Rethinking Propositions Beyond Tautology: al-Suhrawardī on the Ontological Basis of Propositions

This study examines Shihāb al-Dīn al-Suhrawardī’s ontological critique of tautology within his Illuminationist philosophy. Al-Suhrawardī challenges the Aristotelian view of tautologies such as “A is A” as meaningful, arguing that they lack epistemic value by failing to distinguish between the subject and predicate. His essence-based ontology demands that valid propositions involve distinct concepts fulfilling different epistemic roles. Tautologies, by collapsing this distinction, do not yield true judgment. This research analyzes al-Suhrawardī’s position through his primary texts and a comparative reading of select medieval commentators. Methodologically, it combines close textual analysis with historical interpretation to show how his metaphysics shapes his logic. This study contributes to two areas: it repositions al-Suhrawardī as a critical figure in the history of logic and metaphysics, and it offers a conceptual framework that bridges logical form with ontological substance, highlighting the continued relevance of his thought to contemporary debates in logic, semantics, and the foundations of meaningful judgment.