Abstract

Possibility in the sense of negating the necessity of existence and non-existence is one of the three modalities of being. If we evaluate any quiddity in terms of existence, we see that it requires the necessity of either existence or non-existence, or none of them. A quiddity that enjoys no necessity is called 'possible'. However, this word has other meanings, some of which contain particular possibility, some of which are classified under it, and some of which are in contrast to it. This paper deals with possibility through-preparedness. The presuppositions here consist of the following: a) the existents of the world of nature are continually in change and transformation; b) not everything changes into anything; c) there is always a prepared and an object of preparedness; d) the prepared has the preparedness to become the object of preparedness, and this object has a possibility through-preparedness in the prepared; e) the preparedness and possibility through-preparedness are the same and one thing. However, if this thing is attributed to the prepared, it is called preparedness, and if it is attributed to the object of preparedness, it is called the possibility through-preparedness. Mulla Sadra stipulates the univocality of essential and possibilities through- preparedness and sees the difference between the two in their object of qualification, i.e. he views sometimes quiddity and sometimes matter as their object. Thus the difference between them is not a conceptual one; rather, it is a positional one. The possibility through-preparedness is a quality depending on matter. When matter is qualified with it, from among various acceptable actualities, it only accepts one of them at different levels of intensity, weakness, closeness, and remoteness. The object of preparedness is annihilated with the realization of actuality.