ABSTRACT
For each science 2 there is a subject matter ( chīzī) the condition of which is investigated by that science. 3 Subject matter is of two kinds: the one which depends for its being on our action (fi‘l), and the other which does not depend for its being (hastī) on our action. An example of the first is our behaviour; examples of the second are the earth, the heaven, animals, and plants. Thus, intellectual sciences are of two kinds. The one which informs us of the condition of our action (kunish ) is named practical science (‘ilm-i ‘amali), because its purpose is to inform us of what we should do in order to organize our affairs in this world properly and to insure that our affairs in the other world will be according to our hopes. The other informs us about the nature of the being of objects (hastī-i chīzhā) so that our soul (anima; jān; rawān; nafs; psychē) may find its own proper form (ṣurat) and may be fortunate in the other world, as we shall explain at the proper place. This science is named speculative science (‘ilm-i naẓarī). 4
