Conceptual Pattern of Ontological Hermeneutics of Historical Symbolic Centers of the Islamic-Iranian City
Subject Areas : Islamic urbanism
SeyedMojtaba Hosseini
1
,
Mahmud Rezaii
2
,
Alireza Bandarabad
3
1 - Ph.D Researcher, Department of Urban Planning, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.
2 - Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.
3 - Associate Professor, of Urban Planning Department, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.
Keywords: Being-becoming, Iranian-Islamic City, Sign-Symbolic, Symbolic Centers, Unitary,
Abstract :
Historical Islamic-Iranian cities are symbolic centers that have been erected with the ontological dimensions and unity of "existence" and "creatures". The goal is to achieve a model for understanding historical symbolic centers so that things regain their meaning based on identity and life. The method is qualitative and uses historical-interpretive approaches and logical reasoning. Collecting information by reviewing historical texts, checking Opinions are based on content analysis. Findings, the interpretation of the centers is based on the combination of "rational", "transitive" and "scientific" worldviews and "unitarian", "phenomenological" and "structuralist" systems and on the components of "time and context". "Design (effect)", "Designer", "Audience" and "Structure and Levels". The interpretation pattern of the place (effect) with the level of "activity of the audience" in a range of "being and folding" and "designer agency" in a range of " Iconic can be read as "symbolic". When the activism is in the possible state and the agency is in the symbolic state, the perception of the place approaches the position of "empty of everything"(unitarian).
Keywords: Being-becoming, Iranian-Islamic City, Sign-Symbolic, Symbolic Centers, Unitary
Introduction
Historical cities in general and Islamic-Iranian cities in particular have symbolic centers with trans-temporal and trans-spatial values that are based on "narrative", "rational" and "scientific" worldviews. In the Iranian-Islamic cities, there are special eternal and world-wide transcorporeal and transtemporal values. Although those values can be used in today's cities, forgetting our own eternal memories on the one hand and being amazed by other people's mental idols on the other hand are double obstacles to achieving these values, and physical and physical attitudes are more than the views of nature. And it has been a source (Shaygan, 1402 and Rezaei, 2013). Reading and understanding the world of these centers depends on "interpretation". Mulla Sadra (1981) considers interpretation to be equivalent to receiving and has defined it according to the level of existence of humans. According to him, the first level of reception belongs to "sensory reception". "Illusory perception" and "intellectual perception" are placed in the next levels, and the last and highest level is based on "heart perception". According to Heidegger, hermeneutics is related to the interpretation of the truth of human existence. He knows the truth in the revelation and presence of things (Jamadi, 1400: 346). From this point of view, the truth in the real sense is removing the veil from visible things (Ahmadi, 2019: 535). In order to achieve such an understanding, one must inevitably have a structural view of existence and follow things in interaction with each other and with reference to ontological dimensions. The Islamic-Iranian city is also formed in the horizon of its historical evolution from the unification of the four "Ummat", "Religion", "Government" and "Guilds" which reach unity in the center of the city (Habibi, 1400: 66). Referring to the medieval centers and the presence of religious elements in them, Montgomery states that in these centers, the human gaze is drawn to the sky and ends in heaven. Therefore, in order to achieve it, bitterness and hard work are needed (Montgomery, 2013: 25). Such symbolic centers both present a world of meaning and provide life in themselves. What has gained strength today in cities with special identity support is the process of production and reproduction of space based on the logic of capital accumulation and its commodification (Madani et al., 1400: 19). This research seeks to answer the fundamental question that in the field of semantic architecture and urban planning, with what conceptual model can symbolic centers be interpreted and the deep meanings governing them be understood? Therefore, it seeks to reveal the world of place and understand its hidden layers through its ontological interpretation.
Methods
The current research is in the category of qualitative methods and has an understanding paradigm and follows the combination of the three systems of unification, phenomenology and structuralism. An interpretive methodology that emphasizes both the existential structures emphasized by Islamic-Iranian philosophers and follows the framework of ontological phenomenology in this field. This research has benefited from "historical-interpretive" and "logical reasoning" approaches in the form of "systematic review" of texts. The research measures in accordance with the mentioned approaches can be expressed in the form of "reading", which ultimately leads to "understanding" and increases the validity and reliability of the research findings.
Results
It is possible to extract the key categories and concepts related to the research topic as well as the fundamental components in the interpretation of historical symbolic centers and categorize and present them in the form of Table 1.
