حکمت معاصر (Dec 2016)
Allameh Tabatabaei’s Structure of Thought: Moderate Rationalism and Wisely Faithfulness
Abstract
Allameh Taba-tabaei (1281-1360 Hijri) is the first contemporary thinker who has paid serious attention to epistemological discussions. In his book, philosophy principles and realism method, written to clarify the contrariety between Islamic philosophy principles and materialism, he removes doubts instilled by sophists, skeptics and empiricism about confidence in reason (intellect) in attaining truths, and introduces Islamic philosophy as a realistic constitution based on rationalism rather than idealism. Allameh has been well-informed of the serious attention of European philosophers especially after Kant to epistemological discussions, and has had conscientious effort to explain the defense of Islamic philosophers of intellect dignity and the validity of its issues. He has also paid attention to the unique role of intellect in the comprehension of religious facts, and comments on important points in Almizan-Exegesis regarding this issue. It can be said that Allameh Taba-tabaei defended rationality in two fronts. First, against excessive sensualism and positivism that resulted in negation and rejection of all kinds of philosophical and religious sovereignty, and culminated in skepticism and relativism in all realms of belief and ethics. Second, against literalism (formalism) and Akhbarism, which through denying the authority of rationally, disparaged the bases of revelation itself and have led to agnosticism and obscurantism at the same time. This article considers the position of Allameh on these two issues.
