Beyond Thinking

8/11/2019 Beyond Thinking

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10th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL

ASSOCIATION OF COGNITIVE EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGY (IACEP)University of Durham, England, July 10-14 2005

Going Beyond Thinking Skills: Reviving anUnderstanding of Higher Human Facultiesby Jeremy Henzell-Thomas

ABSTRACT

Thi s paper expl or es t he vi t al need f or a r evi val of an under st andi ngof t he natur e and ext ent of hi gher human cogni t i ve f acul t i es at at i me of prof ound educat i onal cr i si s when t he domi nance of a narr owut i l i t ar i an concept of school i ng f or t he wor kpl ace i s bound up wi t h aper vasi ve f ai l ur e t o awaken and nour i sh such hi gher f acul t i es i nyoung peopl e.

Thi s f ai l ure wi l l be exami ned i n t he wi der paradi gmat i c cont extof t he di spi r i t i ng mat er i al i sm or rei gn of quant i t y whi ch can ber egar ded as one of t he chi ef def or mi t i es of t he cont empor ar y wor l d.Associ at ed wi t h t hi s def or mi t y i s t he r educt i on, si nce t he so- cal l edEnl i ght enment , of t he or i gi nal spi r i t ual sense of Intellect as aseei ng f acul t y cent r ed i n t he Hear t t o i t s l ower r at i onal l evel asa pr edomi nant l y t hi nki ng, di scur si ve and l ogi cal f acul t y si t uat ed i nt he br ai n. I t wi l l be f ur t her ar gued t hat so per vasi ve has been t hei mpact of r educt i oni st sci ent i sm i n West er n t hought t hat t he or i gi nalmeani ng of t he wor d i nt el l ect i s no l onger gener al l y retr i evabl e i nWest er n cul t ur e as a means of di st i ngui shi ng t he hi gher f acul t y f r omt he l ower one.

Rel at ed t o t hi s need i s t he pr essi ng need t o r evi ve t he not i on of

qualitative educat i on i t sel f , as opposed t o t he quantitativeeval uat i ve appr oaches der i ved f r om t arget - dr i ven t echno- management whi ch r educe human bei ngs t o conf ormi ng and per f ormi ng cogs i n t hei ndust r i al machi ne. Tr ul y qual i t at i ve educat i on ( as opposed t oi mpover i shed quant i t at i ve appr oaches masquer adi ng as qual i t yassurance) can onl y be based on a matur e underst andi ng of t he f ul lr ange of human f acul t i es - cogni t i ve, af f ecti ve and spi r i t ual .

The paper wi l l at t empt t o r est or e t he authent i c meani ng of humani nt el l ect ( Gr eek nous, Ar abi c aql) wi t h r ef erence t o key concept s i nvar i ous spi r i t ual t r adi t i ons. Speci al at t ent i on wi l l be gi ven t oI sl ami c spi r i t ual i t y, wi t h i t s ri ch and subt l e descr i pt i on of t hehi er ar chy of human f acul t i es. I t wi l l show how t hi s vi si on of hi gheri nt el l ectual f acul t i es, encompassi ng above al l t he capaci t y f or

symbol i c under st andi ng and i nsi ght , t r anscends t he f i xat i on onr at i onal t hi nki ng so char act er i st i c of convent i onal appr oaches t ocogni t i on and cogni t i ve educat i on and of f er s t o young peopl e t hepossi bi l i t y of ways of seei ng and per cei vi ng whi ch r ef l ect t hei rdeepest capaci t i es as human bei ngs.

I woul d l i ke t o say f r om t he out set t hat i t i s not apur el y academi c i nt er est whi ch has mot i vat ed t hi s paper .I have been i nvol ved i n t he pr act i cal educat i on of youngpeopl e i n one way or another f or my whol e worki ng l i f e,as a t eacher , a di r ect or of st udi es, a t eacher t r ai ner , auni ver si t y l ect ur er , a r esear ch super vi sor , and now as

t he di r ect or of an educat i onal f oundat i on, and i t seems


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t o me t hat we ar e i n t he gr i p of a pr of ound educat i onalc r i s i s1

whi ch r equi r es a t ot al r e- assessment of t henatur e, pur pose and methodol ogy of educat i on.

Above al l , t hi s r e- assessment r equi r es t he r evi val of an

under st andi ng of hi gher human f acul t i es, and i npar t i cul ar t he r ecl amat i on of t he t r ue nat ur e of humanI nt el l ect i on. The hi st or i cal r educt i on and degr adat i on oft hi s f acul t y i n West er n cul t ur e has ensur ed t hat t heI nt el l ect i s now al most i nvar i abl y associ at ed not wi t h aqual i t y of Intellection or spi r i t ual Intelligence, whi chi s essent i al l y a per cept i ve, i nt ui t i ve, cont empl at i vef acul t y of di r ect i nsi ght , i nnat e and common t o al l humanbei ngs, but wi t h t he pr ocesses of intellectualising,t hi nki ng, consci ous del i ber at i on and l ogi cal r easoni ngwhi ch have been so good at sol vi ng anal yt i c and

t echnol ogi cal pr obl ems and so successf ul i n dr i vi ngf orward what we are condi t i oned by our own i deol ogy t or egard as pr ogr ess and devel opment .

Phr ases l i ke dr i vi ng f or war d, or r at chet i ng up, socommon i n management - speak and pol i t i cal spi n t hese days,t el l us a l ot about what t hi s i nf l at i on of t he l oweri nt el l ect r epr esent s now, mor e than ever , not j ustdr i vi ng and mot i vat i ng us t o goal - dr i ven andpur posef ul act i vi t y, but i ncr easi ngl y out of bal ance andi n danger ous over - dr i ve as our wor kf or ce, oppr essed by

i mpat i ent and urgent demands t o pr oduce and del i ver more and more i n l ess and l ess t i me, 2 and over whel med byunmanageabl y compl ex syst ems, 3

i s dr i ven t o ever - hi gherl evel s of st r ess, exhaust i on, and demor al i sat i on.

Br i an Thorne4 r emi nds us t hat i t i s t he bl i nd sl umber i ngr ai ned i n t he l i ves of moder n West ern men and women,whi ch i s f ast becomi ng t he col l ect i ve neur osi s of ourcont emporary cul t ur e. 5 I t i s i roni c that t he f r enet i chyper act i vi t y of moder n l i f e i s act ual l y a f or m ofchr oni c sloth, whi ch r eal l y means not l azi ness but

f or get f ul ness6

of t he one t hi ng t hat i s needf ul .

That one t hi ng t hat i s needf ul can be def i ned i n manyways, and we shoul dn t swi t ch of f i f t he wor ds somepeopl e use ar e di f f er ent f r om our s and come f r omdi sci pl i nes, per spect i ves, or t r adi t i ons of whi ch we ar ei gnorant or whi ch make us f eel uneasy. These days, i n ourpr edomi nant l y secul ar soci et y, i t t ends t o be t hel anguage of r el i gi on whi ch pr ovokes such unease, or evendownr i ght host i l i t y. We need to di scover and ar t i cul at et he essent i al uni t y behi nd al l t hose per spect i ves whi ch

honour t he i nnat e capaci t i es of t he f ul l y human bei ng,


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whether t he words used t o descr i be t hem and t he methodsused t o nur t ur e t hem come f r om psychol ogy, educat i on, t hecr eat i ve ar t s , l i ngui st i cs, l i t er at ur e, hi st ory, cul t uralst udi es, sci ence, myt hol ogy, phi l osophy, spi r i t ual i t y orr el i gi on. We need synt het i c, i nt er di sci pl i nar y mi nds

whi ch can di scer n t he deep st r uct ur e of shar ed concept sand val ues behi nd di vi si ve t er mi nol ogy.

I n t hi s way we may concei ve of t he one t hi ng that i sneedf ul as t he devel opment of hi gher cogni t i ve andper cept i ve f acul t i es, such as i nsi ght and symbol i cunder st andi ng; we may see i t as an essent i al l y rel at i onaland af f ect i ve mode of awar eness i ncr easi ngl y at r i sk i n acul t ur e whi ch gi ves such emi nence t o t hi nki ng, 7 andi ncreasi ngl y t o that abst r act , quasi - aut i st i c, aut onomouski nd of t hi nki ng whi ch, under t he f al se banner of

obj ect i vi t y,8

engenders i nhuman, monol i t hi c syst ems; wemay concei ve of i t as t he educat i on of t he soul , or oft he hear t , or t he devel opment of f ul l human pot ent i al , ort he awar eness of t he sacr ed, or a r el at i onshi p wi t h t hedi vi ne; or we may choose t o descr i be i t as t he at t ai nmentof sel f - r eal i sat i on, or t he knowl edge of a hi gher r eal i t yor a Supr eme Bei ng, or , i ndeed, t he consci ousness andl ove of God, however we may name t hat ul t i mat e Truth. Weshoul d not be bound by wor ds, af f i l i at i ons and l i mi t i ngi dent i t i es t o such an ext ent t hat we onl y f eelcomf or t abl e wi t h a set vocabul ar y whi ch ar t i cul at es a

si ngl e out l ook or t r adi t i on.

But , f orget t i ng t hat one t hi ng, however we may descr i bei t , we go i mpl acabl y about our busi ness, st r i vi ng,compet i ng, achi evi ng, per f or mi ng, mul t i - t aski ng,out wi t t i ng, t ext i ng, phoni ng, e- mai l i ng, upgr adi ng,opt i mi si ng, r at chet i ng up st andar ds, model l i ng bestpr act i ce, dr i vi ng f or war d t he agenda, pushi ng t heenvel ope, managi ng r i sks, managi ng t i me, pl anni ng shor t - ,medi um- and l ong- t er m goal s, st r at egi si ng, f or mul at i ngpol i ci es and put t i ng t hem i n pl ace, chai r i ng meet i ngs,

i mposi ng sound commer ci al di sci pl i nes, meet i ng t ar get sand deadl i nes, bui l di ng cohesi ve t eams, br ai nst or mi ng,gi vi ng power - poi nt pr esent at i ons, r oot i ng out dead wood,appr ai si ng, i nspect i ng, eval uat i ng, assessi ng,moni t or i ng, t est i ng, i mpr ovi ng ef f i ci ency, pr ovi di ngqual i t y assur ance, speci f yi ng per f or mance i ndi cat or s,checki ng t i ckboxes, def i ni ng out comes, i mposi ng syst emsof account abi l i t y, pr essur i si ng, oppr essi ng, bul l yi ng,f ast - t r acki ng, net wor ki ng, and of cour se, dar e I say,conf er enci ng, and even vi deo- conf er enci ng, and above al l ,delivering, 9 as Thor ne says, t he l i st of f r enet i c

act i vi t i es and j udgment al pr ocesses i s endl ess. 10 Have we


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f or got t en t hat t o del i ver , i n i t s or i gi nal meani ng, i st o set f r ee, 11

not t o ensl ave ei t her our sel ves orot her s?

Many year s ago I st udi ed f or my Ph. D. r esear ch t he

cogni t i ve pr ocesses of my st udent s at t he Uni ver si t y ofTechnol ogy i n Papua New Gui nea, who wer e t r yi ng t o l ear nsci ent i f i c concept s i n what was f or t hem a t hi r d l anguage( Engl i sh) f r om t he st andpoi nt of an i ndi genous cul t ur ewhi ch onl y t wo gener at i ons bef ore t hem had been descr i bedby Aust r al i an expl or er s as st one age.

On t hat note, I wonder i f you hear d about t he r ecentar chaeol ogi cal r esear ch whi ch suggest s t hat Pal aeol i t hi cMan ( t hat i s, Old St one Age Man, bef ore t he compar at i vemoderni t y of t he Neol i t hi c, or New St one Age) onl y had t o

wor k t hr ee hour s a day i n or der t o sust ai n hi msel f andhi s f ami l y. The r est of hi s t i me was spent i n f ami l y andsoci al l i f e, t he art s, l ei sur e, r i t ual and r ef l ect i on.We have come a l ong way si nce t he Ol d St one Age! I amr emi nded of Pr esi dent Ei senhower s pr edi ct i on i n t he1950 s t hat wi t hi n t en years Amer i cans woul d onl y beworki ng f our days a week because of l abour - savi ngdevi ces. Look at t hem now! And l ook at us, t oo! So st r ongi s t he condi t i oni ng wr ought by t he myth of pr ogr ess, sopower f ul t hese i l l usi ons, t hat we f ai l t o see what i sbef or e our ver y eyes.

