Entropy as Metaphysical Perplexity in Ibn ‘Arabī’s Sufi Thought
Method & Theory in the Study of Religion October 22, 2025 DOI: 10.1163/15700682-bja10163 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Perplexity Metaphysics Perception State computer science Epistemology |
| Key points | Proposes that Ibn ‘Arabī’s metaphysical perplexity and the entropic brain hypothesis both describe a shift from ego-bound perception to a state where divine or entropic reality is revealed. |
Abstract
Abstract This article investigates how the Sufi theorist Muḥyī al-Dīn ibn ‘Arabī’s (d. 638/1240) conception of metaphysical perplexity ( ḥayra ) relates to the entropic brain hypothesis, which has been proposed by Robin Carhart-Harris in the fields of human neuroscience and psychopharmacology. Studies have demonstrated a correlation between the ego and the default mode network ( DMN ). The ego relates to the I-ness ( anāniyya ) of a person according to Ibn ‘Arabī. As this article demonstrates, in the secondary state of self-organized criticality ( SOC ), where there is a propensity to make sense of and organize the world around us, emphasis on the I-ness and a self-imposed reality-filter creates a metaphysical veil ( ḥijāb ) that prevents perception of the divine reality that permeates all existence. This veil is only removed in the primary state of criticality where spiritual unveiling ( kashf ) reveals the divine reality of all things.