The Functionalities of Imagination in the Process of ‘Ends-Thinking’ and ‘Ends-Choosing’ in the Issuance of Acts

Abstract

‘Thinking about ends, ‘measuring the possible ends’ and ‘the final selection of end or purpose’, are the first stage (the stage of cognition) of the stages of issuance of action for Muslim philosophers in their analysis of the philosophy of action. Analyses regarding the recognition of end and purpose at this stage, are epistemological, therefore are influenced by human perceptual powers, and particularly the mode of imagination and its effect on the scientific basis of act issuance. The main issue of this research is to recognize the place, function, and the influencing mechanism of imagination in the cognition and selection of ends (goals). The results show the effective and extensive influence of imagination power on ‘human self-knowledge’ and ‘the selection of goals’. Motive and will to do a particular behavior or act is also based on the needs and perfectionism of the subject, which is formed in the light of the images which imagination power constructs of the subject and its surrounding objects, so that behavioral goals and motivations are belonged to human’s imaginative images, not external facts.

Keywords

• Mulla Sadra
• IMAGINATION
• behavior
• end
• action