A Structured Study of Teaching Philosophizing in Iranian Schools
Yusuf Seifzad:
PhD candidate
of Comparative Philosophy
The teaching of philosophy at the three standard levels (cognitive,
affective, and motor) at schools has only been limited to the first level. In
fact, it has rarely ever had a tendency to progress to higher levels and only
relies on memorization. Moreover, it abounds in teaching the history of
different schools of philosophy. However, the new method of teaching philosophy
seems to advocate the promotion of philosophizing and thinking on the part of
students so that, in addition to learning the best ways in this regard, they
manage to perceive the fundamental problems of life. Moreover, the new method,
through following a research-oriented approach and reinforcing creative
thinking, helps the children to form some insights and views the
internalization of which would enable them to employ some rational and
constructive strategies and tendencies in life. The present paper deals with
the most important dimensions and strategies which contribute to the stability
of such methods. Some of them include paying attention to writing dialogs and
dialog-orientedness, question-orientedness and the development of a critical
mind, situationalism and necessity, process-orientedness and development of
intellectual abilities, problem-orientedness and practicing problem-solving,
pragmatism and modernity, and efficiency and effectiveness. Unfortunately, the
teaching of philosophy in Iran does not seem to employ such strategies.
Key Terms
education
philosophizing
creative thinking
***
?Is the “Philosophy for Children” Program Based on a Neutral and
Presupposition-Free Plan
Nawab Moqarrabi:
PhD in Philosophy,
nawabmoqarrabi@gmail.com
A question which demands our serious attention with regard to the
Philosophy for Children Program is whether it is based on a neutral plan which
lacks any presupposition, or whether it merely provides a new teaching method
which is free from any kind of prejudgment and biased content. The founders of
this program believe that it represents a method which lacks judgment and does
not follow any ideology, and that is why it can be employed in any society with
any culture, language, religion, and traditions. However, some authorities in
the field, particularly those who aim to launch an indigenous version of this
program in Iran in conformity with Iranian-Islamic ethical and moral values and
standards, believe in the opposite. They argue that this program, both in terms
of method and content, is based on a philosophical design which abounds in
prejudgments, presuppositions, and ideologies which are basically rooted in
Western culture, philosophy, and lifestyle. Therefore, unlike what its founders
and advocates claim, it is in no way an impartial and neutral program or method
whose content can be matched with the culture and moral values of each and
every society.
Key Terms
philosophy and children
nativization
pre-supposition
methodology
content analysis
***
Necessity of Piety and Faith for the Philosophical Education
of Children (with an Emphasis on the Qur’an and the
(Words of the Imams and Infallibles
Ahmadreza
Azerbaijani (Azar): PhD candidate of Philosophy and Education, Islamic Azad
University, Arak Branch
Alireza Faqihi: Assistant Professor, Islamic Azad University, Arak
Branch
If we consider the attainment of the truth as the purpose of
education, we will face three basic questions: Is truth a discoverable entity?
Is truth an attainable entity? Is truth
a constructible entity? Then a related question would be: How could we attain
the truth? In the course of history various educational systems have suggested
different ideas regarding the inclusion of philosophy and philosophizing in
children’s education. The process of the philosophical education of children in
Iran and in the world is moving forward and has both serious advocates and opponents.
The lack of this process can result in the development of a society which is
void of reflection, flexibility, and dynamism and paves the way for the growth
of certain dogmatic trends such as ISIS, Salafism, and Takfir. On the other
hand, if the basis of our philosophical education is not correct, it might
result in the development of an isolated and skeptic society. Besides, it might
even lead to a kind of pluralism without any perception of monotheism while
denying some evident affairs and entities such as God. This study examines the
importance of piety and faith in the philosophical education of children
through relying on the Qur’an and the words of the Infallibles (a).
Key Terms
intellect
philosophy
piety
faith
philosophical training
***
The Relationship between Imagination and Consumption in Computer
Games
Seyyed Mehdi Nazemi Qarebagh:
PhD in
Philosophy, University of Isfahan
Imagination is a very important term which is frequently used in
both Islamic and contemporary philosophies. Many of the characteristics of
human beings and the periods succeeding classical schools of philosophy can be
interpreted with reference to the imaginal aspect of human existence. In Mulla
Sadra’s view, some aspects of the world of imagination can change depending on
the differences among human beings. Consumerism and the realization of consumer
society are also considered to be among the most important features of the
contemporary world so that the cultural values of people seem to have been
influenced by the necessities of consumer societies. In their common sense,
games primarily and essentially deal with imagination, too. Given the status of
today’s human being and the relationship between games and a non-transcendent
and consumer imagination, computer games can be viewed as an important
embodiment of two elements of
non-transcendent imagination and consumerism. What makes them susceptible to
such as interpretation is their technological essence. In fact, in its
technological and media form, games represent a limitless form of consumerism
and embody an absurd kind of imagination which are rooted in mathematical
thinking.
