Topic: Knowledge, intellect and education in social context

بسن اهلل السحوي السحین

1.a)Knowledge:It is the data received from the outside world through

different means such as hearing and seeing= input

b)Intellect: The ability of deduction, induction, and reasoning using the input

to obtain a thoughtful and reflective output.

c)These two elements go hand in hand and non of them comes into use

individually unless is accompanied by the second factor.

d)Therefore many people are knowledgeable but not many are thoughtful

and reflective.

43عکبت"هىلض هب یعقلب اال العبا للب تلک االهثبل ضسب"

2.Some characteristics of being intellectual:

a)Having a scientific morale/mentality: Going from reasoning to conclusion

not from conclusion to reasoning.

b)Not being proud and arrogant: according to one narration:

“ Knowledge (or intellect) is of three inches: if you reach the first inch you

feel proud, then if you reach second inch you feel humble and modest, and

if you reach the third inch you know that you don not know anything.”

c)The courage to comment and criticize: constructive critizism with pure

intention. "کونوا نقاد الکالم"

d)The ability of passing the knowledge through a sieve to demarcate bad

and good.

18شهس"دئن اهلل الئک ن الااللببةالریي یستوعى القل فیتبعى احس الئک الریي "

3.Some barriers of being intellectual which need to be passed

a)Being free from some traditions and social habits:

اذا قیل لن اتبعا هب اصل اهلل قبلا بل تبع هب الفیب علی اببئب ا ل کبى اببن ال یعقلى شئیب ال "

170بقس"یتدى

b)Following the majority: Sheeps’ criterion

116اعبم " اى تطع اکثس هي فی االزض یضلک عي سبیل اهلل"

c)Not being affected by others criticism and judgments: independence and

freedom of mind and thoughts.

4.Theoretical or practical characteristics

a)Nature: genetic influences on behavior and temperament e.g. 5-HTT

Topic: Knowledge, intellect and education in social context

protein and its influence on regulation of emotion and behaviour.

b)Nurture: environment( parental and society), cultural context and life

events shape our values: some sociologists and psychologists’ claim e.g.

Aschs’ experiments in 1950s on the concept of social conformity

c)Definition of personality: “the pervasive, persistant and characteristic way

a person thinks, feels and behaves.”

Personality= nature( temperament)+ nurture(environmental factors)

d)So, we are by-product of some of the genes which lie dormant unless

they are exposed to certain environmental factors.

e)In conclusion, the mentioned characteristics and barriers are just

theoretical.

5. Solution: Power of Will and determination

a)Absolute freedom and will

b)Fatalism or determinism

c) A way in between

6.What should be educated?

a) Body: requirement but not enough

b)Spirit: Also, known as the human’s talents and capabilities.

7.The four dimensions of spirit or the four talents according to scholars

( such as Alexis Carrel)

a)Intellect: truth and science seeking

b)Moral: A very controversial topic which resides in our innate: i)relative

ii)absolute

c)Aesthetics

d)Religion

Marty Ayattolah Motahari said that we may add one more dimension known

as capability of creativity and innovation.

هدى بع ال لى من ات سالم ع وال

Researched by : Hassan Al Dabbagh,13/08/2010

Hassan.aldabbagh@yahoo.com.au