Reconstituting the Curriculum

This inspiring work presents a truly knowledge-based approach to education as an alternative to the current curriculum that is based on consolidating pre-conceived ideas. It demonstrates the advantages of the new curriculum, both in terms of acquiring knowledge and preventing current problems such as technological disasters, global injustice, and environmental destruction. It also shows how it can eliminate plagiarism, low retention in classrooms, non-representative grading, and other common problems. Examples are given from various disciplines, ranging from science and engineering to philosophy and law. Cover......Page 1 Title Page......Page 5 Copyright Page......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Foreword......Page 15 Acknowledgments......Page 17 Preface......Page 19 1.1 Widespread malaise — a Summary......Page 23 1.2 Thought as Material......Page 30 1.3 Renewal of Thought-Material Resources and the Nature-Science Approach......Page 31 1.3.1 Education as Thought-Material processing......Page 32 2.1 Introduction......Page 41 2.2 What is ‘Human Thought Material’?......Page 43 2.3 Why This Starting Point?......Page 44 2.4 HTM from the Nature-Science Standpoint......Page 46 2.4.2 Individual & Social character of “Acts of Finding Out”......Page 47 2.4.3 The Milgram Program and HTM......Page 50 2.4.4 Post-9/11 Assaults on HTM......Page 52 2.4.5 Collective forms of HTM......Page 58 2.4.6 Determining and Distinguishing Individual and Collective Aspects of HTM: The Role of Delinearized History......Page 62 2.4.7 Destination of HTM......Page 66 2.5 Commodification of HTM......Page 68 2.6 HTM vs Commodification......Page 69 2.6.1 The Education System’s Demands for Reform of Mechanism vs HTM’s Need for Renewal of Organism......Page 70 2.6.2 “Negating the Negation”: Eurocentrism as a Knowledge-Negating Criterion......Page 72 2.6.3 “Education” as a Universal Process Conditioned by the Needs of Particular Social Formations......Page 75 2.6.4 Emergence of Curriculum — Root/Pathway Analysis......Page 76 2.7.1 Introduction......Page 79 2.7.2 Technology Development......Page 81 2.7.3 Science of Contemporary Technological Development......Page 82 2.8.1 Computerizing the “Proof” of Plagiarism: A Cautionary Tale......Page 87 2.9 The Need for the Science of Intangibles as the Basis for Education......Page 91 2.10 The Tangible-Intangible Nexus......Page 92 2.11 The Encounter between European and Islamic Outlooks — a Delinearized History......Page 96 2.11.1 The Contributions of Greek philosophy and Other Cultural achievements to Islamic scholarship......Page 97 2.11.2 What is New in this Proposed Curriculum......Page 102 2.12 Final Words About Education and Training......Page 107 3.1 Introduction......Page 109 3.3 Fœtal Learning......Page 110 3.4 Aspects of Pre-School Learning and Early Development of Individuals’ own Thought-Material......Page 112 3.5 Intention: Origins......Page 113 3.5.1 Intention: Anti-Nature direction of Current Modes of Development......Page 115 3.5.2 Intention: Introducing the Aphenomenal Model & its Mythological Emulation of Nature......Page 119 3.5.3 The Science of Intention......Page 123 3.6 Nature for Sale?......Page 124 3.6.1 Nature for Sale: Energy Compromised......Page 125 3.6.3 Nature for Sale: Water Compromised......Page 126 3.6.5 Nature for Sale: Efficiency Compromised......Page 127 3.7 Conclusions......Page 129 4.1 Introduction......Page 131 4.2 Struggle for Educational Reform: Internal and External Factors......Page 133 4.3 Muslim-Christian Conflict: A Delinearized Short History......Page 134 4.4 Why did the Scientific Revolution Break Out in Europe and Not the Islamic World?......Page 138 4.5.1 Ibn Khaldun......Page 139 4.6 Education and Civilization: the Delinearized Future Prospect of a Reconstituted Curriculum......Page 145 5.1. Truth is Knowledge, Knowledge is Peace, So ... What’s the Problem?......Page 147 5.2 What is Sustainability?......Page 148 5.3 What Happens When a Process is Not Sustainable......Page 149 5.4 Theories Proven Wrong? How About ‘Laws’?......Page 153 5.5 Could this be Averted, and if so, How?......Page 158 5.6 Theory, Empirical Outlook and Disinformation in the Social Sciences......Page 163 6.1 Introduction — Can Modern Science Distinguish Truth From Falsehood?......Page 173 6.1.1 Focus on tangibles — Disinforming individuals’ capacity to act on conscience and blocks access to pathways on which knowledge of truth could be increased......Page 174 6.1.2 Focus on tangibles — “New Science” vs Science of Intangibles......Page 176 6.1.3 Focus on tangibles — The Myth of “Abrahamic Consensus”......Page 179 6.2 Tangible-Intangible Nexus & the criterion of Truth vs Falsehood......Page 181 6.3 Negative Impacts of the Science of Tangibles......Page 185 6.3.1 Tangible Knowledge-in-General vs Intangible Knowledge-for-us......Page 190 6.3.2 Implications of the Nature Science Criterion for the Gathering and Dissemination of Knowledge......Page 191 6.3.3 Science of Matter and Energy as Reconstructed from Natural Technologies Incorporated Among Earliest Foundations of Human Civilization......Page 192 6.3.4 Science of Matter and Energy vs