Table 1: Extracting the fundamental components of interpretation (Authors)
|
Hermeneutic component |
Basic concepts |
attitude |
Paradigm |
|
1. Structure and levels of existence (psychic) 2. Time and context 3. Design |
1. Existence and beings 2. Integrity 3. Existential structure 4. Levels of existence 5. Center 6. Symbol |
ontologically |
Unitarian |
|
1. Time and context 2. Design 3. Designer (creator of design) 4. Audience |
1. Being and being 2. Generality 3. Levels 4. Center 5. Sign and symbol |
ontologically/biologically |
Phenomenology |
|
1. The structure and levels of horizons 2. Time and context 3. Designer (creator of design) 4. Audience |
1. Creatures 2. Generality 3. Structure 4. Hierarchy 5. Center 6. Sign and symbol |
biologically |
Structuralism |
|
|
Figure 1: Interpretation model of the symbolic centers of all layers (Authors)
Conclusion
By using the obtained concepts and categories and by combining them with the theoretical views proposed in this field, the findings of the research can be categorized as follows: First; A point of view that has a structural approach in the field of interpretation and considers the understanding of center to be dependent on horizontal and existential structures as well as levels of the universe (Nasut to Lahut). Second; A perspective that has a historical approach and understands the truth of each work by referring it to "time and context". In this view, the socio-cultural, economic, political, etc. conditions during the creation of the work have become important, and rereading it can make us understand the existential necessity of the work and its system of meanings. third; It is an attitude that places a special value on the "center (work/design)" regardless of context, time and designer. In this view, relationships between elements are more important than individual elements, and by understanding the relationships between them and the semiotic system governing it, one can understand the semantic order governing the work and find the way to the truth in it. Fourth: the point of view that gives originality to the "designer (creator of the work)" and insists on his intended meaning. So the character and intention of the designer are important and the discovery of the hidden truth in the work depends on our understanding of the characteristics of the creator of the work. fifth; An attitude that pays attention to the "addressee" and means the understanding of the center by referring to him. The originality lies with the audience and his perception of the work is important regardless of other factors. In this view, the existential position of every human being is very important and the understanding of the world of work has a related relationship with it. Based on what has passed and by superimposing the above diagrams, the results of the current research studies can be presented in the form of a conceptual model of the interpretation of symbolic centers in the form of Figure 1. Symbolic centers find a relationship with existence and with the beings gathered in these centers and reach unity. This unity manifests and determines life and identity in the true sense in the central space. In addition, as a result of the observer's interaction with the space, the pattern of interpretation of the place (effect) can be considered to be related to the level of "activity of the audience" in the space on the one hand and the agency of the designer of the place on the other hand. This observing action in the space can be insignificant and appear in the state of mere "being" or presence in the space. "Designer agency" can also be directly applied figuratively or symbolically. When the active position of the observer is more in the possible mode and the agency is in the symbolic mode, the perception of the place approaches the position of unity of the observer with the space (Table 2).
Table 2: An alternative of knowledge and methodology of phenomenological perception of place (Authors)
|
phenomenon-audience |
The location of the phenomenon (plan) |
Audience position |
|
|
:activism |
Being |
doable |
audience: |
|
:agency |
sign |
symbolic |
Designer: |
The interpretation of the world of this type of symbolic centers is possible by referring to the factors of "context and time", "designer (creator)", "structure and levels", "audience" and "design (work)". Symbolic centers that come from Islamic-Iranian ontology, epistemology, and methodology extend their trans-spatial and semantic aspects to a world beyond matter.
Refrences
Ahmadi, Babak (2019) Truth and beauty, 38th edition, Tehran, Nashr-e markaz. [In Persian]
Habibi, Seyyed Mohsen (2017) DELA CITE A LA VILLE, 19th edition, Tehran, Tehran University Press. [In Persian]
Jamadi, Siavash (2020) Background and time of phenomenology, Tehran, Nashr-e Qoqnous. [In Persian]
Madani, Farzaneh, Mojtaba Rafiyan, Efsoun Mahdavi, and Fatemeh Mohammadniai Qaraei (2017) “Codification of a theoretical significance of the generation of a moral monthly space based on an Iranian-Islamic month using the methods of building it” (Reviewed by: Bakh Markazi Shahr Mashhad Street), “Research Publishing House”. Iranian-Islamic month, cycle 12, page 46, pp. 17-37. [In Persian]
Montgomary, Charles (2013) Happy City, Doubleday, Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Rezaei, Mahmoud (2012) "Eternal and universal values of Islamic urbanism (representation of trans-physical and trans-temporal views of the Islamic city)", Human Geography Research, 45(3), pp. 169-190. [In Persian]
Shaygan, Dariush (2023) mental idols and eternal memory, Tehran, Farzan Roz. [In Persian]
Shirazi, Sadr al-Muttahalin (1981) Transcendent wisdom in the four rational books. [In Persian]