Abstract:
Mulla Sadra’s (1571/2-1640) theory of knowledge is unique because, contrary to modern epistemology which is separate from ontology, it is a part of his ontological system and cannot be discussed in isolation. Rather than pure epistemology or ontology, Sadra has an ‘ontoepistemology’, according to which truth and being are two sides of the same coin. For this reason, this paper starts by explaining two of Sadra’s ontological doctrines: ‘the primacy of being’ and ‘the gradation of being’, both dealing with ‘being’, which is the cornerstone of Sadra’s system. After that, Sadra’s ontological definition of knowledge is explored. According to this definition, knowledge is a mode of (immaterial) being and is identical with presence.
