The views of Fakhr al-Din al-Razi and Khajeh Nasir al-Din al-Tusi on the Ontology of Universals

The views of Fakhr al-Din al-Razi and Khajeh Nasir al-Din al-Tusi on the Ontology of Universals[1]

Dariush Babaeian[2], Mohammad Saeedimehr[3], Hossein Hooshangi[4]

Introduction

Philosophers and theologians since the early time sought to develope and explaine the problem of universals. This problem has two intervelated diemntion: Ontological and Epistemological. These two sides in fact were not explecitly articulated by early thinkers. In this study the ontological aspect is considered. Fakhr al-Din al-Razi and Khajeh Nasir al-Din al-Tusi have novel doctrines and ideas in this respect which have not gotten appropriale attention. In this article those are comparisoned and studied to illuminate their answer to the question of how the existence of universals can be explained. Reveading and comparing their views. We recogrlise some new assesment of the problem and some abscurities will be resolved. But alongsid these merits, there are some in consistensies in their ideas.

Universal in its technical sense means possibility of predictability to manifulds. This very meaning of universal is called logical universal which is a secondary logical intelligib and mental entity alone. Another one is rational universal which is essence with the universality and this one also just exists in mind. The third one is natural universal like human kind. The existence of latter one is controversial. The ontological problem of universals is just about this one.

Fakhr Razi malained that natural universal as a common essence in things is a real entity but logical universal as mere universality has an essence of relation. As a matter of fact his views about the reality or mentality of category of relation are not consistent every where. The most confioversial is his argument about rational universal and its essence. contvary to other philosopher, Fakhr denies “universal mental forms” and bosed on his theory of relational nature of knowledge. doas not regard the universal as an mental ontity and form.

Khajeh Nasir also believes that universal eqivocally used in three senses. In his view natural universal is more important. But his views about if are different and non- compatible: 1) natural universal has a mental existence alone. 2) natural universal has also an external existence. The predicability of this one to the external individuals prove this.

The rational universal qua rational (conditioned with being common) is just in mind. The realtion of universals with considerations of quiddily: problem of mode of existence of universals has an iutimate relation with problem of universals and individuals. Quiddity regarding it,s qualifications and conditious, can be considered in three ways: “quiddity qua quiddity”, “natural universal”, and non- condition as the source of condition”. One of the challenqable question in this regard is the status of natural universal in these three consideration of quiddity. Both of the Fakhr and Khate considered natural universal as “quiddity qua quiddity” which is equal to “non-condition as a division”.

Conclusion

Two theologians have fundamental differences about mode of existence of universals and the status of three senses of universal. Fakhr has taken logical universal as the relation and has not a perpetual doctrine about mode of existence of relation. But Khaje explicitly has taken logical cuncepts as mental. Fakhr believes in external existence of natural universal but Khaje view in this regard is contradictional. Regarding knowledge as mere relation, Fakhr contrary to Khaje does not believe in rational universal as quiddity and does not take nature of thing as medium of perception of thing.

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[1] - Research Paper, Received: Confirmed:

[2]- Phd Student in Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Department of Philosophy, Faculty of law, Theology and Political Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, (babaeiandariush@gmail.com).

[3] - Professor Department of Philosophy, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. (Corresponding Author), (saeedi@modares.ac.ir).

[4] - Associate Professor Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Theology, Imam Sadegh (As) University, Tehran, Iran, (h.hooshangi@yahoo.com).