"The present knowledge of self-consciousness" and its infallibility (from the point of view of Muslim philosophers)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 philosophy, theology. ferdowsi. mashhad. iran

2 Ferdowsi University professor

10.30513/ipd.2024.5217.1443

Abstract

"self-consciousness" is one of the examples of present knowledge. There are two important epistemological questions about this example: First, do we perceive a reality called "I"? Second, whether this intuition shows my reality as it is (infallible) or whether it is possible that "self-intuition" is contrary to "objective self". There are two basic innovative points in response to these two issues, which are considered in the following article. First, Muslim philosophers consider a hierarchy to know "I", so that in this hierarchy, the most elementary and fundamental thing that is evident about "I" is "self-consciousness". This approach plays an important role in responding to the deniers of the knowledge of "self-consciousness". Second,, the only way to discuss about the most basic level of knowing "I" (self-consciousness) is to describe self-consciousness with the help of descriptive intellect. In this framework, it can be said that it is possible to know the "self-consciousness". On the other hand, because the transfer process from "self-consciousness" to "objective self" is immediate (in deduction and then in intelligible form), one can realize the unity of "self-consciousness" and "objective self" (infallibility).

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