The Study of the World of Ideas in Suhrawardi’s Philosophy through a Foundational Approach

Abstract

Suhrawardi has spoken in two ways about the world of ideas: firstly, being a report of personal and mystical experience of his own and other theosophists; and secondly, giving a philosophical explanation in demonstrative way.  Philosophical explanation of  Suhrawardi on justification of the world of ideas has been occurred through ontological justifying of some phenomena which we call it here non-foundational approach. In this paper, features and the role of the world of ideas are proposed, and then ontological explanation of the world of Ideas, according to Suhrawardi’sapproach, will be explained. Then, ontological explanation of the world of Ideas, as a requisite of ontological view of Suhrawardi, according to the foundational approach will be explored. Finally, by pointing to the differences between the two approaches, it will be shown that deficiencies and ambiguities in philosophy of Suhrawardi have mainly arisen from the non-foundational approach in ontological justification of the world of Ideas.