The Process of Genesis of Religious Knowledge in Avicennan Philosophy Focusing on the Knowledge of Incorporeal Entities

The analysis of human knowledge has enjoyed a particular importance in the light of scientific and philosophical findings during the past centuries. Seeking a path toward the truth of religious beliefs and meaningfulness of metaphysical propositions is a major part of western epistemology as religious propositions are out of the access of human external senses. This essay rereads the ideas of Avicenna on the knowledge of incorporeal substances and after assaying the process of genesis of religious knowledge according to Avicenna seeks to highlight Avicennan model of epistemology among other models. According to peripatetic philosophers, knowledge is the presence of form of objects in mind which is done through an encounter with the external object and abstraction of its sensible form. But we have no encounter with the incorporeal entity. Then how could we have knowledge of transphysical realities? In Avicennan philosophy connecting oneself to an incorporeal entity (Active Intellect) is the key to the enigma of this type of knowledge. Most of the scholars have declared Avicenna an evidentialist philosopher as he seeks to demonstrate his belief upon evidences he offers. However, since his epistemology is based on connecting oneself with the Active Intellect one can call Avicennan epistemic method the illuminationist evidentialism. Thus we make Avicenna's model for epistemology distinguished from other alternative models.