The Problem of 'Time' in Three Stages of Mulla Sadra's Philosophical Journey

Mulla Sadra has experienced, in his works, three stages of philosophical journey: principality of quiddity, the principality of existence of gradational unity, and the principality of existence of personal unity. There must have been changes in the dependent discussions in proportion to these three stages of journey. Considering this change would resolve many issues related to Mulla Sadra's true view and the consistency or inconsistency of the doctrines inside Mulla Sadra's system. According to the present study, some views have been offered on 'time' based on the three journeys of Mulla Sadra, and in line with each journey, some evolutions have occurred regarding the time and the related discussions. These evolutions have been studied in the following spheres in three stages in the form of an intra-system comparative study. These spheres are as follows: definition of time; the essential or existential being of the time; the argument for proving the existence of time; the univocal or gradational nature of time; the direct cause of time; the running sphere of time, and their common and different points.