حکمت و فلسفه (Dec 2013)
Correspondence with Absolute Fixity as a Criterion for Knowledge in the Philosophical Mindset of Allameh Tabataba’i
Abstract
A suitable criterion for proper knowledge, is the ‘correspondence of knowledge with reality’, and in relation to ‘reality’ is introduced the concept of ‘the Inherent Essence’. One of Allameh Tabataba’i’s fundamental philosophical initiatives, which is related to both the field of ontology and the field of epistemology, is a novel theory concerning ‘the Inherent Essence’. In a comprehensive commentary, by indicating the effect of the philosophical fundaments of the origin of existence in the concept of ‘the Inherent Essence’ from an ontological aspect and through taking into account the problems of correspondence of knowledge with ‘the Inherent Essence’ from an epistemological aspect, Allameh Tabataba’i has interpreted ‘the Inherent Essence’ as absolute fixity and realization form or absolute fixity or general fixity. Based on this interpretation, Inherent Essence fixity is the general proof which contains both the actual creature and the affairs which come into existence and find fixity due to the credibility and the rooted exigent development of the intellect. In other words, Inherent Essence fixity consists of actual fixity and exigent fixity. This interpretation is a novel approach toward the correct criterion for proper knowledge, i.e. it provides a correspondence between knowledge and ‘the Inherent Essence’, since, based on this interpretation, the criterion for the assessment of proper knowledge is its correspondence with absolute fixity form.