Ear l i er t hi s year , I pi cked up t he Guar di an12

on my way t ospeak at a conf erence on Hi gher Educat i on i n Devel opi ngCount r i es i n London and not i ced an ar t i cl e about ouroppr essi ve wor k cul t ur e. Next t o t he headl i ne Wor k i s af our l et t er wor d f or t hose i n t hei r 30s, t her e was ast r i ki ng photogr aph of a dej ect ed young man si t t i ng on af l i ght of st one st eps, br i ef case bet ween hi s l egs,l eani ng f or war d ont o t i ght l y cl asped hands, wi t h t hecapt i on: St r essed, wor r i ed and over wor kedt he pr i ce ofcl i mbi ng t he car eer l adder i s t oo hi gh f or

t hi r t ysomet hi ngs. The ar t i cl e, r epor t i ng t he f i ndi ngs ofa st udy by t he Empl oyer s For um on Age, al so repor t s t hef i ndi ngs of Br i an Thor ne, der i ved f r om hi s psycho-t her apeut i c encount er s, t hat wor ker s i n t hei r t hi r t i esgradual l y t umbl e t o t he f act t hat work has become t het ot al i t y of t hei r exi st ence and so much of t hei r ener gy,i nt el l ect and emot i on goes i nt o maki ng t hei r way up t hehi er ar chi cal l adder . They ar e exhaust ed and t hey real i set hey ar e l osi ng t ouch wi t h t hei r f r i ends or mi ssi ng outon aspect s of t hei r chi l dr en s devel opment t hat can neverr ecur .


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I t hought of a young man I know, f or t he young man on t hest eps l ooked a bi t l i ke hi m. Wor ki ng i n a pr essur i sed j obi n London i n t he f i el d of et hi cal busi ness pr act i ce,about t o be marr i ed, and pur sui ng a part - t i me M. A. t oenhance hi s promot i on pr ospect s, he f or t unat el y has t he

wi sdom and i nt egr i t y not t o al l ow hi msel f t o be swal l owedup, but I know he bat t l es const ant l y wi t h t he chal l enget o bal ance hi s need f or success wi t h hi s need t o be awel l - r ounded human bei ng and t o hol d on t o cor e val ues.

I t hought t oo of a young woman, st r i vi ng so har d t ocompl et e her t r ai ni ng as a t eacher . A bor n t eacher ofyoung chi l dr en, wi t h a t wo- year ol d daught er of her own,l ongi ng t o i mpar t t he j oy13 and del i ght of l ear ni ngt hr ough pl ay, obser vat i on and di scover y, I see hershackl ed by t he wr et ched appar at us of pol i ci es, pl anni ng,

obj ect i ves, t ar get s, st r at egi es and assessmentoppor t uni t i es, and ever y buddi ng i nsi ght and spont aneousi nspi r at i on bl i ght ed or st r ai t j acket ed by t he demandal ways t o make expl i ci t how t hey compl y wi t h t hesesyst ems and how t hey conf or m t o the l i f el esst ermi nol ogy i n whi ch they ar e f r amed. 14 I r ecal l anar t i cl e i n t he I ndependent whi ch r epor t ed t he i nsani t yt hat chi l dr en ar e t o be assessed on t hei r physi cal ,emot i onal , i nt el l ect ual and soci al devel opment bet weent he ages of t hr ee and si x, a t ask whi ch wi l l necessi t at et he compl et i on of 3, 510 t i ckboxes f or a cl ass of 30

chi l dr en.15

My hear t goes out t o al l young peopl e t oday, l abour i ng ast hey do under t he yoke of our i mpover i shed vi ew of humanf acul t i es and human pot ent i al . When wi l l we begi n tounderst and what our chi l dr en hunger f or , and nour i sht hem? I f anyone deser ves an ASBO ( Ant i - Soci al Behavi ourOr der ) i s has t o be t he i deol ogues, ar chi t ect s andenf orcers of government educat i onal pol i cy who r epeatedl yst at e t hat t he number - one pr i or i t y of educat i on i n t hi scount r y i s not t he acqui si t i on of l i ber at i ng knowl edge,

t he nour i shment of t he i magi nat i on, t he devel opment ofchar act er or t he r eal i sat i on of what i t means t o be f ul l yhuman, but t he dr i vi ng f or war d of nat i onal economi cdevel opment goal s so that we can al l cont i nue per petual l yt o i ncr ease our mat er i al st andar ds of living t o t hedet r i ment of our own happi ness and qual i t y of life.16

AndI do not even t ouch on t he dest r uct i on of t he l i vel i hoodsof t he l ess advanced and t he degr adat i on of t heenvi r onment necessi t at ed by our i nsat i abl e gr eed.

And t he gover nment s answer? The i nt r oduct i on, so I have

j ust hear d, of t he i nspi r i ng subj ect of money management


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i nt o t he primary school cur r i cul um the bas i cs ofsavi ngs, spendi ng and r unni ng a budget . Our educat i onalvi si on and phi l osophy i s now moul ded not by t hose whoknow how t o educat e ( t hat i s, f r om Lat i n educere, t odr aw out our i nnate potent i al as human bei ngs 17

) but by

peopl e who know how t o r un an ef f i ci ent economy. Thei rover use of t he t er m del i ver y t o descr i be t he successf ulr eal i sat i on of t hei r pol i ci es ref l ect s wel l t hei r nat ur alaf f i ni t y wi t h t he wor l d of shoppi ng.

A col umni st i n The Independent newspaper , r ef er r i ng t oour educat i on secr et ar y of t he t i me as Br ui ser Cl ar ket he bof f i n- basher , bel i eves t hat hi s dead- eyedut i l i t ar i an code reduces educat i on t o chur ni ng outl i mi t ed, weal t h- pr oduci ng uni t s. 18 I ndeed, i f you want t oproduce t he modern equi val ent of a regi ment ed empi r e-

ser vi ng ar my of l edger cl er ks and pet t y of f i ci al s ( t hati s, an army of unquest i oni ng and conf ormi ng cogs i n t heeconomi c machi ne) you don t need creat i ve peopl e wi t hi magi nat i on, 19 apar t f r om t hose who mi suse t hei ri magi nat i ve power s t o mani pul at e consumer s. Least of al ldo you need emot i onal l y i nt el l i gent peopl e, or r ef l ect i veand sel f - awar e peopl e, or peopl e of spi r i t ual vi si on. Youdon t even need peopl e who can t hi nk much beyond the ki ndof f unct i onal t hi nki ng ski l l s whi ch r educe t he mi r acl eof t he human mi nd t o mer e r at i onal i sat i on. 20 To use achi l l i ng phr ase I r ecent l y hear d ut t er ed by a sci ent i st

heral di ng t he f ut ur e devel opment of t he human r ace, whatyou i deal l y need ar e peopl e wi t h a di gi t al l y r e-mast er ed consci ousness. 21

But t o ret ur n t o the theme of not seei ng what i s bef or eour ver y eyes, an Amer i can phi l ant hr opi st r ecent l y sentme t he det ai l s of some r ecent r esear ch i n vi sualpercept i on whi ch was ai r ed on Nat i onal Publ i c Radi o andwhi ch suggest s t hat i f you don t see somet hi ng of t en,you of t en don t see i t . 22

The cont ext of t hi s was adi scussi on about how t o addr ess t he pr obl em of i gnor ance

of ot her cul t ur es, or wor se, cul t ur al pr ej udi ce, and howt o deal wi t h i t ( and t he wi der i ssues r ai sed by t heper ni ci ous doctr i ne of t he Cl ash of Ci vi l i sat i ons)t hr ough i nt er - cul t ur al educat i on not a st r ong car d i nt he Amer i can educat i onal system nor i n t hei r cor por at i on-domi nat ed medi a.

I r epl i ed by ref err i ng t o my r esearch i n Papua NewGui nea, whi ch f ound, on t he ot her hand, t hat i f you seesomethi ng t oo of t en, you may see nothi ng el se. A degr eeof t op- down or concept - dr i ven pr ocessi ng i s of cour se

essent i al i f we ar e t o pr ocess mat er i al r api dl y. I n t he


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f i el d of vi sual per cept i on, i t i s wel l known t hat i n t hecase of ambi guous i mages, t he br ai n tended t odi sambi guat e t hem on t he basi s of f ami l i ar orst er eot ypi cal vi ews der i ved f r om our knowl edge of t hewor l d.

However , when semant i c expect at i ons or gl obal schemat abecome f i xed scr i pt s i nst ead of mer el y pr ovi si onalhypotheses t hey can over r i de new i nf ormat i on whi ch weneed t o pr ocess mor e sl owl y and accur at el y f r om t hebot t om up t hr ough synt act i c and l exi cal anal ysi s i f wear e t o updat e and r ef i ne t he st at e of our exi st i ngknowl edge. 23 I t i s of cour se wel l known t o cogni t i vesci ent i st s t hat ef f ecti ve l ear ni ng r equi r es anosci l l at i on or i nt er pl ay bet ween t op- down and bot t om- uppr ocesses, or , i n phi l osophi cal l anguage, a pr ocess of

di al ect i c or cr i t i cal engagement by whi ch i deas ar ecumul at i vel y r ef i ned. Thi s i s , af t er al l , one of t hef oundi ng pr i nci pl es of West er n ci vi l i sat i on. 24

And yet , our one- si ded, r educt i oni st vi ew of t heI nt el l ect has become so ent r enched i n our cul t ur e t hat i thas become ver y di f f i cul t t o r ecl ai m i t s aut hent i cmeani ng, pur pose and scope. Peopl e have si mpl y f orgot t enwhat i t i s. I f you don t see somet hi ng of t en, you of t endon t see i t , but i f you see somet hi ng t oo of t en, you maysee not hi ng el se.

As I was wr i t i ng t hi s paper , i t became ver y cl ear t o met hat t her e i s a pr essi ng need t o connect up t he dot sbet ween var i ous appr oaches t o cogni t i on whi ch r ef l ectt hat di si l l usi onment wi t h t he over - emphasi s on t he l owerl evel of t he i nt el l ect i n our cul t ur e and educat i onsyst em - what Guy Cl axt on cal l s d- mode, ordel i ber at i on mode 25 and def i nes as t he sor t ofi nt el l i gence concer ned wi t h f i gur i ng mat t er s out ,wei ghi ng up t he pr os and cons, const r uct i ng ar gument s andsol vi ng pr obl emsa way of knowi ng t hat r el i es on r eason

and l ogi c, on del i ber at e consci ous t hi nki ng. We of t encal l t hi s i ntel l i gence i ntel l ect . 26

You ar e nott hi nki ng; sai d Nei l s Bohr t o Al ber t Ei nst ei n, you ar emer el y bei ng l ogi cal .

Cl axt on hi msel f poi nt s out t hat gr owi ng di ssat i sf act i onwi t h t he assumpt i on t hat d- mode i s t he be- al l and end- al lof human cogni t i on i s r ef l ect ed i n var i ous al t er nat i veappr oaches t o t he not i on of i nt el l i gence, such as Howar dGar dner s mul t i pl e i nt el l i gences and Dani el Gol eman s emot i onal i nt el l i gence . However , as he r i ght l y says,

t o under st and mor e br oadl y how t he di f f er ent f acet s of


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i nt el l i gence f i t t oget her , we have to find an approachthat does not presuppose the primacy of the intellect.27

(my emphasis).

I woul d want t o add t o t hese al t er nat i ve appr oaches t he

wor k of sci ent i st s such as F. Davi d Peat ,28

who havesynt hesi sed ant hr opol ogy, hi st or y, l i ngui st i cs,metaphysi cs, cosmol ogy and even quant um t heory todescr i be t he way i n whi ch t he wor l dvi ews and i ndi genoust eachi ngs of t r adi t i onal peopl es di f f er pr of oundl y f r omt he way of seei ng the wor l d embedded i n us by l i nearWest er n sci ence. I f t her e i s any cl ear er exampl e of af i xed scr i pt whi ch pr event s l ear ni ng, i t i s t hepr of oundl y l i mi t i ng assumpt i on t hat ot her non-sci ent i f i c modes of enqui r y ar e i nval i d, and t hati ndi genous sci ence shoul d not be cal l ed a sci ence at al l .

