Expounding Man’s Action or Activism in Islamic Intellectual Tradition Emphasizing the Views of Allamah Tabatabaei: Reviewing Factors Involved in Action (Might, Will, Knowledge, Choice)

Explaining actions through cognitive and motivational components such as cognition, desire, intention and etc. is amongst the most important issues in the philosophy of action. The main goal of this research is studying the qualities that convert Man’s behavior into action. Defining action and explaining the basic factors involved in it are two interconnected issues, i.e. the identified factors involved in action exactly correspond the criteria (qualities) which convert behavior into action. In Western intellectual tradition belief, desire and will are the most critical factors determining action while in the Islamic intellectual tradition more emphasis is laid on the concepts of might, choice and will. The present study examined the aforementioned concepts in the views of Islamic philosophers and theologians in the light of Allamah Tabatabaei. It was concluded that knowledge, above all, practical knowledge is the most critical factor involved in Man’s action. According to Allamah Tabatabai, compared to might, desire, will and choice, it is the practical knowledge that carries the most critical role in determining action and distinguishing it from behavior.