INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES IN THE HUMANITIES (IRANIAN JOURNAL OF CULTURAL RESEARCH)
Year:2014 | Volume:6 | Issue:2|Papers Count:8

Improving applied science is one of the main goals in higher education policy, Todays. In the meantime, practicalization of theoretical sciences is difficult and complicated because dividing science into practical and theoretical, puts these two groups of sciences in front of each other. Although, Sciences like physics and chemistry have been divided into applied and theoretical since a long time, dividing philosophy into theoretical and applied philosophy has not been considered seriously. The term “Applied Philosophy” has been used by some philosophers recently and there are some centers working under this name, but teaching applied philosophy is not a powerful stream in higher education. In this paper by showing the difference between applied philosophy and what is traditionally called practical wisdom, I’m going to argue that Interdisciplinarity is one of the best ways of developing applied philosophy and introducing some fields it.

Relentless efforts of scholars in humanities to strike a balance between the beliefs of human beings about the world and life on the hand, and the issue of outlook on life (world view) indicates that there is a large gap between people’s beliefs and their outlook on life (world view). Thus, it seems that any thought (however metaphysical or abstract), any experience (at any level of intuition), any point of view and belief (however intra-disciplinary or dated historically) is inevitably influenced by the social conditions. On the other hand, one of the most critical problems in humanities is the lack of paradigm. Therefore Interdisciplinary studies can fill in a portion of this gap. Interdisciplinary Studies and coordination of different specializations in the study or a single problem or various problems requires in the first place, an open, coordinated and analytical mind as well as the thought and initiative of the elite. Interdisciplinary Studies are not limited to specific discipline and cannot be limited within a specific boundary. All scholars in humanities, especially in Iran, should be actively involved in Interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and meta-disciplinary Studies based on their deep philosophical knowledge, academic capabilities, historical background and recent political developments in the country. This is because no human social activity is one-dimensional. Interaction between different disciplines in humanities, however, has made it possible for the humanities to follow new topics in all academic areas. Therefore fallibility of human knowledge, its complimentary nature, multi originality of knowledge and moral commitment necessitate a serious approach to interdisciplinary studies in humanities.

One characteristic of interdisciplinary educations is creating a connection between theoretical and practical spheres of education, and also establishing an effective bond between science and everyday social realities. “Social policy”, as an interdisciplinary, that deals with systematic and complex issues in everyday life includes the both characteristics. Although “Social policy” has established its own independent identity as a university discipline in some universities around the world; its necessity as a part of the structure of academic education has not been recognized in a clear and independent way in Iran. The present research, while aware of the insufficient attention given to the interdisciplinary of “social policy” in Iran, seek to answer this research question: What are the conditions of possibility and reasons for preventing the establishment of “social policy” in the higher education of Iran social? Based on the findings, the nature of the subject of “social policy”, the defective structure of academic education in Iran, and the inefficacy of the intellectual discourse in paying attention to subjects related to “social policy” can be highlighted as the reasons for preventing the establishment of “social policy”. The conditions of possibility for the establishment of “social policy” as an interdisciplinary, can be examined at two levels. First, at the cognitive level, which concerns the strategic role of “social policy” discipline in social policy-making, and second, at the applied level, which requires understanding the problematic social conditions in Iran and the necessity of a scientific understanding of these conditions. Therefore, the establishment of academic “social policy” can be concerned with its epistemological aspect with the aim of developing social knowledge in Iran, and also, considering its functional importance and its applicative role, it can help reduce the costs of social policy-making opportunities by establishing a connection between social, political and security aspects and the scientific aspects of social phenomena.

Explanations of social problems due to its complexity and many angles, requires interdisciplinary and integrated view of knowledge. The cultural patterns, involves integrating psychological and sociological approaches. Individualism-collectivism cultural patterns that determine a person’s relationship with the community and participation in social activities, are the different levels of the social health. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of individualism-collectivism, horizontal and vertical in social health of students. In a correlational study, 300 students (including 159 females and 141 males) with a mean age of 28.83 and standard deviation 6.8 were selected by random cluster sampling and social health questionnaire collectivism (Triandis (Keyses, & Shapiro, 2004) and the scale of individualism et al, 1988) were assessed. In order to analyze the data by correlation coefficient and regression analysis were used. Stepwise regression analysis showed that the vertical collectivism and horizontal individualism are predictors of social health. The implications of findings were discussed.

Brian Fey, divides concepts into three categories; first, concepts which we use in thinking, second, concepts which we think about, and third, concept by which we think,. According to this categories, "social imaginary" would be in third category. it means that there is fixed cultural element within each nation which confronting new developments, it affects them. "Social imaginary" is the main concept of Debry’s theory of mediology. this review tries to show that this concept is an interdisciplinary concept of Althusser’s Marxism structural theory and Jung’s unconscious theory, by using the metatheory. This methodology would help us to know more deeply about a theory. The consequence is that "social imaginary" is a synthesis of political and psychological theory developed in France.

This paper focused on the analysis and explanation of “civil friendship” in al-Farabi’s philosophy; so the question is: what are the beginning and the end of civil friendship in his philosophy? It seems that for al-Farabi, the friendship has the power of binding the creatures to each other. It shapes all contexts for creatures; among them, it forms the variant cities, and the ruler of each city looks at the category of friendship as a tool to have good governance. For Farabi, like Aristotle, man naturally has teleos in itself. For him, the cities need justice and civil friendship to be a good city according to the scheme that planed by the ruler; without friendship, the cities cannot be shaped, and without justice they cannot be maintained. But in reality, the type of friendship is different in each city, and it defines the happiness for each city.

The present paper is organized to explain about science and it’s organizing to provide a solution proportionate to the Islamic humanities issues in which seeking answers to these questions from the perspective of management as the pervasive element in any job and human environment, for the engineering and organizing of the humanities will be presented. Since the humanities is the spirit of all sciences, it can be used to assist others and in addition to the physical aspects of humanities also effective in spiritual aspects as well, deserves to be considered as an interdisciplinary requirement. Hence it is required to properly and according to the principles, be organized and managed so to construct the basis of evolution and science production. Engineering and management of the sesciences by using knowledge-based systems and technological tools, is of importance and fundamental analysed in this paper.