of his arguments do not prove his claim.