As Peat says, t hi s i s t he i nevi t abl e concl usi on wi t hi n awor l dvi ew whose val ues ar e domi nat ed by t he need f orpr ogr ess, devel opment , evol ut i on, and t he l i nearunf ol di ng of t i me. 29

But most of al l , I want t o connect t hese vi t alcor r ect i ves and r e- or i ent at i ons wi t h t he much mor espaci ous vi ew of human I nt el l ect whi ch i s shar ed by al ll i vi ng spi r i t ual t r adi t i ons. I woul d l i ke t o gi ve speci alat t ent i on t o t he i nsi ght s we can gai n f r om I sl ami cspi r i t ual i t y, wi t h i t s r i ch and subt l e descr i pt i on of t he

hi er ar chy of human f acul t i es, as a means of r evi vi ng t hi senr i ched vi si on of human I nt el l ect , whi ch has suchpr of ound educat i onal i mpl i cat i ons at t hi s t i me.

I n t hi s way, we don t need, as Cl axt on suggest s, t o f i ndan appr oach t hat does not pr esuppose t he pr i macy of t hei nt el l ect , but onl y need t o r edef i ne what t he humanI nt el l ect i s , and gi ve i t back i ts capi t al I . Thi s i s awor k of r ecl amat i on, of r evi val of an or i gi nal concept ,r at her t han t he f or mul at i on of a novel concept . Thi swi sdom i s al r eady accessi bl e t o us, and we onl y need t o

connect i t up t o t he f i ndi ngs of moder n r esear ch i nexact l y t he same way as Peat s wor k has shown ther emarkabl e r esembl ance bet ween t he i ndi genous t eachi ngsof nat i ve Amer i can peopl es and t he i nsi ght s t hat ar eemer gi ng f r om moder n sci ence.

But bef or e we excavat e t hi s uni f yi ng concept , l et mebr i ef l y summar i se t he char act er i st i cs of Cl axt on s d-mode . I hesi t at e t o connect d- mode wi t h t he st at edai ms of t he I ACEP, but t hey seem r at her si mi l ar .


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The I ACEP websi t e st at es t hat percept i on, t hi nki ng,l ear ni ng and pr obl em sol vi ng can be under st ood andul t i matel y i mpr oved by the devel opment and appl i cat i on ofsyst emat i c, i dent i f i abl e, and communi cabl e pr ocesses ofl ogi cal t hi nki ng.

D- mode~ i s a way of knowi ng t hat r el i es on r eason and l ogi c, ondel i ber at e consci ous t hi nki ng whi ch wor ks wel l when t hepr obl em i t i s f aci ng can be easi l y concept ual i sed;~ i s much more i nt erest ed i n f i ndi ng answers andsol ut i ons t han i n exami ni ng t he quest i ons;~ assumes t hat t he way i s sees t he si t uat i on i s t he wayi t i s and t he i dea t hat t he f aul t may be i n t he way t hesi t uat i on i s per cei ved or f r amed does not comenat ur al l y t o d- mode;

~ sees consci ous, ar t i cul at e under st andi ng as t heessent i al basi s f or act i on, and t hought as t he essent i alpr obl em- sol vi ng t ool ;~ seeks and pr ef er s cl ar i t y, and nei t her l i kes nor val uesconf usi on;~ operates wi t h a sense of ur gency and i mpat i ence;~ i s pur posef ul and ef f or t f ul r at her t han pl ayf ul ;~ i s pr eci se;~ r el i es on l i t er al and expl i ci t l anguage ;~ works wi t h concept s and gener al i sat i ons;~ works wel l when t ackl i ng pr obl ems whi ch can be t r eat ed

as an assembl age of nameabl e par t s and are t her ef oreaccessi bl e t o t he f unct i on of l anguage i n segment i ng andanal ysi ng. 30

Cl axton cont r ast s d- mode wi t h sl ower , unconsci ouspr ocesses such as r umi nat i ng, mul l i ng t hi ngs over ; bei ngcont empl at i ve or medi t at i ve and ci t es r ecent sci ent i f i cevi dence whi ch shows convi nci ngl y t hat t he morepat i ent , l ess del i ber at e modes of mi nd ar e par t i cul ar l ysui t ed t o maki ng sense of si t uat i ons t hat ar e i nt r i cat e,shadowy or i l l def i ned. 31 He bel i eves t hat t he

over emphasi s i n r ecent years on t he evol ut i on andf unct i on of t he consci ous mi nd ( as, f or i nst ance, i n t hework of Dennet t , Penr ose, and Or nst ei n) has caused us t ocont i nue t o over val ue t hose modes of mi nd that are mostassoci at ed wi t h consci ousness and t o i gnor e those t hatar e l ess consci ous, or r equi r e a di f f er ent i mage of mi nd.Much of t hi s wave of r esearch and specul at i on onconsci ousness must be seen as sympt omat i c of our cul t ur alobsessi on wi t h t he consci ous i nt el l ect and not acorr ect i ve t o i t . 32


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He cont i nues: Our cul t ur e has come t o i gnor e orunder val ue [ sl ow ways of knowi ng] , t o t r eat t hem asmar gi nal or mer el y r ecr eat i onal The i ndi vi dual s andsoci et i es of t he West have r at her l ost t ouch wi t h t heval ue of cont empl at i on. Onl y act i ve t hi nki ng i s r egar ded

as pr oduct i ve.33

Agai n, We f i nd our sel ves i n a cul t ur e whi ch has l ostsi ght ( not l east i n t he educat i on syst em) of somef undament al di st i nct i ons, l i ke t hose bet ween bei ng wi se,bei ng cl ever , havi ng your wi t s about you, and bei ngmerel y wel l i nf ormed. We have been i nadver t ent l y t r appedi n a si ngl e mode of mi nd t hat i s char act er i sed byi nf or mat i on- gat her i ng, i nt el l ect and i mpat i ence, one t hatr equi r es you t o be expl i ci t , ar t i cul at e, pur posef ul andt o show your worki ng . We ar e t hus commi t t ed ( and

r est r i ct ed) t o t hose ways of knowi ng t hat can f unct i on i nsuch a hi gh- speed ment al cl i mat e: pr edomi nant l y t hoset hat use l anguage34 ( or ot her symbol syst ems) as a medi umand del i berat i on as a met hod. However , t o t ap i nt o t hoseot her modes of knowi ng whi ch r equi r e pat i ence, i nt ui t i onand r el axat i on, we must dar e t o wai t , f or such knowi ngemerges f r om, and i s a response t o, not - knowi ng. 35

To r ehabi l i t at e t he sl ow ways of knowi ng, t he cr uci alst epi s not t he acqui si t i on of a new psychol ogi calt echnol ogy [ Cl axt on l i st s br ai nst or mi ng, vi sual i sat i on,

mnemoni cs and I woul d al so add accel er at ed l earni ng, wi t hi t s r eveal i ng connot at i ons of speed and ur gency] but ar evi sed under st andi ng of t he human mi ndCl ever ment alt echni ques mi ss t he poi nt i f t hey l eave i n pl ace t hesame quest i ng, r est l ess at t i t ude of mi nd. I n many cour seson cr eat i ve management i nst ead of cal l i ng a meet i ng to di scuss t he pr obl em, you cal l one t o br ai nst or m i t ,or t o get peopl e t o dr aw i t wi t h cr ayons. But t hepr essur e f or r esul t si s st i l l t her e. 36

F. Davi d Peat cal l s t he mor e l ei sur el y pr ocess of

l ear ni ng comi ng- t o- knowi ng. 37 Each per son l ear ns f orhi msel f or her sel f t hr ough t he pr ocesses of gr owi ng up i ncont act wi t h nat ur e and soci et y; by obser vi ng, wat chi ng,l i st eni ng, and dr eami ng. 38 Thi s sounds very much l i keCl axton s l ear ni ng by osmosi s. Peat poi nt s out t hatPol anyi s not i on of t aci t knowl edge al so comes cl ose t ot hi s vi si on of comi ng- t o- knowi ng. 39

Thi s knowl edge,accor di ng t o Pol anyi , i s not t r ansmi t t ed t hr ough books orver bal i nst r uct i on but i s known t hr ough t he whol e ofone s bei ng thr ough di r ect exper i ence and relationshipwi t h t he thi ng t o be known.


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Peat mai nt ai ns t hat t he natur al t endency i n West er ncul t ur e i s t o war n, hel p, t each, i nst r uct and i mpr ovei nst ead of al l owi ng peopl e t o l ear n f rom t hei rexper i ence. 40 Under t he headi ng A Stor y about Knowl edgeand Knowi ng41

he r el at es a st or y t ol d by J oe Cout ur e, a

t her api st and t r adi t i onal heal er , whi ch expl or es t hei mpl i cat i ons of t hese t wo ways of knowi ng and t he cl ashbet ween a West ern educat i on and hi s own Bl ackf ootbackgr ound. The st ory shows how t r adi t i onal peopl e t eachby t el l i ng st or i es whi ch come out of t hei r di r ectexper i ences r at her t han f r om t he si mpl e i mpar t i ng off acts or t he appl i cat i on of abst r act l ogi cal r easoni ng.I n t hi s case a Nat i ve El der , speaki ng about t heexper i ence of hi s gr andson at a l ocal school , had noneed t o anal yse t he phi l osophy of t he l ocal school boar dor di scuss t he r el at i ve val ue of di f f er ent wor l dvi ews. He

si mpl y t ol d a st or y whi ch br ought i nt o f ocus some of t het hi ngs t hat peopl e wer e sensi ng and f eel i ng about t heschool s ef f ect on t he communi t y.

The st or y t he El der t ol d was about t he t i me when he was aboy and had t o make a l ong t r i p al ong the Yukon Ri ver t oDawson Ci t y. Hi s ol d pi ckup t r uck had broken down and hehad f aced a j our ney of over a hundr ed mi l es and underadver se condi t i ons. I n t he end he had made i t t hr ough.

The ol d man sai d t hat hi s grandson coul d now r ead andwr i t e, but he was sur e t hat i f t he boy wer e t o make t he

same j our ney al one he woul d never make i t back.

Thi s st or y r emi nds me of anot her one, r el at ed by t heHar var d educat i onal i st Rol and Bar t h i n hi s book LearningBy Heart: 42

On J une 17, 1744, t he commi ssi oners f r om Maryl and and Vi r gi ni a

negot i at ed a tr eat y wi t h t he I ndi ans of t he Si x nat i ons atLancast er , Pennsyl vani a. The I ndi ans were i nvi t ed t o send boys t oWi l l i am and Mar y Col l ege. The next day t hey decl i ned t he of f er :

We know t hat you hi ghl y est eem t he type of l ear ni ng taught i nt hose col l eges, and t hat t he mai ntenance of our young men whi l e

wi t h you, woul d be ver y expensi ve to you. We ar e convi nced t hatyou mean to do us Good by your Pr oposal ; and we t hank youheart i l y. But you, who ar e wi se must know t hat di f f erent nat i onshave di f f er ent Concept i ons of t hi ngs and you wi l l t her ef or e nott ake i t ami ss, i f our i deas of t hi s ki nd of Educat i on happen nott o be t he same as your s. We have had some Exper i ence i n i t .Several of our young Peopl e were f ormer l y br ought up at t heCol l eges of t he Nor t her n Provi nces; t hey wer e i nst r uct ed i n al lof your Sci ences; but when t hey came back t o us, t hey were badr unner s, i gnor ant of ever y means of l i vi ng i n t he woods not f i tf or Hunt er s, War r i or s, nor counsel l or s, t hey wer e tot al l y goodf or not hi ng.

We ar e, however , not t he l ess obl i g d by your ki nd of f er ,

t ho we decl i ne accept i ng i t ; and to show our gr at ef ul Sense ofi t , i f t he Gent l emen of Vi r gi ni a wi l l send us a Dozen of t hei r


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Sons, we wi l l t ake Car e of t hei r Educat i ons, i nst r uct t hem i n al lwe know, and make Men of t hem.

