Level Four Student, Islamic Philosophy Specialized Center
Abstract
Human beings are perpetually in the state of attention and volition - that is, they are constantly selecting and desiring one reality over others. One of the enduring issues in human life concerns the presence or absence of attention people give to one another in friendships, family relations, and neighborly interactions. Undoubtedly, some of the family conflicts and disputes can be traced back to this very matter: a lack of attention, insufficient attention, or directed attention. A related issue that has received little scrutiny is this: What is the fundamental object of human attention? Is a person’s attention to another human being intrinsic or merely extrinsic? More precisely, from a strictly rational and not conventional standpoint, is it even possible for someone to pay attention to an object or to a person for the sake of that very object or person? In this article, by explicating the meanings of intrinsic and extrinsic and employing relevant discussions in philosophy, we argue that intrinsic attention is directed solely toward the very essence of the knowing agent. Since this essence possesses multiple aspects, any form of attention towards other individuals ultimately originates from an existential level of that essence. The paper then examines the types of extrinsic attention - namely divine attention and psychic (soul-based) attention - and offers a comparative analysis between the two.
Zolghadr,M. (2025). An Explication of Attention in Human Interpersonal Relations - Intrinsic or Extrinsic?. Journal of Hikmat-e-Islami, 12(47), 31-49.
MLA
Zolghadr,M. . "An Explication of Attention in Human Interpersonal Relations - Intrinsic or Extrinsic?", Journal of Hikmat-e-Islami, 12, 47, 2025, 31-49.
HARVARD
Zolghadr M. (2025). 'An Explication of Attention in Human Interpersonal Relations - Intrinsic or Extrinsic?', Journal of Hikmat-e-Islami, 12(47), pp. 31-49.
CHICAGO
M. Zolghadr, "An Explication of Attention in Human Interpersonal Relations - Intrinsic or Extrinsic?," Journal of Hikmat-e-Islami, 12 47 (2025): 31-49,
VANCOUVER
Zolghadr M. An Explication of Attention in Human Interpersonal Relations - Intrinsic or Extrinsic?. Journal of Hikmat-e-Islami, 2025; 12(47): 31-49.
