Principles of Knowledge from the Perspective of Kant and Abu Mu'in al-Nasafi

Abstract

Abstract
This article examines and analyzes the principles of knowledge from the perspectives of Abu Mu'in al-Nasafi and Immanuel Kant. Abu Mu'in al-Nasafi categorizes the sources of religious knowledge into three types: revelation, reason, and sensory perception or intuition. In contrast, Kant's principles of knowledge are based on reason, morality, and experience.

The study demonstrates that although reason has historically been regarded as a fundamental tool for acquiring knowledge, philosophers have also acknowledged its inherent limitations. Nasafi viewed reason as a divine gift that, when guided by revelation, could approach the truth; however, it was incapable of comprehending all dimensions of reality on its own. Similarly, Kant, while emphasizing the limitations of theoretical reason, believed that reason could not attain complete knowledge of the "thing-in-itself" and could only function within the realm of "phenomena."

The findings of this research indicate that both thinkers, despite their cultural and methodological differences, recognized the limitations of rational knowledge. However, Nasafi believed that revelation and faith complemented reason in achieving complete knowledge, whereas Kant restricted the domain of reason to empirical and moral matters, considering metaphysical knowledge beyond the capacity of reason. Through a comparative analysis of the views of both figures and a critique of Kant's perspective, this study concludes that rational principles of knowledge, due to their inherent limitations, are insufficient for attaining complete truth. Therefore, the attainment of comprehensive knowledge always requires reliance on supra-experiential sources, particularly divine revelation.