An Analysis, and Two Interpretations, of Mullā Rajabalī Tabrīzī’s View of Equivocity of “Existence”

Document Type : The Quarterly Jornal

Authors

1 PhD student of Islamic philosophy and theology, University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Irans

2 Assistant professor, Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy, Qom, Iran

Abstract

The equivocity (al-ishtirāk al-lafẓī) and univocity (al-ishtirāk al-maʿnawī) of the term “exist” was always a concern of recent Muslim philosophers (since Mīrdāmād until the present day). Some philosophers believe in the equivocity of “existence” and others adhere to its univocity. A proponent of equivocity is Mullā Rajabalī Tabrīzī. He believes that the term “exist” means two distinct things when it is used about the necessary being and possible beings. The main problem of this article is to provide an account of this thesis and the arguments of Tabrīzī for his view. We offer our critiques as well as two interpretations of his equivocity thesis. One interpretation was provided by Mullā Abd al-Raḥīm Damāwandī and the other by a student of Tabrīzī called Mīr Ismāʿīl Khātūnābādī. The method of this research is library research and descriptive-analytic. The rough conclusion of this paper is that Tabrīzī fails to articulate philosophical arguments for the equivocity of “existence,” and his evidence from religious texts is worthy of consideration only if we accept his peculiar method of exegesis. Of the two interpretations of Tabrīzī’s thesis of equivocity of “existence,” that of Mīr Ismāʿīl Khātūnābādī is more accurate and noteworthy in our view.

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Main Subjects

References

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Naqd Va Nazar
Volume 27, Issue 107 - Serial Number 107
September 2022
Pages 176-197

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