Ibn Sina’s Theory of the Soul: A Taxonomy of Islamic Education

Abstract

Ibn Sina’s theory of the soul possesses a logical-metaphysical categorisation of that concept, which allows for the designing of a new taxonomy of educational objectives. Its unique alteration of Aristotelian philosophy creates both an understanding of the natural relationship between categories, species, varieties, etc., and powerful inventive philosophical arguments and principles supporting the structural basis of monotheistic belief  (tawhid). When speaking of the goals and objectives of the contemporary Islamic educational world, this approach also embraces the demands of the twenty-first century knowledge economy and the holistic development of the human being, enabling people to become critical, creative, innovative, and ethical without leaving religion behind. However, the new scene has created volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity among educators as to how to liaise the new curriculum and apply new assessment methods in their classrooms. This study intends to develop a taxonomy that will enable curriculum designers and Islamic educators to easily identify hierarchal and categorical human faculties and relate them to specific curricular objectives, proper classroom assessments, and suitable teaching methods. The taxonomy is designed using a philosophical-descriptive analysis of Ibn Sina’s theory of the soul and a logic-argumentative description of his human categorisation. The end result is a prototype taxonomy for future validity evaluation.