Key Terms
imagination
imaginal world
consumer society
technique
computer games
***
Philosophy of Play and its Role in Children’s Intellectual Growth
Based on P4C
Kobra
Ahmadvand: PhD candidate of Philosophy of Education, International Kharazmi
Pardis, Tehran
Soheila Gholami Hardashti: MA in Philosophy of Education
Hamid Ahmadi Hedayat: PhD candidate of Philosophy of Education, Shahed
University
Undoubtedly, different physical and mental activities are necessary
for human growth. Children also need to perform various activities because of
going through the most important period of their growth. In fact, playing can
have an effective role in satisfying their need for performing both mental and
physical activities. However, games have various functions such as promoting
children’s intellectual growth, which certainly reinforces intelligent behavior
and provides the necessary conditions for language learning and cognitive
development of children. The most important feature of thought-provoking games,
particularly in the field of philosophy and children, is their contribution to
intellectual growth, which is realized through employing some tools such as
toys, stories, films, animations, and pictures. Following a deductive approach,
this study indicates that playing games accelerates children’s physical and
mental growth and provides an environment where their thoughts can be developed
in the best way possible. This requires the actualization of their potential
for creativity, which demands the development of their imagination in the
process of play. Accordingly, it is necessary to provoke their curiosity during
this process by creating a challenging and exciting atmosphere.
Key Terms
philosophy of play
intellectual growth
teaching philosophy to children
***
A Return to the Reality of Self: A Philosophical-Moral Analysis of the
Little Prince
Saeideh Qayemi Majd:
MA student of Philosophy of Ethics,
University of Zanjan
Moral criticism is one of the important branches of literary
criticism which has always resulted in controversial discussions since ancient
times. That is why it is necessary to emphasize the moral criticism of literary
works. This paper provides a critique of The Little Prince by Antoine de
Saint-Exupéry, the contemporary French writer. It has been translated into more
than 100 languages and is one of the most read books all over the world. It was
one of the most popular books of the 20th century, and that is why it was
called the Book of the Century. In this paper, the writer initially deals with
each of the characters of the story in terms of their nature and essential
characteristics and explains the author’s intention of writing this book. Here,
he portrays the different stages of his own wayfaring and, through an analysis
of these stages, refers to the important point of the little prince’s return to
his hometown, which is his very true self after going through the different
stages of his wayfaring. This indicates the influence of Eastern gnosis on the
creation of this work. The present paper examines The Little Prince following a
philosophical-moral approach.
Key Terms
The Little Prince
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
truth of self
morality
***
A Comparison of the Personality Characteristics, Identity
Styles, and Thrill-Seeking of Internet Addict and Non-
Addict Male High School Students
Azadeh
Mehrpooyan: Islamic Azad University, Tehran Central Branch, Young Researchers
and Elite Club, Tehran, Iran,
dr.mehrpooyan@gmail.com
Saeed Shaikhi: Islamic Azad University, Abdanan Branch, Young
Researchers and Elite Club, Ilam, Iran, saeedsheikhi 2000@yahoo.com
Morad Shahmoradi: MA in General Psychology, moradshahmoradi@gmail.com
The present study aimed to compare the personal characteristics,
identity styles, and sensation seeking trait of internet addict and non-addict
male high school students. It was based on a causal-comparative design. The
participants consisted of 290 male students who were chosen based on the
convenience sampling method from among the population of 1200 first grade high
school students in Abdanan. In order to measure the variables of the study,
Young’s Internet Addiction Questionnaire (1998), a shorter version of the
Revised NEO Personality Inventory (Neo-PI-R), Zuckerman’s Sensation Seeking
Scale (1964), and Berzonsky’s Identity Styles Inventory (1992) were used. SPSS
software, version 20, was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics,
including score frequencies, percentiles, mean, and standard deviation, were
computed for each data distribution, and inferential statistics, namely, the
t-test, was employed to test the significance of the differences between the
obtained mean scores. The results indicated that there were significant
differences between internet addict and non-addict male students with regard to
their personal characteristics. Internet addicts were more neurotic than
non-addicts. The mean scores of non-addicts were significantly higher than
addicts regarding the variables of extroversion, acceptability, and
conscientiousness. However, there was no significant difference between the two
groups with respect to openness to experience. The difference between the
addicts and non-addicts’ mean scores on the Identity Style Inventory was also
significant. The internet addicts obtained a significantly higher mean score on
diffused/avoidant and normative dimensions of identity styles comparing to
non-addicts However, non-addicts’ informational style mean score was
significantly higher than that of addicts. Finally, there was a significant
difference between the two groups with regard to the sensation seeking variable
and its four dimensions (errantry, experience-seeking, disinhibition, and
boredom susceptibility).
Key Terms
internet addiction
personality characteristics
identity styles and sensation seeking