An Anthropological Approach to Curriculum

Arash RastegarSharif University of Technology

Ministry of Science and Technology

Confucius

Layers of existence Human is alone• Tao Essence: truth• Spirit: Knowledge• Heart: Faith

• Soul: Educate• Body: Action

• Common• Immortal• Inward Communication with

spirits• Outward communication• Outward communication

Confucius’ anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is a spiritual knowledge which is an image of truth and

incarnates in humanities, natural sciences and sports.• Natural Sciences and sports are in service of well-being of humans.• Humanities are for cleaning the heart. • Religion is the science of influence from upper layers of existence

to lower layers.

Buda

Layers of existence Everything is a human• Krishna• Brahman• Atman• Self• Body

• Truth• Annihilation-transpersonal• Social spirit• Social self• personal

Buda’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is knowledge of social spirit.• Natural Sciences are in fact part of humanities.• Humanities are in the service of transcendence.• Religion is the same as humanities and is the science of transcendence

from lower layers of existence to higher levels.• Sports are in the service of transcendence from body to soul.

Zartosht

Layers of existence Human parallel to universe• Ahouramazda• Divine wisdom• Social soul• Personal soul• Body Human Layers

• Wisdom• Soul• Body

• Eternal• First creation• Soul of creation• Perfect Human: Zoroastria

Universe Layers: By Superposition• Wisdom• Soul• Body

Zartosht’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is a knowledge in the realm of wisdom and incarnates in humanities

and sports, as well as natural sciences. • Natural Sciences are an image of humanities.• Humanities are an image of the realm of wisdom. • Religion is the science of transcendence of human and flow of truth.• Sports are in the service of health of our body and related to natural sciences.

Pythagoras

Layers of existence Human is divine• Spirit• Soul• Body

Human• Spirit• Soul• Body

• Immortal• Feelings• Material: Atomism-Monad

God• Universal spirit• Soul: Mathematical thoughts• Body: Creation

Pythagoras’ anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is the thoughts of God.• Natural Sciences and nature are made of mathematics and all could be understood by

numbers.• Humanities are the knowledge of feelings and thoughts and is governed by

mathematics, like music.• Religion is the science of transcendence.• Sports are hardship for the education of the soul.

Plato

Layers of existence Human-Universe isomorphic • Wisdom: immortal• Spirit or Soul• Body

• Human communication: in all layers

• Global Wisdom• Spirit or Soul: universal• Body

• Communication with human: in all layers

Plato’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is a tool for education of wisdom and understanding nature.• Natural Sciences are an image of wisdom and philosophy and could be understood by

mathematics.• Humanities are an image of wisdom and philosophy.• Religion is the science of projection from higher levels of existence to lower levels of

existence.• Sports are in the service of health and mind, and are correlated with natural sciences.

Aristotle

Human layers of existence Universal layers of existence• Soul Human soul Animal soul Vegetal soul • Spirit• Body

• God

• Initial Wisdom• Nature: realm of

communication

Aristotle’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is part of our knowledge in our spirit and is governed by the natural logic

which is planted in our minds and is the same for every human being.• Natural Sciences is divided to vegetal life and animal life and human life and study of dead

material.• Humanities are about human soul and human life of humans.• Religion is the science of transcendence of knowledge but not human.• Sports are in service of health of body and communication. Since body is the realm

of communication.

Kendi

Human layers of existence Universal layers of existence

• Soul or spirit: Realm of communication Wisdom-Mind-Feeling• Body

• Wisdom• Soul or spirit• Nature

Kendi’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is a science in the realm of personal soul and universal soul and is a means of

communication in the realm of soul of universe. It is the image from the universal wisdom through the universal soul.

• Natural Sciences are in connection with soul of universe.• Humanities are the realm of human communication through the soul of universe.• Religion is the science of communication with the universe through the soul of universe.• Sports are in connection with the personal soul and also nature through the universal

soul.

Farabi

Human layers of existence Universal layers of existence

• Soul or spirit: Realm of communication Classification of forces• Body

• Wisdom 11 layers of existence• Soul or spirit

• Nature

Farabi’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is a science in the realm of personal soul and universal soul and is a means of

communication in the realm of soul of universe. It is the image from the eleven layers of wisdom projecting layer by layer through the universal soul until it reaches the personal soul.

