Al-Taftāzānī`s theory of knowledge

There has been influences of Avicenna's philosophy on the epistemology in addition to the most fields like the ontology, the physics and the psychology in the later period of kalām (mutaakhkhir). The mutakallimūn in the later period of kalām have differently commented some views in Avicennian epistemology and its related fields and shifted some of these views by virtue of the fact that these are contradictory with basic kalāmic doctrines. However, it requires to be researched how they commented and shifted these views. In this context, it has been examined in this thesis how Taftāzānī, who is mutaakhkhir mutakallim and in struggle for approving to the doctrines of early kalām period in the many issues, synthesized epistemological opinions inherited from kalām and Avicenna's philosophy. Also, it has been researched how his epistemological principles and positions in the other fields influenced on this synthesis. To indicate differentness this synthesis, his views has been analyzed in comparison with opinions in his main references such as Rāzî, Ṭūsī, Qutb al-Dīn al-Rāzī and Īcī`s works. In the first chapter, Taftāzānī`s views on the nature of the soul as a knowing subject and its faculties have been discussed by reason of having set ground for his epistemology. In the second chapter, basing on these psychological views, his opinions related to main problems of knowledge theory such as the definition of knowledge, the possibility of its being acquired, the mental existence, the reality and category of knowledge have been comparatively examined. In the third chapter, with reference to his conception of knowledge, Taftāzānī`s solutions for problems as to how the knowing subjects owned different types of existence have knowledge of the various known things have been studied. Thereby, his knowledge theory has been checked. Taftāzānī has adopted Avicennian epistemology by modifications in accordance with psychological, epistemological, theological, eschatological, ontological and physical views which he inherited from the early kalām period. Additionally, he has separated Avicenna`s notions of essence (māhiyyah) and form (ṣūrah) from their metaphysic implications to establish a basis for his epistemology. Finally, I would say that Taftāzānī has studied to form a consistent epistemology basing on the main purposes of kalām.