Bar t h i s rel at i ng t hi s st or y t o i l l ust r at e t he t ensi onbetween what he cal l s t he t op- down t eacher- cent r ed

Tr ansmi ssi on of I nf or mat i on model of l ear ni ng ( or Si t nGi t ) and t he Exper i ent i al model , and t o t he val ue ofadvent ur e educat i on pr ogr ams.

Now, we mi ght easi l y di smi ss t he st or y as l ar gel yi r r el evant . Af t er al l , you mi ght say, what need i s t her ei n t he moder n wor l d f or t he pr eservat i on of a cul t ur e sodependent on t he manl y ski l l s of r unni ng, l i vi ng i n t hewoods, and f i ght i ng, even i f we mi ght agr ee t hat t heot her ski l l so pr i zed by t he I ndi ans of t he Si x Nat i ons t hat of counsel l i ng - i s ver y much i n demand. 43

And, t o

r et ur n t o t he st or y t ol d by t he Bl ackf oot El der , howof t en i s t he need goi ng t o ar i se f or t he ski l l s whi chr equi r e a boy t o t r avel a hundr ed mi l es i n r ugged count r yi n adver se condi t i ons i n or der t o get home? These days,chi l dr en don t even need t o wal k t o school , so per i l ousi s such a j our ney consi der ed t o be by t hei r par ent s.

However , comment i ng on t he st ory, Bar t h44

r epor t s r esear chwhi ch has shown t hat st udent s who par t i ci pat e i nadvent ur e pr ogr ams show si gni f i cant i mpr ovement i n t hei rpr obl em- sol vi ng abi l i t i es , l eader shi p ski l l s , soci al

ski l l s and i ndependence. Fur t her mor e, t he gai ns of suchst udent s cont i nued t o be r eal i sed after t he exper i ence i ncont r ast t o educat i onal pr ogr ams wher e t he l ear ni ng gai nsf ade r api dl y af t er t he pr ogr am ends.

Ther e i s a deeper di mensi on t o cont act wi t h nature onewhi ch Bar t h doesn t r eal l y addr ess, par t i al l y seduced ashe i s by t he d- mode di mensi on of pr oven benef i t s,gai ns and i mpr ovement s i n probl em- sol vi ng. I f hedi dn t wr i t e as wel l as he di d, he mi ght t el l us t hatt hese ar e some of t he usef ul gai ns t hat ar e, t o use the

hi deous t er m, del i ver ed by advent ur e educat i onpr ogr ams.

As Al - Ghazal i 45 put s i t , t ast i ng ( Ar abi c dhawq46) i s theonl y way t o cer t i t ude. Al - Ghazal i al so poi nt s out t hatt ast i ng ( or i nt er nal i sat i on t hr ough exper i ence) i s t heonl y way t o go beyond t he convent i onal l earni ng of t heage, t r eat i ng as i t di d onl y t he mor e super f i ci al aspect sof man s condi t i on. I n hi s day, he was r ef er r i ng t of or mal r el i gi ous knowl edge wi t hout spi r i t ual exper i enceas t he l i mi t i ng convent i onal l ear ni ng of t he age, but

t hese days we mi ght j ust as wel l see such convent i onall i mi t at i ons i n an educat i onal syst em whi ch i ncreasi ngl y


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detaches young peopl e f r om t hat exper i ence of t ast i ngor di r ect exper i ence. 47

Rumi , 48 anot her gr eat Suf i , t aught t hat The I nt el l ect ofi nt el l ect i s your ker nel ; t he i nt el l ect i s onl y t he

husk. 49

Unf or t unat el y, i n our cul t ur e, i t i s t he husk of t hei nt el l ect ( wi t h t hat smal l i ) whi ch has been pr omot edbeyond i t s st at i on t o masquerade as t he pi nnacl e of humancogni t i ve devel opment . Pi aget i s par t l y t o bl ame,demot i ng as he does t he i nt ui t i ve, pr act i cali nt el l i gence50 t o t he i nf ant i l e l evel of sensor i mot ori nt el l i gence whi ch i sdomi nant dur i ng t he f i r st t wo year sof l i f e, t o be super seded and t r ansf or med i n due cour seby mor e power f ul , abst r act , i nt el l ect ual ways of knowi ng

not abl y, t he f or mal oper at i ons of hypot het i co-deduct i ve t hi nki ng and t heor y const r uct i on. Cl axtonpoi nt s out t hat t her e i s an i mpl i ci t assumpt i on i nPi aget s st age t heor y of devel opment t hat d- mode i s t hehi ghest f r om of i nt el l i gence, and hi s i nf l uence onsever al gener at i ons of educat or s has ensur ed t hatschool s, even pr i mar y school s and ki nder gar t ens, sawt hei r j ob as weani ng chi l dr en of f t hei r r el i ance on t hei rsenses and t hei r i nt ui t i on, and encour agi ng t hem t obecome del i ber at or s and expl ai ner s as f ast as possi bl e. 51

I t i s sur el y t he case t hat t he devel opment of t her at i onal mi nd has even under mi ned t hose capaci t i es whi chwe al l nat ur al l y possessed at ear l i er st ages ofdevel opment , such as t he capaci t y f or awe and wonder i nt he f ace of myst er i es whi ch ar e i naccessi bl e t o t he mi nd.

The or i gi nal meani ng of t he wor d understand i n Engl i shwas t o st and i n t he mi dst of t hat i s, t o under st andby di r ect exper i ence and engagement . 52

The wor d understand i s t he onl y i nst ance i n moder n

Engl i sh of t he sur vi val of t he pr ef i x under as meani ng bet ween or among ( as i n Ol d Engl i sh undersecan, t oi nvest i gat e, seek amongst ) . I n al l ot her cases t hepr ef i x means bel ow or beneat h . Ol d Engl i shunderstandan meant l i t er al l y t o st and i n t he mi dst of .

Moder n Ger man verstehen ( f r om Mi ddl e Hi gh German verstan)i s based on a di f f er ent pr ef i x ( ver-) whi ch means i nf r ont , or on t op of , so verstehen l i t er al l y means t ost and i n f r ont of , or on t op of . I oni c Gr eekep-stasthai, t o under st and al so means t o st and on t op

of , st and over .


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Two t ypes of underst andi ng ar e i mpl i cat ed here:underst andi ng t hr ough di r ect exper i ence and engagement( st andi ng amongst understandan) and underst andi ngt hr ough obser vat i on ( st andi ng i n f r ont of , or on t op of

- verstehen) . Si gni f i cant l y, i t was t hese t wo f or ms ofl ear ni ng whi ch Fr anci s Bacon r egar ded as t he basi s of hi sl ear ni ng by i nduct i on , t hat i s, l ear ni ng by exper i enceand observat i on, as opposed t o t he out moded met hods ofmedi eval schol ast i ci sm based on abst r act l ogi c andaut hor i t y. The r evi val of exper i ence and observat i on wasat t he r oot of t he sci ent i f i c r evol ut i on i n Eur ope.

However , i n t he hi st or y of t he West , t he not i on of exper i ence was gradual l y r educed t o t hat of mer e exper i ment at i on . St andi ng i n f r ont of , or on t op of

( i . e. obj ecti vi t y, obj ecti f i cat i on) has t aken pr ecedenceover st andi ng i n t he mi dst of ( subj ecti vi t y, di r ectexper i ence, t ast i ng) . I n ot her wor ds, Bacon s not i on of exper i ence was gradual l y r educed t o t hat of mer e exper i ment at i on , whi ch expl ai ns t he spect acul ar successof t he sci ent i f i c met hod t o t he det r i ment of ot her f or msof i nqui r y and per cept i on i nvol vi ng f acul t i es of di r ecti nsi ght .

To put d- mode or f or mal oper at i ons i n t hei r pl ace,t he f uncti on of t he l ower l evel of t he i nt el l ect ( Lat i n

ratio, Gr eek dianoia) i n al l spi r i t ual t radi t i ons i s t oacqui r e and ext end knowl edge not f or i t s own sake but f ort he pur pose of ver i f yi ng t he i nnat e Knowl edge of hi gherr eal i t i es whi ch exi st s i n t he i nner most Hear t of ever yhuman bei ng and whi ch i s di r ect l y accessi bl e to thehi gher i nt el l ectual f uncti on ( Lat i n intellectus, Gr eeknous) .

The Ar abi c wor d f or I nt el l ect , aql,53 or gani cal l ycombi nes r eason and t he hi gher i nt el l ect i n i t s sense ofi nt el l i gence- under st andi ng, or mi nd- hear t . I n i t s hi ghest

sense i t i s t he uni ver sal pr i nci pl e of al l i nt el l i gence,a pr i nci pl e whi ch t r anscends t he l i mi t i ng condi t i ons oft he mi nd. 54 I bn Si na ( Avi cenna) 55 r ef er s t o t hi s hi gherf acul t y of i nt el l ect i on as t he Act i ve I nt el l ect , 56 t hemeans of appr oachi ng t he Di vi ne I nt el l ect , of whi ch i t i sa ref l ect i on. I t i s t hr ough t he I nt el l ect , i f pur i f i ed,t hat man can know t he i nner essence or pr i nci pl es ( logoi)of cr eat ed t hi ngs by means of di r ect appr ehensi on orspi r i t ual per cept i on. The I nt el l ect i s t he f acul t y whi chdwel l s i n t he dept h of t he soul and const i t ut es t hei nnermost aspect of t he Hear t , 57 t he organ of

cont empl at i on. 58 I t i s t hi s f acul t y, agai n, whi ch conf er s


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on us t he capaci t y t o penet r at e t o myt hi cal , ar chet ypaland symbol i c meani ngs. We know t he t r uth, not onl y byr eason, but al so by t he hear t , sai d Bl ai se Pascal .

I t i s i mpor t ant t o r eal i se t hat t he mul t i - l evel l ed

concept i on of I nt el l ect denot ed by the wor d aql not onl yencompasses bot h reason and i nsi ght , or concept ual i sat i ont hr ough l anguage and di r ect spi r i t ual per cept i on, butal so i ncl udes a moral dimension. The concept i on of excel l ence expr essed i n t he Ar abi c wor d ihsan i s i nf act i nsepar abl e f r om goodness and vi r t ue, wher eas t heWest er n concept i on of excel l ence i s mor eof t en t han not l i mi t ed t o per sonal mast er y, achi evementand success. The moral and cogni t i ve di mensi ons ar et her ef or e i nt er t wi ned, and not separ at ed. 59 I n ahi er ar chi cal l y or der ed concept i on of human f acul t i es,

cogni t i ve psychol ogy i s par t of mor al phi l osophy, whi chi s i t sel f der i ved f r om, and subor di nat e t o, spi r i t ualr evel at i on. 60

I n a det ai l ed st udy of t he concept of aql, appr opr i at el yt i t l ed Bet ween wi sdom and r eason: aspect s of aql ( mi nd-cogni t i on) , Cr ow st ates t hat t he myst ery of humani nt el l i gence or cogni t i on i s t he subj ect of cur r entneur ol ogi cal - based st udi es i n t he f i el d of cogni t i vepsychol ogy He poi nt s out t hat i nvest i gat or s i ndi f f er ent f i el ds ar e now quest i oni ng t he def i ni t i on of

i nt el l i gence accept ed by many sci ent i st s ( t he si ngl euni t ar y ent i t y or g f actor , f or gener al i nt el l i gence) ,and ar e advanci ng concept s such as emot i onali nt el l i gence, soci al i nt el l i gence, or mor al i nt el l i gence,as wel l as wi sdom Not ewor t hy i s t he re- appear ance oft he t er m wi sdom , connot i ng a combi nat i on of soci al andmor al i nt el l i gence, or i n t r adi t i onal t er ms: t hat bl endof knowl edge and underst andi ng wi t hi n one s bei ngmani f est ed i n per sonal i nt egr i t y, consci ence, andef f ect i ve behavi our . 61

He concl udes t hat one of t he key components of t heconcept of i nt el l i gence expr essed by t he t er m aql waset hi cal - spi r i t ual : t eachi ng how t o r ect i f y one si nt egr i t y and t o cause one s human i mpul ses, f acul t i esand l at ent power s t o f l our i sh, wi t h t he pur i f i ed emot i onspr omot i ng t he oper at i on of a hi gher i nt el l i gence62

Peat expl ai ns t hat knowl edge, wi t hi n a t r adi t i onalsoci et y, i s not t he stuf f of books but t he stuf f of l i f e.Even i n t he Engl i sh l anguage that word knowledge has i t sor i gi ns i n a ver b or act i vi t y. 63 I n medi eval t i mes i t

ser ved as a ver b somewhat l i ke our moder n to acknowledge,


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and i t meant t o own t he knowl edge of somet hi ng andper cei ve somet hi ng as t r ue. I n t ur n, t he or i gi ns of t hever b l ay i n yet anot her pr ocess t he ver b to know whi ch i s a t er m of ext r emel y anci ent Ar yan or i gi ns t hathad t o do wi t h per cept i on, r ecogni t i on, and t he abi l i t y

t o di st i ngui sh.64

Fr om t hi s I ndo- Eur opean base, gn-/ gon-/gen-, we al so of cour se der i ve t he Engl i sh wor ds denoteand notion, as wel l as cognition, al t hough Shi pl ey poi nt sout t hat t he aut hent i c concept under l yi ng cognition i sGr eek gnosis, hi gher knowl edge of spi r i t ual t hi ngs. Iknow, t her ef or e I can, pr ocl ai ms Shi pl ey, pr esumabl ypar odyi ng t he l ess gener at i ve65

( and hence essent i al l yst er i l e) Descar t i an axi om I t hi nk, t her ef or e I am.

