The Acquired Knowledge (al-Ilm al-Husouli) of God to the Creatures

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran,

Abstract

The common view in the transcendent philosophy of Mulla Sadra is that God's knowledge of pre-creation and post-creation objects is presentational (al-Ilm al-Huzouri), although there are differences between pre-creation and post-creation knowledge. In this article, it is proved that, for various reasons, God's knowledge before creation and after creation is acquired (al-Ilm al-Husouli). The most important of these reasons are: A: Knowledge by presence requires a union between God and creatures, while such a union is impossible by reason. B: It does not make sense for God to have knowledge, but his knowledge is outside of his essence. C: Before creation, no personal or concrete existence is realized, so the knowledge of presence before creation is intellectually impossible. In this article, it will be explained the difference between my selected view of the knowledge of God and the view of Avicenna regarding the embodied forms connected to the divine essence. Then the criticisms that have been raised against the theory of God's acquired knowledge will be answered and it will become clear that A: God’s acquired knowledge does not be attained necessarily through the process of acquisition. B: God’s acquired knowledge does not require the immanence of accidents in God’s essence. C: God’s Knowledge by presence is not superior to His acquired knowledge. D: The God’s Acquired knowledge does not deny His detailed knowledge. E: Denying God’s knowledge by presence does not mean the absence of things for God. 

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