A third realm ontology? Naṣīr al-Dīn Ṭūsī and the _nafs al-amr_

The standard interpretation of Avicenna's correspondence theory of truth posits that propositions either correspond to what exists extramentally or otherwise their truthmaker is mental existence.An influential post-Avicennian philosopher, Nas r al-Dn T s (d.1274) points to the insufficiency of the above division of propositions and their respective truthmakers.He mentions the possibility of conceiving false propositions, such as 'One is not half of two' and postulates the necessity of the existence of another truthmaking domain for their true counterparts which he calls nafs al-amr.It is where objective and timeless entities, such as mathematical propositions, are located.While some claim that T s's identification of this domain with the first Separate Intellect is a testimony to his Avicennian convictions, T s's solution is a conspicuous departure from Avicenna that not only helps him remedy the insufficiency of Avicenna's theory of truth but is consistent with his critique of Avicenna's theory of God's knowledge.

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
PhilPapers (PhilPapers Foundation)
Published
2025-01-01
Primary Topic
High-pressure geophysics and materials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

A third realm ontology? Naṣīr al-Dīn Ṭūsī and the _nafs al-amr_

PhilPapers (PhilPapers Foundation)
High-pressure geophysics and materials
article

A third realm ontology? Naṣīr al-Dīn Ṭūsī and the _nafs al-amr_

article en

Abstract

The standard interpretation of Avicenna's correspondence theory of truth posits that propositions either correspond to what exists extramentally or otherwise their truthmaker is mental existence.An influential post-Avicennian philosopher, Nas r al-Dn T s (d.1274) points to the insufficiency of the above division of propositions and their respective truthmakers.He mentions the possibility of conceiving false propositions, such as 'One is not half of two' and postulates the necessity of the existence of another truthmaking domain for their true counterparts which he calls nafs al-amr.It is where objective and timeless entities, such as mathematical propositions, are located.While some claim that T s's identification of this domain with the first Separate Intellect is a testimony to his Avicennian convictions, T s's solution is a conspicuous departure from Avicenna that not only helps him remedy the insufficiency of Avicenna's theory of truth but is consistent with his critique of Avicenna's theory of God's knowledge.

PhilPapers (PhilPapers Foundation)
University of Jyväskylä (FI)
Jyväskylän Yliopisto
Openalex Percentile: Top 47%
High-pressure geophysics and materials
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

A third realm ontology? Naṣīr al-Dīn Ṭūsī and the _nafs al-amr_ · PhilPapers (PhilPapers Foundation) (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS