Plotinus and Mulla Sadra on Attributes of Soul; Review and Comparison

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this research is to study, in a descriptive-analytic way, one important similarity, among the other, between the philosophical views of Plotinus and Mulla Sadra on ‘soul’ in three periods: before, along, and after the body. Both have accepted the existence of soul before the body with minor differences. Regarding the second period, Plotinus believes that soul is essentially separated from body despite some interactions. But Mulla Sadra holds that soul in some periods is united with body but due to substantial motion it gradually leaves the body and finally departs the body entirely by death. According to Plotinus, soul returns to its essential position by death but retains worldly imaginations. But Mulla Sadra holds that soul totally leaves the body and lives in self-created formal and otherworldly body. The major difference between the two philosophers is that Plotinus believes in reincarnation for undeveloped humans, while Mulla Sadra totally rejects the idea of reincarnation.

Keywords

• Keywords: Soul
• body
• Plotinus
• MULLA SADRA