Philosophy East and West

The creation of the human being is an issue that has arisen from time to time in both Western and Eastern philosophy/theology. Aquinas (1225–1275) from the West and Mullā Şadra (1572–1640) from the East both challenged the previous alternative theories, and they rejected the preexistence of the human soul in its creation. However, they presented two different theories about the creation of human beings that are rooted in their diverse metaphysical principles. Aquinas held that the human soul is corporeal in its createdness, in the sense that the soul is neither eternal nor preexistent. It comes new into existence through creation by God. However, Şadrā thought/proved that the human soul is corporeal in existence and spiritual in subsistence.