A New Approach in the Semantics of ‘Union of the Intellect, the Intelligent and the Intelligible’ from Avicenna’s Perspective

Some of Avicenna’s expressions about the rational soul and its relationship with intelligibles specify the union of the intelligent and the intelligible, while others clearly show the invalidity of this theory. This has caused a difference among philosophers after him regarding his final opinion on this issue. Some considered Avicenna's explanation contradictory and took a critical approach toward it, while another group has tried to resolve this contradiction. However, apparently, neither of the two groups has followed the right path. In this article, after evaluating the opinions raised, we have expressed three things: (1) the meanings of important terms in the issue of “union”; (2) the relationship between the soul and intellectual faculties; (3) the semantics of the “union” theory in Avicenna's view and, at the same time, the quality of the union of the soul and the intelligibles in the presence of the body and in separation from it. In general, it seems that Avicenna's statements about the theory of “union” don’t contradict each other. The illusion of contradiction arises from not paying attention to the different meanings of "union" in his works and not distinguishing the various positions that Avicenna expressed regarding the relationship between the soul and the intelligibles. Avicenna proves the union of the soul with the intelligibles and believes that it is similar to the union of matter and form. In his opinion, this union with a special intelligible form exists in the soul together with the body as long as the soul does not turn away from it. However, the soul, by going through the stages of perfection and separation from the body, can become an intellectual world in accordance with the objective world by instantaneously receiving all intelligibles and uniting with them.