Katalin Kéri: Major themes in mediaeval muslim literature on education

To our knowledge, no Hungarian publication on the history or philosophy of education has attempted to give a review of major themes in mediaeval muslin thinking on education. The present study gives an outline of the related results of several years of research, a summary of the education-related thinking of authors of the major philosophical works between the 10th and 15th century, with excerpts from these sources. Al-Ghazali, al-Zarnúdzsí, Sa'di, Ibn Sina, Ibn Miskawajh, and the philosophers of the Ikhwan al-Safa' discussed at length the importance of knowledge and learning, as well as the possible ways to arrive at wisdom. In their works they investigated the constitution of the soul and the relationship between body and soul. They identified the characteristics of health and gave practical advice to its achievement. They wrote on the proper time for studying and noted the characteristics of different phases of the life cycle. An awareness of their thinking may contribute to a more subtle understanding of the history of European education, as well as to an understanding of cultural phenomena in present day Islam.

MAGYAR PEDAGÓGIA 104. Number 4. 409-427. (2004)

Levelezési cím / Address for correspondence: Kéri Katalin, PTE BTK, H–7624 Pécs, Ifjúság útja 6.

 
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