Thus, t o t he ear l i est peopl es of Eur ope and Asi aknowledge and knowing had mor e t o do with a

discriminating perception of the mind and the senses thanwith the accumulation of facts. 66

( my emphasi s) .

Thi s di scr i mi nat i ng percept i on i s al so somet hi ng qui t edi f f er ent f r om abst r act t hi nki ng and r easoni ng. Theor i gi n of t he Engl i sh wor d think al so goes back t oananci ent I ndo- Eur opean r oot , whose connot at i ons were notr est r i ct ed t o concept ual t hought pr ocesses butencompassed per cept i on, r ef l ect i on, i magi nat i on, knowi ng,f eel i ng, t hankf ul ness, and goodwi l l f acul t i es of mi nd-hear t . 67

I n moder n West er n cul t ur e, however , t he or i gi nal meani ngof t he wor d I nt el l ecti s no l onger gener al l y r et r i evabl eas a means of di st i ngui shi ng t he hi gher f acul t y f r om t hel ower one. 68 Al ber t Ei nst ei n, one of t he gr eat estconst r uct er s of sci ent i f i c t heor y, war ned agai nst t heover - val uat i on of t he r at i onal mi nd: The i nt ui t i ve mi ndi s a sacr ed gi f t ; t he r at i onal mi nd i s a f ai t hf ulser vant . We have cr eat ed a soci ety t hat honour s t heser vant and has f orgot t en t he gi f t . Thomas Moore al sowr i t es of t he way i n whi ch t he over - val uat i on of t he

r at i onal i nt el l ect not onl y di mi ni shes i ni di vi dualpot ent i al but al so de- soul s our i nst i t ut i ons : Wi t houtan ani mat ed, educat ed hear t , he wr i t es, t he i nt el l ectappear s super i or , and we gi ve t oo much at t ent i on andval ue t o i t . Our i nst i t ut i ons and i deas t hen l ack t hehumani zi ng br eat h of t he soul . 69

I t i s t her ef or e har dl y sur pr i si ng t hat t her e i swi despr ead suspi ci on of i nt el l ect ual s and gr owi ngdi si l l usi onment wi t h sci ent i sm. 70 Peopl e sense t hei nhumani t y and ar r ogance of r eason det ached f r om t he

hear t . Ther e can be no t r ue i nt el l ect ual i t y wi t hout human


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val ues and spi r i t ual i nt el l i gence. Ever y t eacher shoul df ol l ow T. S. El i ot s wi se di ct um t hat I t i s i n f act apar t of t he f unct i on of educat i on t o hel p us escape -not f r om our own t i me, f or we ar e bound by t hat - butf r om t he i nt el l ectual and emot i onal l i mi t at i ons of our

own t i me. Schol ars, r esear chers and t eacher s boundt hemsel ves by such l i mi t at i ons ar e har dl y i n a posi t i ont o hel p ot her s escape f r om t hem.

The devast at i ng l oss of t he authent i c meani ng ofI nt el l i gence and t he absur dl y di spr opor t i onat e emphasi sgi ven t o l ower l evel s of rat i onal i t y i s l ar gel yr esponsi bl e f or t he debi l i t at i ng i nstr uct i onal andschool i ng r egi me we now see masquer adi ng as educat i on71an oppr essi ve, scl er ot i c and soul l ess ut i l i t ar i an r egi mesust ai ned by bl i nker ed and r obot i c mat er i al i st s,

t echnocrat s, I T pr of essi onal s, manager i al i st s, cont r olf r eaks, t est er s, measur er s and sur vei l l ance agenci es;over whel mi ng and cr i ppl i ng teachers wi t h unwor kabl ycompl ex syst ems of r ecor di ng and account abi l i t y;negat i ng cr eat i vi t y and i magi nat i on t hr ough thecumul at i ve i mposi t i on of one bur densome i ni t i at i ve af t eranot her ; conf oundi ng t he expl or at i on of t hat pot ent i al l yexpansi ve i nner space thr ough t he t yranny of t i me-pr essur e devot ed al most ent i r el y t o ar i d or t r i vi alobj ecti ves; demor al i si ng and di spi r i t i ng72 our youngpeopl e wi t h an ever - i ncr easi ng wei ght of f act ual cont ent 73

and obsessi ve t est i ng, and t ot al l y f ai l i ng t o answert hei r hunger f or meani ng, i nspi r e t hei r deeper humanaspi r at i ons or engage soul or spi r i t .

The r ampant decl i ne i n t he mental heal t h of chi l dren andadol escent s, r eveal ed by st udi es whi ch have exposed t hegr owi ng i nci dence of st r ess, depr essi on, compul si vedi sor der s and even sui ci de, i s now a nat i onal di sgr ace,and t hey car r y thi s mal ai se i nt o t hei r adul t l i f e, wher ei t i s f ur t her compounded by an oppr essi ve work cul t ur e. 74

And not cont ent wi t h t he oppr essi on of our own youngpeopl e by thi s r educt i oni sm whi ch conf uses genui nequal i t at i ve educat i on wi t h mer e ef f i ci ency and quant i t yof out put , i t seems we al so wi sh t o expor t t hi s mal ai set o ot her count r i es i n t he name of pr ogr ess anddevel opment . 75

I am not r ef er r i ng her e t o t he i mmi nent col oni sat i on ofFr ance and t he dest r uct i on of t he Fr ench soci al model bymor e ef f i ci ent and compet i t i ve Angl o- Saxon f r ee- mar keteconomi cs ( al t hough as an Engl i shman l i vi ng and worki ng

i n France I hope that


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t he l i kel y spr ead of t hi s vi r us can at l east be aver t edf or a whi l e so t hat we can cont i nue t o enj oy what r emai nsof a ci vi l i sed exi st ence based on a knowl edge of how t ol i ve and how t o r el at e t o ot her peopl e t hr ough a r ealsense of communi t y and a r espect f or r el axed l ei sure t i me

spent wi t h f ami l y and f r i ends) .

No, t he mal ai se i s spr eadi ng much f ur t her af i el d. At aconf er ence on Hi gher Educat i on i n Devel opi ng Count r i es i nLondon, 76 at whi ch I spoke about t he need t o revi ve anaut hent i c not i on of qual i t at i ve educat i on based on t heeducat i on of t he hi gher f acul t i es of manki nd, i t di smayedme t o see an al most t ot al domi nance of West ern model s ofso- cal l ed qual i t y assur ance, f or such i s t he r each andi nf l uence of t hi s debi l i t at i ng vi r us whose gl obalhegemony t akes away any conf i dence whi ch educat or s i n

ot her cul t ur al set t i ngs mi ght have i n t hei r own appr oacht o ensur i ng qual i t y based on t hei r own t r adi t i ons. 77

None of t hese expor t ed model s had any concept of a hi ghereducat i on based on t he hi gher f acul t i es of manki nd t hati s a t r ul y qual i t at i ve educat i on of t he human bei ng even though they cl ai med to assure qual i t y i n Ar abuni ver si t i es, usual l y by r ef or mi ng st r uct ur es andi mpr ovi ng management st yl es. Nei t her di d any of t hem haveany concept of how t he r ecl amat i on of t he f i nest el ement sof t r adi t i onal I s l ami c ci vi l i sat i on mi ght cont r i but e t o

qual i t y. I t was sad t o see a once gr eat ci vi l i sat i onr educed t o of f er i ng apol oget i c i mi t at i ons of t he wor st ofWest ern educat i on, whi ch i s based not on anyunder st andi ng of hi gher human f acul t i es, and i ncr easi ngl ynot even on an i nt ermedi ate concept of humane educat i on.

The Amer i can soci al cr i t i c Nei l Post man coi ned t he wor d t echnopol y t o descr i be our domi nant wor l dvi ew ( now, i tseems, i ncr easi ngl y homogeni zi ng the wor l d thr oughgl obal i sat i on) based on t he bel i ef t hat t he pr i mar y, i fnot t he onl y goal of human l abour and t hought i s

ef f i ci ency; t hat t echni cal cal cul at i on i s i n al l r espect ssuper i or t o human j udgment ; t hat i n f act human j udgmentcannot be t r ust ed, because i t i s pl agued by l axi t y,ambi gui t y, and unnecessar y compl exi t y; t hat subj ect i vi t yi s an obst acl e t o cl ear t hi nki ng; t hat what cannot bemeasur ed ei t her does not exi st or i s of no val ue; andt hat t he af f ai r s of ci t i zens ar e best gui ded andconduct ed by exper t s . 78

I woul d l i ke t o wr ap up t hi s appeal f or t he r evi val ofI nt el l i gence wi t h anot her poi nt about t he use of

l anguage. Unl i ke Ar abi c, f or exampl e, Engl i sh i s


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r el at i vel y l i mi t ed i n i t s abi l i t y t o expr ess t he ki nd ofconcept s we need i n or der t o underst and the natur e andr ange of human f acul t i es and t he hi er ar chi calr el at i onshi p bet ween t hem. Thi s i s because of t hesemant i c degr adat i on of key concept s whi ch has occur r ed

as wor ds have passed i nt o Engl i sh f r om ot her l anguages( especi al l y t hose anci ent l anguages whi ch r et ai ned t hatperenni al wi sdom) and al so as Engl i sh words t hemsel veshave changed t hei r meani ngs over t i me. The t r i - l i t er alr oot syst em i n Ar abi c enabl es t he connot at i ons of wor dst o be r ecover ed, but or i gi nal meani ngs i n Engl i sh canonl y of t en be r ecover ed t hr ough a schol ar l y pr ocess ofet ymol ogi cal r esear ch, of t en goi ng back t o I ndo- Eur opeanr oot s. How many peopl e, apar t f r om medi eval i st s, know t heor i gi nal meani ng of t he wor d cunni ng , f or exampl e?79

Howmany peopl e unf ami l i ar wi t h t he Cl assi cs can r ecover t he

or i gi nal meani ng of i ntel l ect or i dea ?

