Ontetic Philosophy

Ontetic philosophy is a speculative systematic philosophy developed by Persian philosopher Mahmoud Khatami. This system of philosophy is based on a special reduction that is called Ontetic Reduction.

The word “ontetic” is not an English word; Khatami has coined this word to express his thought most exactly; he did not take it in a sense of “ontologic” nor of “ontic” (and by that, he wishes to differ his discussion from Heidegger’s).[1] For Khatami, ontetic means something more. Ontetic has three constituents which must be considered althgeter as the meaning that this word indicates. Relying on the ancient Persian philosophy, Khatami takes “light” (rushanayi) interpreted as “consciousness” (agahi) which embraces “being”;[2]From other hand, light is Tashkiki, that is, of “a continuous hierarchic structure which can spread both vertically and horizentally”, and this is the idea that is revived by Persian philosopher, Suhravardi the Master of Illumination and theoretically accomplished by Mulla Sadra the founder of Persian Transcendent philosophy. Khatami uses the word “ontetic” to indicate these three elements when are taken together. Ontetic philosophy is then a philosophy which is based on this idea. Moreover, ontetic philosophy goes systematic. This philosophy requires its special method and logic, and Khatami has reconstructed the “transcendent method” and developed an “ontetic logic”.[3] To set up the transcendent method, first, Khatami starts from every day experience and reconstructs a method to transcend from this experience by reducing it to its original source step- by- step. This method leads to three continuous levels of human consciousness each of which follow its relevant level of logic. (see Ontetic Reduction) Being contemplated by philosophy is expressed by man himself, and therefore man's relations with the world, as also with Him, become central for the sphere of philosophy. Man is an acting subject, a free agent, capable of choosing between various ends compatible with the circumstances of his life, and insofar he is responsible for those relations; and, on the other hand, he has an end appointed him by nature which is obligatory upon him as his moral end. A philosophical knowledge of the world, then, must entail a philosophical knowledge or thorough explanation of the reasons of man's duties flowing from his relation to things and to Him.[4]

[1] For Khatami's discussion on Hedegger’s “ontological-ontic distinction” see: Heidegger's Notion of the World, Moasseseh Andisheh Islami, Tehran 2001. (2ed edition 2005); also see is note in From a Sadraean Point of View: Towards an Elimination of the Subjectivistic self, London Academy of Iranian Studies, London 2004, ch.2.

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