Journal of Researches in Islamic Architecture

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The process of aesthetic experience and models designed in relation to this process are amongst the important discussions in the field of teaching aesthetic experience. Many models are designed on the basis of philosophical theories and observing audience behavior and they are founded in the path of intellectual and theoretical enhancement of the audience. Meanwhile, although Islamic philosophers have not clearly addressed the perception of aesthetics and aesthetic experience, however, among their discussions and theoretical perceptions, fundamentals of aesthetics perception can be found. Mulla Sadra is among those philosophers that somewhat discusses this matter in his belief system. The fundamental question is that: According to Mulla Sadra’s intellectual principles and ideology such as levels of perception, substantial motion, mental mode of existence, love and beauty, and the identity of the knower and the known, can we reach an explanation for a model that is in line with aesthetics experience? The purpose of this study is to investigate the process of aesthetics experience and understanding a work of art in the viewpoint of experts in this arena and also to achieve an aesthetics experience model that is derived from Mulla Sadra’s ideology. For this matter, at first, using the inferential analysis method, this study analyzes the different components of aesthetics models and by benefiting from Mulla Sadra’s principles, the aesthetics experience process and its elements such as emotional perception, attention and knowledge, repetitive observance, remembrance and contemplation, imagination and recreation, and identity, are deducted and are compared with other models. In some cases such as repetitive observance, remembrance and contemplation, the model has similar aspects with other models, however, in some cases such as imagination and recreation it has differences.

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In our country, research on architectural design process, is based on two main theoretical approaches; one is the system of Islamic theosophy, and the other is recent empirical studies on design methodology. The main problem here, is to find out the relationship between these two viewpoints, to attend the domain›s pathology, like misunderstanding and oversight of the position and order of theories, rootlessness of empirical theories, ambiguity of theosophical implications on design methodology, extremism and wastage in holism / serialism sides, and finally choosing one and putting aside the other. So the debate is on knowledge unity rejecting polysemy.   
The macro goal of this research is to find design process, conform to epistemology rules of theosophy, and the micro goal is to draft a comprehensive, existential, meaning rolled, and transcend schemata of design process, as a conceptual model. The practical goal is to comprehend the nature of design process, in order to nurture it. The importance of this inquiry is to avoid latitudinal contest of theories, and therefore wisdom unity and conformity of knowledge stages, in a comprehensive structure of knowledge as a result. The questions of this inquiry are:
o    On a descriptive objective: what is the designerly knowledge and how can we draw a schema of its process?
o    On a causative objective: how is the conformity of designerly cognition and its roots in the epistemological map?
o    On an alteration objective: possibility of a syntactic viewpoint and longitudinal conformity of epistemological theories, instead of latitudinal selection between them
o    The inquiry has no interpretive-historical objective
The research method is under the «transcendental Realism Paradigm» framework, which is programmed and followed by a retroductive strategy. In the research process an allegoric model is derived from transcendent theosophy of Molla-Sadra (as the cognition mechanism) and then this model›s mechanism, is checked with the empirical theories of design process (as eyewitness) to see the conformability.
In the first chapter, literature and precedents of the subject are presented. The epistemological paradigms are divided to categories of pantheism and humanism. The pantheist sector contains Masha, Eshragh, and Motealieh dispositions, and the humanist sector contains Sophist, Skepticism, Realism, Positivism, Relativism, Pluralism, Existentialism, Phenomenology, and Hermeneutics. Next the history of design studies and its methodology generations, are classified into three groups: the early analysis-synthesis generation, the concept-test generation, and the late hermeneutic generation. Then the research precedents are listed as different approaches of subject inquiry, followed by design process researches within Molla-sadra theosophy framework. Critiquing the precedents on theosophical cognition and comprehension and oversight of theories, a new strategy of inquiry is conducted. Retroductive inference, conformity as methodology of Molla-sadra, a two sided viewpoint to philosophical and empirical theories, and comprehensive modeling, are mentioned as new specifications of the research.  
Chapter two belongs to research design and contains realism paradigm, retroduction strategy, and the process of inquiry. Describing the Islamic Realism and Molla-sadra›s special contributions to it (that is mystic approach to knowledge besides the philosophical-logical one), conformity method as the truth finding theory of Molla-sadra is explained. According to this idea, every difference between theories does not mean controversy and the judgment of true and false, because the two sides might be two levels of a truth in our knowledge that may conform. Then the inquiry paradigm, Transcend Realism of Bhaskar which critiqued positivism and critical rationalism (induction and deduction), is introduced. This epistemology considers our knowledge in tree domains of feeling, imagination and intellect. The intellectual domain contains mechanisms and constructs, which underlie a phenomenon seen in nature. These mechanisms are conjectured as descriptive models that are rules and patterns, witnessed by empirical studies. The research strategy of such paradigm is called Retroduction, which uses allegoric models as hypothesis of a mechanism, being tested and proved by eyewitnesses.  
The next chapter (3) is on theoretical framework of hypothesis (model). Transcend theosophical system of Molla-sadra, is chosen to be the fundamental and generative mechanism of epistemology. The philosophical hermeneutic of Gadamer is also considered to be the epistemological background of empirical design studies, because of the comprehensive viewpoint. These two theories are conformable on the essence of creativity, two sided viewpoint, unity of knowledge, and transcend thinking. This is continued by modeling hypothesis as an allegoric descriptive model, which is a core-crust schema on design process.
Chapter four informs the data collection from references, and the discussion. The resource in cognition mechanism is epistemological system of transcend theosophy of Molla-sadra, while the resources on empirical design studies are: Donald Schon›s reflective practice, Nigel Cross›s desinerly ways of knowing, and Bryan Lawson›s designers thinking skills. This part discusses conformability of Molla-Sadra theosophy and empirical theories of design study, in ten theorems on epistemology ontology (kinds of wisdom) and epistemology itself (cognition process). Theorems are consisted of: 1-implicit & explicit knowledge 2-imagination/presentation/verification 3-the whole & the part 4-schema & detail 5-design process and cognitive levels 6-cognition levels, growth & expertise 7-consciousness & unconsciousness 8-reflective thinking/practicing 9-framing/solution-led/co-evolution 10-constructive/generative reasoning.
The last chapter concludes and draws inferences of the discussion. It is concluded that the cognition mechanism in transcendent theosophy of Molla-Sadra which was constructed and presented as a core-crust descriptive and allegoric model, has an adoptive methodological conformity, with the empirical theories of design study in holistic aspects. Empirical design epistemology also, could be deducted depth wise from Molla-Sadra theosophy. Therefore, existential theosophies and hermeneutic interpretation of design studies, are not adversary theories to choose between.
 

