Ontological Analysis of the Theory of Forms from the Perspective of Ṣadr al-Mutaʾallihīn, with Emphasis on the Considerations of Muḥammad-Taqī Miṣbāḥ Yazdī
The Platonic Theory of Forms has long been regarded as a fundamental pillar of classical philosophical ontology. Within the Islamic intellectual tradition, this theory has undergone various reinterpretations, among which the most prominent is its reformulation in Mulla Sadra’s Transcendent Philosophy. Drawing on key principles such as the primacy of existence, the gradation of being, and substantial motion, Sadra defines Forms not as mental constructs or imaginary images, but as rational and independent beings. These entities function as the origin of the natural world in the arc of descent and as its ultimate perfection in the arc of ascent. This ontological understanding of Forms marks a fundamental departure from their conceptual and logical interpretation within the Peripatetic tradition. In contrast, Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi, adhering to Peripatetic principles and logic, critiques Sadra’s view across multiple axes—including the relationship between Forms and natural universals, their role in divine knowledge, their scope regarding ethical and immoral concepts, and ambiguity in their essence. Each critique, grounded in specific philosophical frameworks, challenges the intellectual or external realization of the Forms. Employing a descriptive-analytical method, this study explores Sadra’s responses to these critiques. The analysis shows that by redefining Forms as existential realities rather than mental abstractions, Transcendent Philosophy not only maintains theoretical coherence but effectively addresses many of Mesbah Yazdi’s objections. Ultimately, the study concludes that the Sadrian theory of Forms, backed by robust metaphysical foundations, is intellectually defensible and provides new avenues for dialogue within Islamic philosophy.
Davari chahardeh, V. , imanpour, M. , & Haghighat, S. (2025). Ontological Analysis of the Theory of Forms from the Perspective of Ṣadr al-Mutaʾallihīn, with Emphasis on the Considerations of Muḥammad-Taqī Miṣbāḥ Yazdī. Journal of Explorations in Philosophy and Religion, 4(2), 63-80. doi: 10.22080/jepr.2025.29763.1288
MLA
Vahid Davari chahardeh; mansour imanpour; Sohrab Haghighat. "Ontological Analysis of the Theory of Forms from the Perspective of Ṣadr al-Mutaʾallihīn, with Emphasis on the Considerations of Muḥammad-Taqī Miṣbāḥ Yazdī", Journal of Explorations in Philosophy and Religion, 4, 2, 2025, 63-80. doi: 10.22080/jepr.2025.29763.1288
HARVARD
Davari chahardeh, V., imanpour, M., Haghighat, S. (2025). 'Ontological Analysis of the Theory of Forms from the Perspective of Ṣadr al-Mutaʾallihīn, with Emphasis on the Considerations of Muḥammad-Taqī Miṣbāḥ Yazdī', Journal of Explorations in Philosophy and Religion, 4(2), pp. 63-80. doi: 10.22080/jepr.2025.29763.1288
CHICAGO
V. Davari chahardeh , M. imanpour and S. Haghighat, "Ontological Analysis of the Theory of Forms from the Perspective of Ṣadr al-Mutaʾallihīn, with Emphasis on the Considerations of Muḥammad-Taqī Miṣbāḥ Yazdī," Journal of Explorations in Philosophy and Religion, 4 2 (2025): 63-80, doi: 10.22080/jepr.2025.29763.1288
VANCOUVER
Davari chahardeh, V., imanpour, M., Haghighat, S. Ontological Analysis of the Theory of Forms from the Perspective of Ṣadr al-Mutaʾallihīn, with Emphasis on the Considerations of Muḥammad-Taqī Miṣbāḥ Yazdī. Journal of Explorations in Philosophy and Religion, 2025; 4(2): 63-80. doi: 10.22080/jepr.2025.29763.1288
