The Possibility and Nature of Visionary Geography: An Inquiry into the Thought of Dariush Shayegan

This article examines Dariush Shayegan's concept of "visionary geography" as a way to understand spiritual unity beyond physical boundaries. It criticizes the quantitative worldview that emerged after Galileo reduced nature to a mathematical object and argues that modernity imprisons humanity within coordinates of meridians and parallels. The authors contend that scientific positivism interrupted a mystical partnership, fragmenting the human condition. They question the possibility of a visionary, symbolic world in contrast to both physical and technological/virtual realities. Shayegan posits that the soul's world exists on a transcendent plane with its own geography. The article argues that classical geographical differences did not hinder spiritual convergence, but modern Western lifestyle weakened this ontological bond. The analysis uses qualitative literature and document analysis of Shayegan's works.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This article explores spiritual unity beyond physical boundaries through the theme of the “geography of the soul,” conceptualized by Dariush Shayegan (1925–2018) as “visionary geography”. This study criticizes the quantitative world perception that emerged following the post-Galilean reduction of nature to a mathematical object, as well as a modernity that imprisons humanity within the coordinates of meridians and parallels. It discusses how the mystical partnership, interrupted by the imposition of scientific positivism in the modern era, has driven the human condition into a state of fragmentation. Within the theoretical framework, the possibility of a visionary and spiritual world woven with symbols is questioned in the face of both the real/physical and the technological/virtual worlds. According to Shayegan, the world of the soul exists on a transcendent plane that surpasses the contingent world with its own mountains, rivers, and continents. The article argues that while geographical differences in the classical period did not hinder spiritual convergence, the modern Western lifestyle has weakened this ontological bond. Utilizing a qualitative research method, this study analyzes visionary geography, the perception of space, and the unifying spiritual elements in Shayegan’s works through literature and document analysis.