Abstract

Farabi deals with imagination as one of the faculties of the soul; however, unlike his succeeding philosophers, he does not discuss the issues related to its justification in his works. Ibn Sina demonstrates the existence of the imaginal faculty, besides other faculties, for the soul, and provides a criterion for the plurality of faculties. Suhrawardi refutes the Sinan faculties in order to clarify imaginal perception through the imaginal world. Mulla Sadra's ideas concerning the rejection or demonstration of the imaginal world have been judged in two different ways. A group of philosophers believe that explaining imagination and issues such as revelation, resurrection, supernatural events, dreams, etc. depend on the imaginal world. Anther group believe that all of them can be clarified through the imaginal faculty.