Reasoning and Reflection Regarding Issues of Faith: a Comparison between the Views of Allamah Tabatabai and Gabriel Marcel

• Main Authors: Hossein Assaran Qommi, Asgar Dirbaz
• Format: Article
• Language: fas
• Published: University of Qom 2019-02-01
• Series: Pizhūhish/hā-yi Falsafī- Kalāmī
• Subjects: Allamah Tabatabai; Gabriel Marcel; intellect; intellection; thinking; initial thought; secondary thought
• Online Access: http://pfk.qom.ac.ir/article_1256_8d13d4aa5059b22cd2b2a3c983074867.pdf

In this article we strive to study the position of intellection and thinking in belief-related issues according to Alamah Tabatabai  and Gabriel Marcel. The position and function of the intellect in belief-related issues has always been a point of focus of intellectuals and philosophers and has had a decisive role in determining the path of theology. Allamah Tabatabai and Marcel have also given special attention to belief-related issues and intellection and its position regarding these issues. Marcel criticizes the type of intellection regarding belief-related issues when encountering the complexity of these issues and presents a new way of thinking which is specific and personal and is instrumental in understanding belief-related realities. According to Marcel, there is an essential difference between belief-related issues and logical issues and abstract thinking is particular to logical issues; but Allamah presents the domain of this thinking to be much more extensive by considering the intellect to be independent in understanding realities, so that belief-related thinking comes under intellectual thinking. He considers the position of intellect to be very high by considering the authority of the intellect to be essential and definitive and in contrast to Marcel, he believes  that the difference between religious denomination and philosophy is a method and they both seek a shared goal which is understanding realities. The path followed in this article is to first explain the views of both philosophers regarding the topic and then comparing them with each other.