Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 **Ph.D. Student in Comparative Philosophy, Shahid Motahari University, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Allameh Tabatabayi University
Abstract
The question of "the meaning of life" is one of the issues that are very important in our time; but the thought system in which Farabi thinks is such that the meaning of life is not questioned in today's common terms. The answer to the question of how the "meaning of life" is explained from Farabi's point of view depends on the study of his philosophical foundations to the extent that Farabi's possible answer can be deduced. Hence, the article leading to the answer to whether human life has meaning or not, and assuming the meaning is proven, what is this meaning from Farabi's point of view and how is it explained and under which of the theories is it placed, to examine the opinion. The second teacher talks about God, soul and happiness.
Despite the fact that the discussion of the meaning of life is almost a new philosophical topic, in recent years it has attracted the attention of many researchers and writers around the world. According to this global approach, the researchers of our country have tried to provide answers against western theories by using rich religious (Islam) and philosophical resources. Some of these studies are sufficient to examine and analyze the theories presented by Western researchers and philosophers, and some of them independently present theories derived from Islamic philosophers (the meaning of life from the perspective of Ibn Sina, Ibn Arabi, Mulla Sadra, Allameh Tabatabayi...) But Farabi's philosophy has received less attention. The importance of Farabi as the founder of Islamic philosophy and one of the greatest commentators of Aristotle is not hidden from anyone. In fact, everything that others have claimed in Islamic philosophy, especially in the philosophy of ethics and practical wisdom, has its roots in Farabi's thought. Furthermore, the capacities in Farabi's philosophy regarding various moral issues and the individual and social life of human beings require, finding an answer to the questions raised about the meaning of life by studying and examining the works and opinions of the second teacher in a more detailed way. And this subject should be presented in the form of common literature. The assumptions of this research about Farabi are based on three principles: 1. As a Muslim philosopher, Farabi believes in God and life after death, and therefore the soul. 2. In logic, natural sciences, the problem of the soul, metaphysics and ethics, he is subject to Greek sages, especially Aristotle. 3. Farabi is virtue-oriented and goal-oriented in explaining moral issues.
Based on this and according to the main research questions:
Farabi believes in the meaningfulness of life and his theory is in the category of meaningful theories, and the dominant aspect of Farabi's view of the meaning of life is due to the important position of God and the soul (spirit) in Farabi's philosophy and the role they play in the plan of existence. Undoubtedly, it is a super- naturalistic view. But on the other hand, Farabi's attention to the category of "happiness" and "virtue-based ethics" is such that it brings this theory closer to naturalistic theories. With this basic difference that in Farabi's naturalism, human life does not gain meaning independent of the necessity of the existence of God and the immortal soul. Therefore, this theory can introduce another form of naturalism to researchers in the field of meaning.
According to three components: God, immortal soul and happiness (not in the limited sense of pleasure); Human life has meaning only if a person acquires moral virtues in order to achieve the intellectual happiness that God has planned for him by choice and awareness. The highest degree of happiness is fully realized after the destruction of the body with the survival of the soul.
Based on this theory;
1. Willing is a necessary condition for the realization of happiness.
2. Farabi is an eschatological philosopher who assigns goals for human life independent of God's purpose, according to his nature and existential truth, and he emphasizes on the belief that man "discovers" these goals with the help of his human powers.
3. Good things are among the things that are desirable to the human soul, and the best of these things is "happiness".
4. The desire for happiness is embedded in human nature, but it is not properly discovered until it is placed on the path of rationality; therefore, the meaning of human life, which is equivalent to achieving happiness, cannot be "constructed".
5. Happiness, which includes the meaning of human life, is a single meaning that cannot be multiplicity; therefore, the meaning of life is the same for all human beings.
6. In Farabi's ethical system, a person attains happiness after recognizing, choosing and continuously performing virtuous actions. Such an idea is reminiscent of "objectivist" theories.
7. Life is not meaningful with mere theoretical knowledge and knowledge of good and bad. In addition, life does not become meaningful by chance and by chance without action. Such opinions are included under "pragmatic" theories.
8. The idea of "perfect happiness" in Farabi's philosophy shows his "holistic" view about the meaning of life. In addition to the fact that it is necessary for all human actions to be virtuous to reach happiness, human life has a general meaning and can be evaluated.
9. The highest good means, reaching ultimate happiness, is a kind of intellectual perfection that cannot be realized in the material world. Therefore, with the destruction of the body and the survival of the soul in the world after death, it will be fully and finally realized.
In the end, it is suggested that, in order to enrich the subject under discussion, a comparative study between Farabi's theory and similar theories, including Islamic philosophy and Western philosophy, especially analytical and contemporary philosophy, should be done.
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