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The concept of schema, originating in psychology, has been widely applied across disciplines, including architecture, where studies demonstrate its critical role in design success. However, psychological theories alone fail to fully explain the depth of mental schemas evident in Islamic architecture, necessitating an epistemological examination through Islamic philosophy. This research employs Mullah Sadra’s philosophical framework to investigate architects' mental schemas, addressing three key questions: (1) Which aspects of psychological schema theory align or conflict with Sadra’s epistemology? (2) What philosophical principles of Sadra’s system are overlooked in schema theory? (3) How can architects' mental schemas be redefined more comprehensively?
As a foundational study, this research adopts a comparative methodology, analyzing psychological theories of schema alongside Sadra’s epistemology through library-based research and logical reasoning. The comparison reveals both convergences and divergences between the two perspectives. Shared elements include the subject-object relationship, hierarchical expansion of perception, and the role of schema as descriptive and procedural knowledge. However, Sadra’s philosophy introduces critical dimensions absent in psychological schema theory, such as the epistemic role of intuitive cognition (heart-based perception), the dynamic progression of knowledge through "essential movement" (al-haraka al-jawhariyya), and the teleological orientation of cognition toward the Supreme Truth.
These distinctions carry significant implications for architectural practice. Architects must recognize the levels of existence in perception, allowing their schemas to evolve through ascending stages of cognition. During design, intuitive perception enables the discovery of meaning, which is then materialized through architectural form. Consequently, this study redefines architects' mental schemas as intuitive-mental constructs rooted in the connection between the architect and multiple existential realms. These schemas embody both descriptive knowledge (interpretations derived from the soul’s ascending journey toward unity) and procedural knowledge (the descent of meaning into physical form). By integrating Sadra’s epistemology, architects can cultivate richer schemas, bridging transcendent understanding with tangible creation.
This research not only expands schema theory philosophically but also provides a framework for enhancing architectural design through epistemological depth, emphasizing the synthesis of intuition, existential awareness, and material execution.