• Natural Sciences are the image of realms of wisdom through the soul of universe.• Humanities are the realm of human communication through the soul of universe.• Religion is the science of communication with the universe through the soul of universe and

transcendence to the higher realm of wisdom.• Sports are in connection with the personal soul and also nature through the universal soul or

higher levels of existence which are realms of wisdom.

Avicenna

Human layers of existence Universal layers of existence• Wisdom

11 layers of existence• Soul or spirit: Human soul Classification of powers Animal soul Classification of powers Vegetal soul Classification of powers• Body

• Wisdom 11 layers of existence• Universal Soul or spirit

• Nature

Avicenna’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is a science in the realm of human soul which project to human body, and is projected

from the realms of wisdom which are several and project also to the realm of universal soul and then nature.

• Natural Sciences are the image of realms of wisdom through the soul of universe or the personal soul

which live inside the soul of universe.• Humanities are the realm of human communication via human soul, animal soul and vegetal soul,

through the soul of universe.• Religion is the science of communication of human soul with the universe through the soul of

universe and transcendence to the higher realm of wisdom.• Sports are in connection with the vegetal and animal soul and also nature through the

universal soul or higher levels of existence which are realms of wisdom.

Alhazen

Human layers of existence Universal layers of existence• Soul Human soul Animal soul Vegetal soul • Spirit• Body

Human is part of nature

• Nature: Independent of Human

Alhazen’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is the language of understanding nature.• Natural Sciences is the science of understanding nature and human body which is part of nature.• Humanities• Is the science of understanding human spirit which is governed by human soul,

animal soul and vegetal soul.• Religion is the science of communication with nature and preparation of the spirit for

this communication. • Sports are for health of human body and show up in the nature of human body as part

of nature.

Ghazzali

Human layers of existence Universal layers of existence• Essence, wisdom, spirit,

heart, soul• Body

Human is image of God

• Wisdom• Soul or spirit• Nature

جبروت•ملکوت•ملک•

Ghazzali’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is part of wisdom which is projected to our essence. Wisdom helps us

understand nature, universal soul and universal wisdom and human essence. • Natural Sciences are governed by universal soul and universal wisdom.• Humanities are the science of understanding the human essence and how all the layers

of truth are projected in it.• Religion is the science of how human is the image of God.• Sports are for the health of body and ease of essence.

Ibn-Roshd

Human layers of existence Universal layers of existence• Soul Human soul Animal soul Vegetal soul • Spirit• Body

• God

• Initial Wisdom• Nature: realm of

communication

Ibn-Roshd’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is a spiritual knowledge and its role is understanding the nature so that this be part of

human understanding of the truth. It exists and works because nature is the image of wisdom and wisdom is the image of God’s essence.

• Natural Sciences are the images of wisdom and wisdom is the image of God’s essence. Therefore

mathematics is the language of natural sciences.• Humanities are in service of transcending the truth to the human soul.• Religion is the science of how truth projects down through layers of existence and then

transcends through human soul.• Sports are in the service of human health and human health is in the service of human spirit.

Sohrevardi

Human layers of existence Universal layers of existence• Light many layers of existence• Soul or spirit light or darkness Avicenna’s classification

Towards light

• Body

• Light many layers of existence• Universal Soul or spirit also light

Towards darkness

• Darkness

Sohrevardi’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics like any other human science is light and it is projected from deeper lights

and its role is to transcend the light.• Natural Sciences are to discover light which is projected to the material world.• Humanities are to help light to transcend inside human towards its origin.• Religion is the science of how light is projected towards darkness and how it

transcends inside human being.• Sports are escapement of the soul from darkness towards light.

Ibn-Arabi

Human layers of existence Universal layers of existence• Light many layers of existence

Human is a mirror of God’s names

• Light many layers of existence

Human is the spirit of universe

Ibn-Arabi’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics like any other human science is light and it is projected from deeper lights and its

role is to transcend the light. It is a realm of existence in human and universe which is projected from deeper layers of light.

• Natural Sciences nature of human is a summary of and analogous to the global nature, and is an

image through several layers of light.• Humanities are the same as anthropology and are the science of understanding light from

within and understanding how human is the soul of universe.• Religion is the science of understanding how light works in the universe.• Sports are the science of how to treat light in the material world.