Rel at ed t o t hi s i s t he conf usi on i n t er mi nol ogy whi char i ses f r om one wor d i n Engl i sh havi ng t o cover di f f er entconcept s or di f f erent nuances of t he same concept .I nt el l i gence i s a pr i me exampl e. The wor ds consci ousand unconsci ous al so pose awkward ambi gui t i es. Cl axt onmakes t he i mpor t ant poi nt t hat we need new met aphor s andi mages f or t he r el at i onshi p between consci ous andunconsci ous whi ch escape f r om t he pol ar i sat i on t o whi chboth Descar t es and Fr eud, f r om t hei r di f f er ent s i des,

subscr i bed. 80

The conf usi on of t he unconsci ous wi t h t hepat hol ogi cal l y r epr essed Fr eudi an subconsci ous, t he sumpof t he mi nd i nt o whi ch si nk exper i ences, i mpul ses andi deas t oo awf ul or danger ous t o al l ow i nt o consci ousnessr ef l ect s t he accept ance of t he ot her ext r eme, t he basi cCar t esi an pr emi se t hat consci ousness i s i nt el l i gent 81 andcont r ol l ed. Thi s pol ar i sat i on f or ces us t o bel i eve t hatconsci ousness i s other t han and opposed t o,unconsci ousness, whi ch i s emot i onal , i r r at i onal , wi l dand al i en. 82

Because of t hese pot ent i al conf usi ons, Cl axt on has t o usevar i ous expr essi ons accor di ngt o cont ext t o convey what he cal l s t he dar k,i naccessi bl e l ayer s of t he cont empl at i ve t or t oi semi nd, and t o avoi d pot ent i al conf usi on wi t h t he Fr eudi ansubconsci ous: hence, we have t he unconsci ous , t hei nt el l i gent unconsci ous , t he cogni t i ve unconsci ous ort he under mi nd .

But t he pol ar i sat i on i s har d t o escape, and we ar e st i l ll ef t wi t h a l i mi t i ng associ at i on bet ween t he consci ous

mi nd and t he merel y consci ous r easoni ng of d- mode.


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However , t hi s i s cl ear l y not what i s meant by the use oft he t er m consci ous and consci ousness i n t he l anguageof spi r i t ual t r adi t i ons. To be consci ous of t he Supr emeReal i t y83

( however we may name i t ) i s hardl y somet hi ngaccessi bl e t o t he har e br ai n of consci ous t hi nki ng ,

i n Cl axt on s t er ms. Par adoxi cal l y, i t has mor e t o do wi t hwhat Cl axt on cal l s t he i nt el l i gent unconsci ous , wi t hi t s capaci t y f or t ast i ng , di r ect per cept i on andcont empl at i on. I n t hi s sense, t her e ar e aspect s ofCl axt on s unconsci ous whi ch poi nt t o a l evel ofconsciousness whi ch i s hi gher t han what he cal l s t he consci ous . Such pr obl ems wi t h ter mi nol ogy can l ead t osome qui t e i nt r act abl e conundr ums.

Some resol ut i on i s of f er ed by t he Ar abi c wor d shahid,consci ous mi nd , whi ch r ef er s i n t he Qur an t o t he

awakeni ng of t he deeper l ayer s of man s consci ousness ,i n cont r ast t o sa-iq, t he compl ex of pr i mal andi nst i nct i ve ur ges and i nor di nat e, unr est r ai nedappet i t es. 84 Thi s seems to be cont r ast i ng somet hi ng l i keCl axt on s i nt el l i gent unconsci ous wi t h somet hi ng l i ket he Fr eudi an subconsci ous. The key phr ase i s t he deeperl ayer s of man s consci ousness whi ch cl ear l y ref er s t o al evel of consci ousness ( whet her under or over ) ,beyond t he consci ous t hi nki ng of d- mode. 85

To envi sage t he ul t i mat e and deepest l evel of

consci ousness as t he Cent r e i s per haps t he best way f orus t o escape f r om t he awkwar d l i near i t y of t he met aphorpr ovi ded by t he ver t i cal di mensi on, but t he expl or at i onof t hat met aphor i s beyond t he scope of t hi s paper .

Educational Implications

What ar e t he educat i onal i mpl i cat i ons of t he revi val oft he f ul l r ange of human f acul t i es? How can t eacher s usesuch knowl edge to educat e our young peopl e?

Thi s i s a huge quest i on, because t he r est i t ut i on of sucha vi si on i n educat i on depends t o a ver y l ar ge extent ont he r evi val of t he i dea of civilisation i t sel f . Ber t r andRussel l sai d t hat t eacher s ar e mor e t han any ot her cl asst he guar di ans of ci vi l i zat i on, but what ki nd ofci vi l i sat i on was Russel l t al ki ng about ? Wi t hout anunder st andi ng of what a t r ue ci vi l i sat i on i s, and wi t houtany embodiment of t hat t r ut h i n our own l i ves, we may beunwi t t i ng di ssemi nat ors of t hat def or med and i mpover i shednot i on of ci vi l i sat i on t hat I have been at pai ns t oexpose i n t hi s essay. 86


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Ananda Coomaraswamy, i n hi s essay What i s ci vi l i sat i on?cont r ast s what he cal l s t r ue ci vi l i sat i on der i ved f r oman i nspi r ed t r adi t i on based on per enni al wi sdom wi t hi t s def or mat i on i n t he moder n i ndust r i al i sed West . Theone consi ders man s needs; t he other consi ders hi s want s,

t o whi ch no l i mi t can be set , and of whi ch t he number i sar t i f i ci al l y mul t i pl i ed by adver t i sement . Our moder n ci vi l i sat i on , based as i t i s on not i ons of soci aladvancement , ambi t i on, compet i t i on, f r ee ent er pr i se,i ndi vi dual i sm, 87 growt h, expandi ng consumer choi ce, 88and quant i t at i ve out put f or pr of i t cr eat es a per pet ual l yexpandi ng wor l d mar ket f or i t s sur pl us, pr oduced by t hosewhom Dr . Al ber t Schwei t zer cal l ed over - occupi ed men. I ti s, accor di ng t o Coomaraswamy, t he i ncubus of wor l dt r ade t hat makes of i ndustr i al ci vi l i sat i ons a cur set o humani t y and f r om t he i ndust r i al concept of pr ogr ess

t hat moder n war s have ar i sen and wi l l ar i se; i t on t hesame i mpover i shed soi l t hat empi r es have grown, and byt he same gr eed t hat i nnumerabl e ci vi l i sat i ons have beendest r oyed. 89

Si nce educat i onal pol i cy i s i next r i cabl y l i nked t o t hi si mpover i shed vi ew of ci vi l i sat i on and t he equal l yi mpover i shed and l opsi ded vi ew of human f acul t i es t hatsuch a ci vi l i sat i on demands f or i t s sur vi val andexpansi on, and si nce such pol i cy now di ct at es t o t eacher st hat t he f i r st pr i or i t y of a qual i t y educat i on i s to

ser ve t he economy,90

a huge chal l enge conf r ont s t eacher si f t hey ar e t o r i se above t hi s mi ser abl e ai m, whi chdemeans bot h t hemsel ves and t he chi l dr en t hey t each, andl i ve up t o Russel l s di ct um t hat t hey ar e, above al lot her s, t he guar di ans of ci vi l i sat i on.

To ser ve, f i r st and f or emost , t he economy, and at t hesame t i me t o f ol l ow t he requi r ement t o f i ndoppor t uni t i es t o weave mor al and spi r i t ualdevel opment t hr ough t he whol e cur r i cul um, can do l i t t l emore t han super i mpose empt y pl at i t udes upon i t . Nothi ng

more enl i ght eni ng can come out of an i nver t ed syst em i nwhi ch t he super or di nat e posi t i on i s usur ped by what i snatur al l y subor di nat e to i t . We mi ght hope t o weave agol d t hr ead her e or t her e t o i l l umi nat e t he uni f or ml ygr ey and l i f el ess t extur e of t he mat er i al we ar e gi ven t owork wi t h, t o gi ve our young peopl e some gl i mpses oft hei r t r ue pot ent i al and of t he vast r ange of t hei r humanf acul t i es. We mi ght hope t o ani mat e thei r soul s f or amoment i n t he mi dst of al l t hat ur gent and pur posef ult hi nki ng, t al ki ng, i nstr uct i ng and t el l i ng. 91 We mi ghtaspi r e to show t hem t he way t o what i t means t o be a


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bet t er human bei ng i n a bet t er wor l d, and t o gi ve t hemhope f or t he f ut ur e. 92

Ther e ar e al ways except i onal and i nspi r i ng t eachers whocan do t hi s, who can pl ant i mper i shabl e seeds i n the

hear t s and mi nds of t hei r st udent s. But t he wholesaler evi val of a qual i t at i ve educat i on of t he soul and t her edi scover y of an aut hent i c i nt el l ectual l i f e i s anent er pr i se whi ch now wor ks agai nst t he dr i f t of our syst em 93

- f or t hat i s t he par ody t hat a ci vi l i sat i onbecomes when i t i s st r i pped of t r ue i nt el l ect ual i t y,mor al val uat i on and spi r i t ual subst ance. Wor se, devoi d ofany t r anscendent pr i nci pl es, such systems i nevi t abl ycr ystal l i se f ur t her i nt o regimes, both concept ual andpol i t i cal , whi ch i mpr i son and st i f l e t he human spi r i t .

I n t he end, l i ke t he r egi me depi ct ed i n Or wel l s 1984,t hey act i vel y deny and i nver t t he t r ut h. I hear d onl yt hi s morni ng on BBC Radi o 494

one of t he most absur di l l ust r at i ons of t he t yr anny exer t ed by I T systems. A manwent i nt o W. H. Smi t h, pi cked up a TV aer i al f r om a shel f ,and t ook i t t o t he cash desk. The cashi er , however ,r ef used t o sel l i t t o hi m because t he comput er sai d i twas out of st ock. Apparent l y, member s of our wor kf orcear e now not onl y def i ci ent i n i ndependent t hi nki ng, butunabl e even t o accept t he exi st ence of an obj ect pl acedbef or e t hei r ver y eyes. I s t hi s t he out come of our

educat i onal syst em?

The t ask i s i ndeed huge, but I don t want t o depr ess you.We have t o accept t hat we l i ve i n an i ncr easi ngl y secul arsoci et y95 i n whi ch f ew peopl e subscr i be t o a vi ew of humanf acul t i es whi ch pl aces consci ousness of a Supr eme Real i t yat t he t op of t he t r ee, even i f t hey mi ght accept somever si on of t hi s knowl edge phr ased i n a di f f er ent ki nd ofl anguage, of t en watered down t o avoi d any ref erence t ot he Di vi ne96

and avoi di ng any associ at i on wi t h f or malr el i gi on - such as wi sdom, sel f - r eal i sat i on, spi r i t ual

per cept i on, cont empl at i ve i nsi ght , anal ogi cal andmet aphor i cal t hi nki ng, mythi c and symbol i c under st andi ng,Cl axt on s i nt el l i gent unconsci ous, Pol anyi s taci tknowl edge, Peat s comi ng- t o- knowi ng, or t he cogni t i vef acul t y whi ch i s at home wi t h par adox and ambi gui t y. Wecan descr i be i t i n count l ess ways usi ng t he l anguage ofmany di sci pl i nes.

And t he l evel of educat i on whi ch act i vat es t hesef acul t i es, or at l east gi ves some cr edence t o somever si on of t hem, i s obvi ousl y not somet hi ng whi ch need be

r est r i cted t o Rel i gi ous Educat i on ( RE) , even i f i t i s


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most i nt er est i ng t o not e t hat , accor di ng t o a r ecentsurvey, t he popul ar i t y of RE amongst secondar y schoolst udent s can be at t r i but ed par t l y t o t he f act t hat i t i sone of t he f ew school subj ect s whi ch al l ows st udent s t odevel op t he ski l l s of phi l osophi cal enqui r y and

r ef l ect i on.97

Even i f we cannot embr ace an expl i ci t concept ofspi r i t ual educat i on, we can st i l l honour an i nt er medi at econcept of humane educat i on t ypi cal of t he best l i ber al 98ar t s pr ogr ams, whi ch ar e i n t hemsel ves a pr epar at i on f ort he devel opment of spi r i t ual i nt el l i gence and i nt egr at ehi gher - or der cogni t i ve act i vi t y i nt o a hol i st i c cont ext :engagement i n t he cr eat i ve ar t s as a means t o engage thesoul , ki ndl e t he i magi nat i on, 99 devel op aest het i cawar eness and st i mul at e the connect i vi t y of t he br ai n; 100

cour ses whi ch devel op communi cat i on ski l l s,101

i ncl udi ngdi scussi on102 and di al ecti c; 103 cour ses whi ch devel opunderst andi ng of t he human condi t i on, 104 a pl ur al i st i c andcompassi onate out l ook whi ch val ues and r espect s di vers i tyand acti vel y f ost er s i nt er - cul t ur al di al ogue; 105 cour seswhi ch gi ve oppor t uni t i es f or di r ect exper i ent i all ear ni ng, especi al l y i n t he beaut y and maj est y of nat ur alset t i ngs; 106

and, not l east , cour ses whi ch devel opchar act er and t r ansmi t et hi cal val ues, whet her appl i ed t oper sonal conduct , r el at i onshi ps, ci t i zenshi p, busi nesspr act i ce, or t he car e of t he envi r onment whi ch i s now

such a pr essi ng concer n f or al l of us.

