A Comparative Analysis of Mulla Sadra’s Theory of the Unity of the City (Polis) and Aristotle’s Concept of Politeia

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. student of Transcendental Wisdom, Department of Philosophy and Contemporary Wisdom, Faculty of Philosophy, Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies (IHCS), Tehran, Iran.

2 Associate Professor Department of Philosophy and Contemporary Wisdom, Faculty of Philosophy, Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies (IHCS), Tehran, Iran .

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Methodology of Science, Faculty of History and Philosophy of Science, Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies (IHCS), Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

According to Plato and Aristotle, politeia (πολιτεία) is the soul (ψυχὴ; psyche) or form of the city (πόλις) and serves to address the problem of the unity of the city. The unity of the city (polis), its citizens (πολίτης; polites), citizen action (πολιτεύω; politeuo), and statesmen (πολιτικός; politikos) is achieved through politeia. According to Aristotle, politeia is the foundation and constitution that determines the type of government and ruling power, the regulation of government offices and checks and balances of power, and the purpose (τέλος) of the city and its communities.
According to Mulla Sadra, civil wisdom (ḥekmat-e madani) belongs to the city (madinat), and civil man is a gradated concept that includes everyone from the people of the city to the ruler. Considering the principles of Transcendental Philosophy, the ontological primacy of existence, and the gradated unity of existence, this study aims to explore the unity of the city based on Mulla Sadra's civil wisdom. The research benefits from an analytical comparative method adapted to the library research method. Politeia is considered the central concept, and the metaphor of psyche (soul) is used as a medium to approach the concept of politeia. Mulla Sadra's civil wisdom is investigated in three parts, in terms of the detailed meaning of politeia, according to its definition in Aristotle's book of Politics.
The article indicates that Mulla Sadra declares the unity of the livelihood (ʾal-maʿāš) principle and the resurrection (ʾal-maʿād) principle as the politeia of his city. This research is significant as it aids in investigating the opinions of Islamic philosophers in practical wisdom concerning the humanities and serves as a basis for detailed explorations of civility, politics, and law in the Transcendental Philosophy.

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Main Subjects

References

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