Criticism of the basis of scientificity in artificial intelligence based on the theory of the unity of the world and the known in transcendental wisdom

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research

Authors

1 PhD Candidate, Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan Branch, Gorgan, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran (Corresponding Author).

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran.

Abstract

The problem of knowledge attribution in artificial intelligence (AI) lies at the core of debates in both philosophy of mind and emerging cognitive technologies. This paper critiques the foundation of knowledge in AI by revisiting the theory of the unity of the knower and the known in ḥikmat al-mutaʿāliya (Transcendent Philosophy). According to this theory, knowledge is a mode of existence that requires conscious agency, the immateriality of the soul, and the presence of the known to the knower. In contrast, AI systems merely process data without awareness or presence-based perception—a phenomenon John Searle refers to as “syntax without semantics.” Using an analytical-comparative method grounded in Islamic philosophical thought, this study argues that AI lacks an ontological foundation for genuine knowledge, resulting in what may be called pseudo-cognition. This ontological distinction entails significant epistemological and ethical consequences. In particular, since AI systems are devoid of ʿilm ḥuḍūrī (knowledge by presence), they cannot possess intention, volition, or moral responsibility. Consequently, legal-ethical concepts such as qaṣd (intention) and taʿammud (deliberateness), which rely on conscious agency, are inapplicable to non-conscious entities like AI. Thus, human-specific moral and legal judgments cannot be extended to artificial agents.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Islamic Philosophical Doctrines

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 27 December 2025

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