We need t o be aware how t he educat i on syst em i scont i nui ng t o compound t he pr ocess of dehumani sat i on bydeval ui ng not onl y the cr eat i ve ar t s and t he qual i t at i vedi mensi ons of sci ence and mat hemat i cs, 107 but al so t hosesubj ect s whi ch seek t o under st and t he human condi t i on i nal l i t s di ver si t y and compl exi t y. 108 The mar gi nal i sat i onof t he humani t i es, of hi st or y, 109

archaeol ogy, geogr aphy,and modern l anguages, wi l l onl y ensure t hat an i gnoranceof t he r i chness of human her i t age and di ver si t y i s

compounded by an i ncompet ence i n cross- cul t ur alcommuni cat i on, and t hi s wi l l r emove our young peopl e evenf ur t her f r om t hat r i ch educat i onal exper i ence whi ch i s apr er equi si t e f or t r ul y human devel opment .

Al l t hese ar enas of educat i on ar e i nt i mat el y connect edwi t h hi gher- or der cogni t i ve devel opment even i f t hey maynot set out and syst emat i se l i nks t o an expl i ci t t axonomyof thi nki ng ski l l s.

I f we ar e t o r evi ve a concept of hol i st i c educat i on, even

at an i nt er medi at e l evel , whi ch val ues per cept i on,


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i nsi ght , cont empl at i on, obser vat i on and exper i ence, andput s t hi nki ng i n i t s pl ace, 110 we need t o put i nt opr act i ce t hose r esear ch f i ndi ngs whi ch t el l us t hatvi sual and ki naest het i c l ear ner s f ar out number audi t or yl ear ner s. 111 I f t he l ear ni ng of so many st udent s i s

enhanced by vi sual i nput112

and by t he i mmedi at e sensor yst i mul at i on of hands- on exper i ence and act i on, i t makesl i t t l e sense f or school s t o r el y on pr edomi nant l y ver bali nst r uct i on. A system based on such st udi ed r esi st ance t ot he wel l - r esear ched ways i n whi ch peopl e act ual l y l ear ncan onl y be a system embedded i n i deol ogi cal f i xi t y. 113

We must bal ance t he seduct i on of hi - t ech by pr ovi di nghi ghl y st i mul at i ng vi sual and t act i l e envi r onment s and byusi ng a r ange of mul t i - sensory t eachi ng t echni ques.

But I al so want t o make a case f or t he revi val of some

l ost verbal ski l l s, part i cul ar l y t he revi val ofmemor i sat i on of compl ex ver bal mater i al as a vi tal t ooli n devel opi ng hi gher - or der cogni t i ve f acul t i es. 114 We l i vei n an age wher e unsubst ant i at ed opi ni ons are i ncr easi ngl yshout i ng down t he meani ngf ul t hought s of peopl e whoact ual l y know somet hi ng and have somet hi ng of subst ancet o say. Peopl e have el ect r oni c access t o oceans of datawhi ch t hey r arel y know how t o t ur n even i nt o usef ul information t hr ough sel ect i on of what i s r el evant , l etal one t ur n i nt oknowledge or wisdom by connect i ng i t upt o a wi der cont ext . Hi st or y A- Level has r ecent l y been

descri bed by a Hi st or y speci al i st as hi st or y f or t he MTVgener at i on know a l i t t l e but keep on r epeat i ng i t . 115

Memor i sat i on makes compl ex mater i al accessi bl e t o t hebr ai n f or subsequent pr ocessi ng and l i f el ong r ef l ect i onand t her ef or e pr ovi des a pot ent dat abase f or est abl i shi ngpat t er ns and enhanci ng connect i ons i n t he br ai n, as wel las pr ovi di ng a st ore of knowl edge on whi ch new knowl edgecan be bui l t , and wi t h whi ch subst ance and cr edi bi l i t ycan be gi ven t o argument s.

Our educat i onal pr ocess needs t o r ecl ai m memor i sat i on i nt hose ar eas where i t enhances deep l ear ni ng. I have seenshy pupi l s and pupi l s wi t h l ear ni ng di f f i cul t i est r ansf or med by r eci t i ng poet r y by hear t or si ngi ng songsl ear nt by hear t i n chor us i n musi cal pr oduct i ons acti vi t i es whi ch not onl y f ost er expr essi ve ski l l s butal so enhance t he sel f - est eem and sel f - conf i dence whi chcomes f r om a t angi bl e achi evement at t ai ned t hr ough ef f or tand pr act i ce. I n f act, al l chi l dr en, f r om t hose wi t hl ear ni ng di f f i cul t i es to t he br i ght and gi f t ed, benef i tf r om l ear ni ng songs and I bel i eve r esear ch shows t her e i s


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a t r ansf er abl e benef i t t o bet t er mat hemat i cs and l anguagel ear ni ng.

Lear ni ng poet r y, l i ke l ear ni ng musi c f or per f or mance, hast r ansf er abl e benef i t s, because t hi s ki nd of ver bat i m

memor i sat i on i s devel opi ng pot ent cogni t i ve st r at egi esf or usi ng a var i et y of pat t er ns and cues not j ust wor dor der , but al so pr osodi c, met r i cal and r hymi ng pat t er ns,as wel l as var i ous poet i c devi ces, such as al l i t er at i onand assonance, whi ch bui l d memorabl e connect i ons bet weenwor ds, and whi ch ar e a common f eat ur e of epi c poet r y andsacr ed t ext . 116 Such ski l l s wer e wel l devel oped i nsoci et i es ri ch i n or al t r adi t i on, and of cour seencompassed not onl y ski l l i n memor i si ng but al so t heexpr essi ve ski l l s requi r ed f or i nspi r i ng r eci t at i on. 117

We shoul d not f orget t hat t he geni us of Shakespear e wasgr ounded i n t he memor i sat i on cul t ur e of El i zabet hanEngl and. Wi t hout t hat st ore of memor i sed knowl edge, wesi mpl y cannot r ecogni se t he weal t h of al l usi ons cont ai nedi n gr eat l i t er at ur e. 118 I mi t at i on, t oo, was anot herf or mat i ve pr act i ce i n t hat er a. One st udi es a gr eatpi ece of wr i t i ng by one of t he acknowl edged gi ant s of t hepast , ent er s i nt o a pr ocess of i nt er nal i sat i on anal chemi si ng t hr ough one s own l i f e and exper i ence andt hen cr eat es a poem of ot her wor k t hat i s uni que to t hewr i t er yet has si mi l ar i t i es t o t he or i gi nal . Thi s

pr act i ce enr i ches one s ways of t hi nki ng, depends one sabi l i t y to al l ude t o ot her f or ms, t hi ckens t he soup ofone s mi nd. 119

The best school s wi l l use i mi t at i on ofgr eat model s i n t hi s way, and not onl y i n l i t er at ur e, butal so i n ar t and musi c. I t i s i mpor t ant t o r eal i se t hatt hi s i s not unt hi nki ng i mi t at i on, mer e r epr oduct i on ormechani cal copyi ng. I t i s usi ng a model t o cat al yse acr eat i ve pr ocess whi ch dr aws on a var i et y of sour ces,bot h ext er nal and i nt er nal .

As a count er bal ance t o t he l i near i t y and one- di mensi onal

expl i ci t ness of r at i onal t hought pr ocesses, we need t oencour age a ment al i t y whi ch can escape f or m t he l i t er al ,whi ch i s comf or t abl e wi t h anal ogi cal t hi nki ng, met aphor ,and symbol i sm, wi t h f abl e, par abl e and al l egor y, wi t h t hehei ght ened l anguage of poet r y, wi t h el l i psi s, wi t hparadox and ambi gui t y, and wi t h t he const r uct i veconf r ont at i ons and asynchr oni es whi ch emer ge f r om t hepr ocess of di al ecti c. Di al ect i cal t hi nki ng, r egar ded byRi egel as t he hi ghest st age of cogni t i ve devel opment , 120i s a power f ul means of t r anscendi ng t he l i mi t at i ons ofdi chot omi zat i on. 121


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Thi s advanced st yl e of t hought pl aces t he human bei ng i nan i nt er - wor l d, an i st hmus or meet i ng- pl ace ( Ar abi cbarzakh), a poi nt of i nt er sect i on. I t s tr i ves to uni f yopposi t es, t o at t ai n bal ance, t o r esol ve conf l i ct,af f i r mi ng and i ncor por at i ng l ogi cal pol ar i t i es r at her

t han seeki ng t o avoi d cont r adi ct i on and par adox t hr oughone- si ded adher ence t o a si ngl e per spect i ve or par adi gm.I n t hese t i mes of cul t ur al and i deol ogi cal conf r ont at i on,i t woul d be har d t o t hi nk of a mor e pr essi ng educat i onali mper at i ve.

Di al ect i cal t hi nki ng ( and t he i nt el l ect ual connect ednesswhi ch i t s promotes) shoul d be one of t he maj or pl anks ofa hol i st i c educat i on, t oget her wi t h deep r ef l ect i on122( whi ch enabl es l ear ner s t o connect wi t h t hei r i nner mostsel ves123

and t hereby pr omote spi r i t ual connectedness) and

conver sat i on and di al ogue (whi ch enabl e i ndi vi dual s t oconnect wi t h ot her s and t he soci et y i n whi ch t hey l i ve) .Al l of t hem need t o be gi ven t i me and space.

What di st i ngui shes al l t hese advanced pr ocesses andact i vi t i es i s t he common t hr ead of est abl i shi ngrelationship and connectivity, ei t her bet ween i deas,bet ween f acul t i es and l evel s of bei ng wi t hi n onesel f , orbet ween human soul s. Thi s i s ver y f ar f r om t hei sol at i oni sm, one- si dedness and sol i psi sm ( and t hei rpat hol ogi cal expr essi on as a ki nd of cul t ur al or soci et al

aut i sm) whi ch ar e t he consequence of a t ype of ment alact i vi t y that can onl y di ssect and at omi se r eal i t y i nt oaut onomous component s 124 or distance us f rom r eal i t y bymani pul at i ng or i nvent i ng l anguage whi ch t ur ns f l esh- and-bl ood exper i ences i nt o manageabl e abst r act i ons. C. S.Lewi s, comment i ng on t he use of t he word liquidate t or epl ace kill, descr i bes t hi s pr ocess as t he use ofpseudo- sci ent i f i c wor ds t o di si nf ect , and Geor geOr wel l , r ef er r ed t o t he same pr ocess as t he use ofeuphemi sms t o name t hi ngs without calling up mental

pictures of them. 125 ( my emphasi s) . I t wi l l be r eadi l y

appar ent how t hi s r educt i on of concr et e exper i ence t oabst r act i on mi r r or s t he r educt i on of perception t oconcept ual thinking whi ch i s such an essent i al par t of ani mpover i shed vi ew of human f acul t i es. 126

Wi t hi n a hi er ar chi cal concept of human f acul t i es, t he keypr i nci pl es of r el at i onshi p and connect i vi t y ar e neverdet ached f r om anot her cent r al pr i nci pl e t hat oforientation, whi ch i s semant i cal l y rel at ed t o t he conceptof origin. 127 Advanced di al ect i c shoul d not be conf usedwi t h t hat t ype of di sor i ent at ed academi c di sput at i on

whi ch i s l i t t l e mor e t han cl ever i nt el l ect ual gymnast i cs.