Nasireddin Toosi

Human layers of existence Universal layers of existence• Wisdom

• Soul or spirit: Essence or personality Human soul Classification of powers Animal soul Classification of powers Vegetal soul Classification of powers• Body

• Wisdom

• Soul

• Nature

Nasireddin Toosi’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is a science in the realm of human soul which project to human body, and is

projected from the realm of universal wisdom and project also to the realm of universal soul and then nature.

• Natural Sciences are the image of realm of wisdom through the soul of universe or the personal soul

which live inside the soul of universe.• Humanities are the science of human communication via human essence, human soul, animal

soul and vegetal soul, through the soul of universe.• Religion is the science of how the truth and layers of existence are projected in human being. • Sports are in connection with the vegetal and animal soul and also nature through the

universal soul or universal wisdom.

Molla-Sadra

Human layers of existence Universal layers of existence• many layers of existence

• Wisdom• Soul• Body

• many layers of existence

• Wisdom• Soul• Body

Molla-Sadra’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is a science in the realm of human wisdom which project to human soul and body, as is

projected from the realm of universal wisdom to universal soul and universal body. This is why it works.

• Natural Sciences are the image of realm of universal wisdom through the soul of universe on the universal body.• Humanities are the science of human communication and the science of human communication with

universe via body, soul and wisdom.• Religion is the science of how human and universe are the mirrors of truth, and how human is supposed

to be educated so that its layers of existence work analogous to the layers of existence of universe.

• Sports are part of our life in the realm of personal body which is interrelated with our soul and

wisdom.

Saint Agustine

Human layers of existence Universal layers of existence• Essence, wisdom, spirit,

heart, soul: Global concepts• Body :Feeling

Human could incarnate through history

• Wisdom• Soul or spirit• Nature

Saint Agustine’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is the language of global understanding and is part of wisdom which is projected to

our essence. Wisdom helps us understand nature, universal soul and universal wisdom and human essence.

• Natural Sciences are governed by universal soul and universal wisdom. Concepts in natural sciences

are local.• Humanities are the science of understanding the human essence and how all the layers of truth are

projected in it. Humanities deal with global human concepts.• Religion is the science of how church is the incarnation of Christ in humanity. • Sports are for the health of body and ease of feelings. Feelings are also part body.

Saint Thomas Aquinas

Human layers of existence Universal layers of existence• Soul Human soul Animal soul Vegetal soul • Spirit• Body

Humanity is incarnation of Christ in history

• God

• Initial Wisdom• Nature

Saint Thomas Aquinas’ anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is part of our knowledge in our spirit and is governed by the natural logic which is

planted in our minds and is the same for every human being because they are created through initial wisdom.

• Natural Sciences is divided to vegetal life and animal life and human life and study of material life all

kept alive by God through the initial wisdom.• Humanities are about incarnation of Christ in human history, and are about human communication

with human and initial wisdon.• Religion is the science of how Christ could incarnate in world of creation as humanity. Soul is

the realm of communication with initial wisdom.• Sports are in service of health of body and spirit.

A Suggested Hierarchy

Human layers of existence Universe layers of existence• Essence• Light• Wisdom• Spirit• Heart• Soul• Body

• Essence• Light• Wisdom• Spirit• Heart• Soul• Body

Suggested hierarchy’s anthropology suggests a curriculum in which

• Mathematics is a science in the realm of human wisdom which project to all lower layers, as is

projected from the realm of universal wisdom to all lower universal layers. This is why it works.

• Natural Sciences are the image of truth through the universal layers of existence on the universal body.• Humanities are the science of human communication and the science of human communication with

universe via all layers of existence.• Religion is the science of how human and universe are the mirrors of truth, and how human is

supposed to be educated so that its layers of existence work analogous to the layers of existence of universe and become correlated.

• Sports are part of our life in the realm of personal body which is interrelated with all layers of our

existence.

Does our curriculum suggest any anthropology?

In our curriculum all the following are separate and not correlated:• Mathematics• Natural Sciences• Humanities• Religion is defending itself against others.• Sports

Question:• What is the meaning of pairs in each of the above anthropologies and

what will the role of fathers and mothers be according to them. They must be educated according to the role they are supposed to play.

• See that what an opportunity we are missing!