A Survey of the status of Causality and Its Implications from Viewpoints of Two Rationalist Philosophers: Ibn SīnÁ and Descartes

Causality is one of the central issues in philosophy and at least each rationalist philosopher is expected to be adhering to it. The aim of this article is to examine the status of causality from Viewpoints of two rationalist philosophers, Ibn SīnÁ and Descartes. First, it deals with the fact that how causality developed in works of each of these two great philosophers showing that both Ibn SīnÁ and Descartes have accepted it. So, they are supposed to believe in its implications (i.e. necessity and cognation) too. Then, it sets out to explain whether they are actually committed to its implications in the process of dealing with it. Ultimately, the contributor comes to the conclusion that Ibn SīnÁ is committed to both the principle of causality and its implications, namely necessity and cognation; but Descartes, who is the founder of modern western philosophy is in fact paving the way for questioning important consequences of causality, that is, necessity and cognation and as a result, the principle of causality through presenting the divine will and the providence. Thus, in his conception of causality Descartes has some opinions other than Ibn SīnÁ, which cast doubt on his adherence to the consequences of causality.