Epistemological Foundations of Ethics as Viwed by Feyḍ Kashani

It is necessary to take account of the theoretical foundations of ethics and their role in moral instructions. Moral epistemology deals with the epistemological foundations of ethics. To be more precise, in moral epistemology, moral judgments and propositions are explained and justified while the sources and processes of acquiring moral knowledge are analyzed and evaluated. In this article, relying on Feyḍ Kashani’s works and ideas, we seek to explain the epistemological foundations of ethics and the extent to which moral knowledge is influenced by them. Reason, revelation, senses, and intuition are considered to be the important sources of moral knowledge by Feyḍ Kashani. He regards reason as superior to the other sources of knowledge because they take their validity from it. Feyḍ Kashani believes that the perfect rationality is peculiar to the prophets and saints, and others have to prefer revelation to reason because revelation explains not only general matters but also the issues in detail, and therefore, one can realize the unique role of revelation in recognizing moral obligations and in the ability to fulfill them. Feyḍ Kashani explains and analyzes the epistemological foundations of ethics, on the assumption that senses and reason are next to revelation and there is a close connection between them. This outlook can have an impact on various areas including ethics.