Moral Empowerment: In Quest of a Pedagogy

by Sona Farid-Arbab

Overview

In Moral Empowerment: In Quest of a Pedagogy, Dr. Sona Farid-Arbab’s illuminating work is carried out on the basis of two central premises: that we live in an age of transition from humanity’s childhood to its maturity, and that a fundamental characteristic of this age is the growing consciousness of the oneness of humankind. Taking these premises to heart, Farid-Arbab explores a philosophical framework capable of guiding educational programs seeking the moral empowerment of students.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781618511119
Publisher:	Baha'i Publishing Trust, U.S.
Publication date:	01/01/2018
Edition description:	None
Pages:	412
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

Sona Farid-Arbab has a BA in architecture from the University of East London, a master of art in the history of Chinese education from Beijing Normal University (Beijing Shi Fan Da Xue), and a PhD in the philosophy of education from the Institute of Education of the University of London. More recently she has been serving as an advisor to the Moral Education Research Center at the Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences. She currently resides in San Diego and is assisting several organizations with the elaboration of educational material.

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Chapter 1 Origins 1

The Source of Inspiration 1

An Evolving Conceptual Framework 2

Generating Premises 5

Chapter 2 On Moral Empowerment 13

Essential Relationships 13

Conceptions of Power in Political Empowerment 16

Search for an Expanded Concept of Power 22

Key Elements 29

Chapter 3 The Subject of Understanding 41

Avoiding Shallow Treatments of Understanding 42

Computational and Cultural Dimensions of Cognition 52

Excessive Subjectivism 60

Chapter 4 Nurturing Understanding and Fostering Spiritual Qualities 75

Nurturing Understanding 78

Virtues and Practice 80

Fostering Spiritual Qualities 90

Seeking an Account of Spiritual Qualities 97

Appropriate Language 97

Evolution of Meaning 99

Justice: An Example of a Spiritual Quality 101

Interactions among Spiritual Qualities 117

Service 118

Chapter 5 Object of Understanding: The Context 121

Constructing Social Reality 123

Positioning the Subject of Understanding 127

Fragmentation 134

Thought and Reality 138

Chapter 6 Complementarity 151

The Modernization Project 154

Inherence of Metaphysical Convictions 158

Transcending the Perceived Dichotomy between Faith and Reason 164

Processes and Methods in Science and Religion 169

Complementary Systems of Knowledge 177

Complementarity in Conviction and Action 179

Complementarity of Languages 184

Chapter 7 Integration 199

Distinct and Interrelated: A Defense of Forms of Knowledge 202

Criteria for Curricular Integration 207

Structure 207

Relevance 211

The Role of the Cognitive 213

Social Practice 218

Values of Knowledge 225

Thought and Action 230

Chapter 8 Capabilities 247

Development as Freedom 250

Agency 257

Capability 258

Building Capacity 264

Chapter 9 Pedagogical Choices 275

Banking Education and Problem Posing 277

The Logical Order and the Psychological Method 288

Capabilities as Contexts 298

Chapter 10 Continuity of Thought, Language, and Action 301

Oneness of Heart and Mind 305

The Interplay between the Individual and the Collective 310

Concluding Remarks 319

Notes 325

Bibliography 361

Index 377