The Semantics of Existent and the Problem of Primacy of Being

Document Type : Original Research

Author
M. Zali
Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Tehran, Iran
10.58209/jpt.1.2.137
Abstract
Existent is one of the central concepts in the history of Islamic philosophy. But this word and its root, i.e., existence, have different applications, the most famous of which is the subject of metaphysics. Based on the analysis of its linguistic structure, this word can be simple or paronym, and there are disagreements on determining the meaning of each of them and their synonymity. This article investigates these meanings under Suhrawardi's famous objections to rejecting existence’s externality. According to this objection, the externality of existence entails the homonymy of existent. This objection is expressed by distinguishing between the two different words: existent as a simple or paronym word. The analysis of these two answers shows that each simple or paronym existents are synonyms, which entails the externality of existence and essence.

Keywords

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Philosophical Thought
Volume 1, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
Spring 2021
Pages 137-154