لماذا استبدل الغزالي مفهوم "الضرورة" "بالعادة" في نظرية السببية الطبيعية؟

Abstract

The present article aims at analyzing the terms “necessity” (Al-darura) and “habit” in al-Ghazali’s (1058 – 1111) theory of natural causality (Al- al-) by answering the following question –Why does Al-Ghazali use term “habit” and negation of “necessity” with regard to natural Causality?.       

Al-Ghazali denies causal necessity that links cause and effect since this relationship does not draw on logical rules that makes it necessary. This, however, does not mean that he denies the existence of a causal relationship between things, as he recognizes its existence. He, however, denies the necessity of that relationship, as he claims that the source of causal necessity stems from a psychological emotion rather than from being inherent in things themselves.

  Al-Ghazali also attempts to base causal necessity on “habit” by claiming that the similarity of event A as cause and event b as effect stems from observation and repetition and the sequencing of natural phenomena. Al-Ghazali, then, endeavors to prove that science is based on expectation and assumption that draws on observation, the senses and repetition and does not consider it as constant and absolute