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Tr ue di al ect i c i s concer ned not wi t h per i pher ali nt el l ect ual i sat i on couched i n bar el y compr ehensi bl eabst r act i ons, whi ch i s l i t t l e mor e t han pl ayi ng wi t h l ongwords, but wi t h a pr ocess of conver gence on a cent r al anduni f yi ng poi nt of Tr ut h t hr ough t he appl i cat i on of

obj ect i ve t r ut h cr i t er i a. Aut hent i c di al ect i c i s al waysorientated t o t he Cent r e, t he origin of al l t hi ngs, t hedi mensi onl ess poi nt beyond dual i t y wher e t he opposi t esmeet .

I t goes wi t hout sayi ng t hat t he di al ect i cal pr ocess i snot one ei t her of compr omi se or l oose r el at i vi sm, but oneof cr eat i ve t ensi on whi ch ul t i mat el y t r ansf or mscont r adi ct i ons i nt o compl ement ar i t i es, r el easi ng t heopen- mi nded thi nker f r om i ngr ai ned habi t s and condi t i onedpat t er ns of t hought , establ i shed af f i l i at i ons, f ear of

change and i nst abi l i t y, and r el uct ance t o appr oach anynew i deas whi ch ar e t hr eat eni ng t o a r i gi d sense of sel f . 128

Associ at ed wi t h t hi s openness t o change, uncer t ai nt y andi nst abi l i t y i s t he wi l l i ngness al ways t o seek newevi dence and t he abi l i t y t o r esi st pr emat ur e cl osur e andf i xed concl usi ons. Al ber t Ei nst ei n sai d: As f ar as t hel aws of mat hemat i cs r ef er t o r eal i t y, t hey ar e notcer t ai n; and as f ar as t hey ar e cer t ai n, t hey do notr ef er t o r eal i t y.

Let me appeal t oo f or a revi val of pl ay. Car l J ung sai dt hat t he cr eat i on of somethi ng new i s not accompl i shedby t he i nt el l ect, but by t he pl ay i nst i nct acti ng f r omi nner necessi t y. The cr eat i ve mi nd pl ays wi t h obj ect s i tl oves. Wi t h al l t hat pl anni ng, managi ng, t el l i ng andexpoundi ng, not t o ment i on marki ng, assessi ng, and thesyst emat i si ng wher ever possi bl e of cr oss- cur r i cul arl i nks, I T oppor t uni t i es, speci al needs pr ovi si on and r i skassessment , what t i me do teacher s have l ef t f or pl ay? Andi f t hey cannot pl ay, how can t hey creat e a cul t ur e of

pl ay amongst t hei r st udent s?

Pl ay r el at es t o t al k t oo, because pl ayf ul t al k i scr eat i ve act i vi t y i n i t sel f . Pl ay can expr ess i t sel ft hr ough t al k i n a var i et y of ways: i n j oke- t el l i ng,r i ddl i ng, par ody, sat i r e, r epar t ee, dr amat i c enact ment ,mi mi cr y, havi ng f un wi t h l anguage i n al l ki nds of wayswhi ch have l i t t l e or not hi ng t o do wi t h t he ki nd off unct i onal , exposi t or y l anguage ski l l s so i ndi spensabl ef or pur posef ul r at i onal t hi nki ng.


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Above al l , we must cul t i vat e t he capaci t y f or awe129 andwonder i n t he f ace of myst er i es whi ch ar e i naccessi bl e t ot he r at i onal i nt el l ect - an i nnat e, chi l dl i ke capaci t y,whi ch, as I have al r eady sai d, has been undermi ned by ast age model of cogni t i ve devel opment ( or genet i c

epi st emol ogy , as Pi aget cal l ed i t ) t hat r egar ds abst r actr easoni ng or f or mal oper at i ons as t he pi nnacl e of humancogni t i on. Di r ect obser vat i on of t he ni ght sky ought t obe on ever y sci ence cur r i cul um, not si mpl y t o sat i sf ycur i osi t y about t he wor ki ngs of t he uni ver se ( as i f t heuni ver se can be r educed t o sel f - suf f i ci ent l aws andmechani sms or st r i ki ng phenomena) but as a means t o evoket hat sense of unfathomable myster y whi ch Al ber t Ei nst ei nr egar ded as t he sour ce not onl y of al l t r ue ar t , but al sot he sour ce of sci ence130

i t sel f : The most beaut i f ul t hi ngwe can exper i ence, he sai d, i s t he myst er i ous. I t i s t he

sour ce of al l t r ue ar t and al l sci ence. He t o whom t hi semot i on i s a st r anger , who can no l onger pause t o wonderand st and r apt i n awe, i s as good as dead: hi s eyes arecl osed.

As wel l as t he vast ness of t he ni ght sky, t hat sense ofawe and wonder i n t he f ace of beaut y and maj est y canequal l y wel l be cul t i vat ed i n ever yday encount er s wi t hnat ur e, i n t hat sense of l i mi t l ess mul t i pl i ci t y whi chanyone who l ooks at nat ur e wi t h an open eye can per cei vei n ever y shi f t i ng scene; but what ever i t i s, i t i s a

poi nt of r ef er ence wi t h somet hi ng i nf i ni t e andunf athomabl e, f ar beyond t he pr act i cal di mensi on of humanaf f ai r s.

Thi s i s not obser vat i on i n t he sense of a t r ai ned eye,whet her of ar t i st or sci ent i st , not i ci ng and r ecor di ngobser vabl e and measur abl e physi cal char act er i st i cs, suchas shape, di mensi on, t ext ur e, and ot her det ai l s, but adeep super sensory f acul t y of i magi nat i on, one of t hemi r r or s of t he I nt el l ect. 131

I f we f ai l t o awaken and nour i sh t hi s i nnat e abi l i t y t osee and t ast e, as wel l as al l t hose ot her per cept i veand i nsi ght f ul ways of knowi ng whi ch ar e germane t o anaut hent i c vi si on of hi gher human f acul t i es, we l eave ouryoung peopl e wi t h a bi t t er l egacy based on our owni mpover i shed vi ew of human pot ent i al : we l eave t hem wi t han i mpover i shed vi ew of t hemsel ves, other peopl e, t hewor l d and t he uni ver se, and one t hat gi ves t hem l i t t l ehope f or t he f ut ur e beyond t he i ncr easi ngl y f r enet i cact i vi t y whi ch t hey wi l l need t o sust ai n i n or der t oensur e t hei r success i n t he wor l d and t o ser ve an

i deol ogy of per pet ual mat er i al gr owt h and


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devel opment . Al l educat or s woul d sur el y wi sh f or t hem abet t er f ut ur e t han one whi ch i s ul t i mat el y bot h i mmor aland unsust ai nabl e.

J er emy Henzel l - Thomas

J une 2005

Cor r espondence t o j ht @t hebook. or g

ENDNOTES

Dictionaries of Etymology

I n expl ai ni ng t he etymol ogy of Engl i sh wor ds, I have madesi gni f i cant use of f our sour ces:

Ayt o, J ohn, Bloomsbury Dictionary of Word Origins.London: Bl oomsbur y Publ i shi ng, 1990.

Bar nhar t , Rober t K. ( ed. ) , Chambers Dictionary ofEtymology, edi t ed by Edi nbur gh: Chambers, 1988.

Shi pl ey, J oseph. T. , The Origins of English Words: ADiscursive Dictionary of Indo-European Roots. Bal t i mor e:

The J ohn Hopki ns Uni ver si t y Pr ess , 1984.

Wat ki ns, Cal ver t ( ed. ) , The American Heritage Dictionary

of Indo-European Roots,Bost on: Hought on Mi f f l i n, 2000.

I r ef er t o t hese sour ces as Ayt o, Bar nhar t , Shi pl ey, andWat ki ns, r espect i vel y.

Translations of the Quran

I have made use of f our t r ansl at i ons of t he Qur an:

Al i , Abdul l ah Yusuf , The Meaning of the Holy Quran.

Bel t svi l l e, Mar yl and: Amana Publ i cat i ons, 1989.

Ar ber r y, Ar t hur J . , The Koran Interpreted. Oxf or d: Oxf or dUni ver si t y Pr ess, 1982.

Asad, Muhammad, The Message of the Quran . Bat h: TheBook Foundat i on, new edi t i on, 2003.

Pi ckt hal l , Muhammad M. , The Glorious Quran. New Yor k:Musl i m Wor l d League, 1977.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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I r ef er t o t hese ver si ons as Yusuf Al i , Ar ber r y, Asad,and Pi ckt hal l r especti vel y.

1 I have expl ored t he way i n whi ch moder n educat i onsyst ems demor al i se and di spi r i t young peopl e t hr ought hei r domi nant r egi me of ut i l i t ar i an school i ng andmanager i al i sm i n a ser i es of r ecent paper s: Henzel l -

Thomas, J . , Pass i ng Bet ween t he Cl ashi ng Rocks : TheHer oi c Quest f or a Common and I ncl usi ve I dent i t y , TheJournal of Pastoral Care in Education, Spr i ng, 2004; Myt hi cal Meani ng, Rel i gi on and Soul f ul Educat i on:Revi vi ng t he Or i gi nal Sense of I nt el l ect , paperpr esent ed at t he Reasons of the Heart Conf er ence,

Uni ver si t y of Edi nbur gh, Sept ember 2004; and Quant i t yMasquer adi ng as Qual i t y: Revi vi ng an Aut hent i c Not i on ofQual i t at i ve Educat i on , paper pr esent ed at a conf er enceon Higher Education in Developing Countries, I nst i t ut ef or t he St udy of Musl i m Ci vi l i sat i ons, Aga KhanUni ver si t y, London, Febr uar y 2005.

2 See Gl ei ck, J ames. Faster. London: Abacus, 2000, f or adi ssect i on of our unceasi ng st r uggl e to squeeze as muchas we can i nt o t he 1, 440 mi nut es of each day.

3 On 21 J une 2005, BBC r adi o 4 r epor t ed anot hercat ast r ophi c f ai l ur e of a gover nment I T syst em t hi st i me, t he one r esponsi bl e f or wor ki ng out t ax cr edi t s. Af ew days l ater t he same channel r epor t ed t hat one of t hemany har d- up peopl e who had recei ved an over payment as ar esul t of t hi s comput er f ai l ur e was havi ng 200 permont h deduct ed f orm her bank account i n r epayment s ( 1

J ul y 2005) even t hough t he amount r ecover ed shoul d haveonl y been 3 per mont h. An of f oci al quest i oned on t hepr ogr amme expl ai ned that i t was i mpossi bl e t o st op t hecomput er!

4 Pr of essor Emer i t us of Counsel l i ng St udi es at t heUni ver si t y of East Angl i a.

5 Thor ne, Br i an, Infinitely Beloved: The Challenge ofDivine Intimacy. Sar um Theol ogi cal Lect ur es. London:Dart f ord, Longman and Todd, 2003, p. 50. Chapt er 3 of t hi sbook, The Sur vei l l ance Cul t ur e and Economi cI mper i al i sm, was del i ver ed as t he Keynot e l ect ur e at t he10t h I nt er nat i onal Conf er ence on Education, Spiritualityand the Whole Child (Faith Feeling and Identity),

Uni ver si t y of Sur r ey Roehampt on, 26- 28 J une, 2003.


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6 The Ar abi c wor d f or f or get f ul ness, nisyan, i s rel at ed t ot he wor d f or Man (insan) , poi nt i ng t o t he f or get f ult endency whi ch i s i ngr ai ned i n human bei ngs.

7 The bi as t owar ds t hi nki ng over f eel i ng i n West er ncul t ur e, especi al l y i n cor por at e and busi nessenvi r onment s, i s wel l - known by pr act i t i oner s of t he MBTI( Myer s- Br i ggs Type I nvent ory) who ar e t r ai ned t o makecor r ecti ons f or i t i n scor i ng quest i onnai r es.

8 Tar nas bel i eves t hat t he r esol ut i on of t he cri si s i sal r eady emergi ng i n var i ous movement s whi ch r ef l ect anepochal shi f t i n t he cont empor ar y psyche, a f ul f i l ment oft he l ongi ng f or a r euni on wi t h t he f emi ni ne, a

r econci l i at i on bet ween t he t wo gr eat pol ar i t i es, a uni onof opposi t es. Thi s can be seen i n t he t r emendousemer gence of t he f emi ni ne i n our cul t ur e. . . t he wi despr eadopeni ng up t o f emi ni ne val ues by bot h men an

Beyond Thinking

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