the Eurocentric Knowledge Trail......Page 193 6.3.5 The Eurocentric Knowledge Trail & the Characterization of the Science of Matter and Energy — A Delinearized History......Page 196 6.3.6 Mass and Energy Management in the Middle East — the Delinearized History......Page 205 7.1 Introduction......Page 213 7.2 The HSS®A® (Honey → Sugar → Saccharin® → Aspartame®) Pathway......Page 215 7.2.1 HSS®A® Pathway in Education......Page 220 7.2.2 HSS®A® Pathway in Education: a Brave New World of Training Courses for Everything as the Ultimate Commodification of Knowledge......Page 222 8.1 Introduction......Page 229 The Appendices......Page 231 Appendix 1a......Page 233 Appendix 2a......Page 347 Appendix 3a......Page 433 References and Bibliography......Page 485 Index......Page 527 "The university curriculum introduced in the post-renaissance era, dominated by doctrinal philosophy, is based on 'learning' or 'skill development', suitable for creating a 'learned' society that would eventually serve the Establishment. This curriculum has been promoted as the only form suitable for the modern education system. It has introduced tremendous amount of tangible advancement in all fields of the structured education system. These tangible gains are then promoted as 'knowledge'. This has created confusion between education (acquiring knowledge) and learning, training or skill development. This book aims at clarifying the difference between the two. It is shown that the current curriculum is not conducive to increasing knowledge because it is based actually on consolidating pre-conceived ideas that are either passed on from previous generations or gained through personal experiences. In most cases, this mode of cognition will not create a pathway for gaining knowledge that is closer to discovery of the truth. The term 'education', on the other hand, always meant to be a process of 'bringing forth' one's inherent qualities and unique traits that are both necessary and sufficient for increasing one's knowledge. This book presents a truly knowledge-based curriculum and shows the divergence between the knowledge-based curriculum and the learning- or training-based curriculum in the knowledge space. It is shown that the two curricular systems demonstrate their diverging natures by both their sources and the final outcomes. Examples of outcomes are given from various disciplines, ranging from science and engineering to philosophy and law. Finally, advantages of the new curriculum are demonstrated, both in terms of acquiring knowledge and preventing current problems, such as technological disasters, global injustice, and environmental destruction. Also presented is the way the new curriculum can eliminate some of the common problems with the currently used curriculum, such as plagiarism, low retention in classrooms, non-representative grading, and others. This book shows how the new curriculum is appealing for both the short-term and the long-term."-- Publisher's website Based on groundbreaking new ideas, this treatise signals a return to a rebuilding and reshaping of the curriculum as the primary tool for education This book presents a new definition of'curriculum'and what it should consist of, with a view toward creating a more ethical, educated, and thinking person. Rather than treating students as'products'for society, this approach returns to a view of the curriculum as a tool for educating students to reason through problems, be bold in creating new solutions, and contribute to a more vibrant, just world. The university curriculum introduced in the post-Renaissance era, dominated by doctrinal philosophy, is based on'learning'or'skill development,'suitable for creating a'learned'society that would eventually serve the establishment. This curriculum has been promoted as the only form suitable for the modern education system. It has introduced a tremendous amount of tangible advancement in all fields of the structured education system. These tangible gains are often promoted as'knowledge.'This has created confusion between education (acquiring knowledge) and learning, training or skill development. This book seeks to clarify the difference between these two divergent views of education. It has been shown that the current curriculum is not conducive to increasing a student's knowledge because it is based on consolidating preconceived ideas that have been either passed on from previous generations or gained through personal experience. In most cases, this mode of cognition will not create a pathway for gaining knowledge that brings one closer to discovery. The term'education,'on the other hand, is always meant to be a process of'bringing forth'one's inherent qualities and unique traits, necessary and sufficient for increasing one's knowledge. "Presents a truly knowledge-based approach to education as an alternative to the current curriculum that is based on consolidating pre-conceived ideas. It demonstrates the advantages of the new curriculum, both in terms of acquiring knowledge and preventing current problems ... Examples are given from various disciplines, ranging from science and engineering to philosophy."--Provided by publisher