Pragmatic Thinking Research Articles

The Dynamic of Contextualization in Indonesian Qur'anic Tafsirs: A Comparative Study of Tafsir Al-Azhar and Tafsir Al-Mishbāh on The Story of The Prophet Moses

The Indonesian Qur’anic tafsirs represent a contextual approach. Each tafsir scholar has different characteristics in contextualizing the meaning of the Qur’an so that it is relevant to contemporary Indonesian society. This article aims to show the dynamic character of Indonesian Qur’anic interpretation in contextualizing the meaning of the verses about Moses in the Indonesian context. This research uses a comparative method against the al-Azhar tafsir written by Haji Abdul Malik bin Karim Amrullah, also known as Hamka, and the Tafsir al-Mishbāh by M. Quraish Shihab. The three aspects compared and the research questions include: How is the story of Prophet Moses narrated in the two tafsir books? What are the interpretation methods used in the verses about the story of Prophet Moses, and how can the lessons from the story of Prophet Moses align with the Indonesian cultural context? The research results show that both tafsir books have similarities in making the story of Moses relevant to Indonesian society. The difference is that Tafsir al-Mishbāh appears more disciplined in following the textual meaning of the Qur’anic verses. In contrast, Tafsir al-Azhar is more flexible in its storytelling improvisation, making the story of Moses more cohesive and engaging. Shihab understands the story of Moses as Allah’s plan to overthrow human arrogance (Pharaoh), with a narrative flow following Allah’s laws. This retelling represents Shihab’s traditionalist and pragmatic thinking. In contrast, Hamka is more rational and critical. He views the story of Moses as a struggle and heroism that teaches the importance of hard work and intelligence in facing life’s challenges. The findings of this research contribute to showing the dynamic nature of Indonesian contextual tafsir. It illustrates how the Qur’anic interpretation maintains its textual meaning while remaining relevant for contemporary readers.

Holistic Pragmatism: the Chinese Approach on International Relations

Different geographical environments produce different histories, cultures, civilizations, philosophies, and mentalities, all of which have an enormous impact on their decision-making and foreign policy-making. Thousands of years of social norms and tradition have shaped Chinese people's holistic and pragmatic thinking and approach, determining China's policymakers' objective and overall approach to state governance and international relations. Above all, China, as a civilizational state that has been unified for thousands of years, distinguishes itself from the Western nation-states formed in modern times through continuous wars and peace treaties. Consequently, China has formed different perceptions and interpretations of national and international affairs, and distinct approaches and decision-making processes in terms of inter-state and international interactions and conflict management. By studying various dimensions of Chinese history, culture and philosophy, as well as analyzing its foreign policy-making and active participation in global affairs, this study argues that holistic pragmatism has pervaded China's domestic and foreign policy-making, influencing Chinese policymakers’ decision-making and people's thinking habits. This highlights the necessity to broaden the academic scope of international relations to encompass diverse geographical, cultural and historical perspectives, thereby providing a more comprehensive and profound understanding of international relations in our interconnected world.

The Practical Humanities Implications of Pitch Standardization History

Practical humanities, as a methodological approach for establishing the social value of humanities, embodies a proactive attitude and an effort to innovate the lack of social communication in the humanities, which has been identified as a root cause of the so-called crisis within this humanities. The standard pitch acts as an international linguistic convention within the musical domain, serving as a mediator for musical communication and is deeply linked to socio-cultural texts. These texts merge musical traditions with the modern era, significantly broadening the discourse-generating logic within practical humanities into a pivotal cultural code. This research aims to construct a methodological model to explore the social implementation of practical humanities by clarifying the historical identities of 435Hz and 440Hz, which lead the narrative of pitch standardization. 435Hz addressed the reality of inconsistent pitch prevalent across the 19th century European musical practice scene by establishing an intermediary pitch standard for musical practice. 440Hz reflects the characteristics of a universal and practical pitch aimed at enhancing the efficiency of musical communication, against the backdrop of the expanding social topography which is linked to pragmatic thinking in the early 20th century.

Influence of Kant’s Aesthetics on the Aesthetics of Collingwood

R. G. Collingwood is supposed to be one of the most important Aesthetes of 20th Century. He was a multi-talented person having original ideas in the fields of Philosophical History (his most famous book is ‘Idea of History’), Aesthetics and Anthropology. He was a practitioner in the field of Archaeology and Music. His second most famous book is ‘Principles of Art.’ He is supposed to be an original philosopher of Art too. His Philosophy of Art has much to do and has much connections with the Aesthetics of Immanuel Kant. Kant was a multi-dimensional genius, presenting before the world very original and outstanding ideas about Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics and also Aesthetics. This article is an attempt to understand the influence of Kant’s Aesthetics on the Aesthetics of Collingwood and to present before the readers the great similarities between the Aesthetic ideas of these two philosophers. According to Kant, Aesthetics is the fourth most important function of human mind. Apart from pure reasoning, pragmatic thinking and moral concerns, Aesthetics is that aspect of human mind which deals with beauty. The problem with the Aesthetics of Kant or the Aesthetics of Collingwood is that both of the philosophers present Aesthetics as the divider and in the humble opinion of the writer of this article it is not divider but a connector – connector of moral, pragmatic and pure reason.

The Educational Philosophical Thoughts of Abu Hamid Al Ghazali (1058 - 1111) and ‎John Dewey (1859 - 1952): A Comparative Study‎

The purpose of this study was to compare the educational thoughts of Al Ghazali and Dewey, two renowned scholars. In this ‎study, the researcher surveyed Al Ghazali's and Dewey's efforts on education using methodological qualitative research methods, ‎namely constant comparative analysis and discourse analysis, to discuss and evaluate their educational thoughts and to determine ‎their educational philosophical thoughts in order to objectively validate their educational aspects as educators. Similarities and ‎differences were discovered in the results of this study. The results indicated that the educational philosophical implementations ‎of Islamic and Pragmatic thoughts in terms of school curricula, teaching methods, roles of teachers, roles of students, and school ‎roles are viewed differently by each philosopher. Generally, Al Ghazali’s educational philosophical perspectives embody the idea ‎that education involves the intellectual, mental, spiritual, ethical, moral, and physical elements of a person. Whereas, Dewey’s ‎educational philosophical perspectives embody that the person, who is a social being, acquires knowledge through personal ‎experiences and is born with intrinsic skills that education should develop. Education must aim at nurturing and promoting those ‎skills to students’ fullest potential. Both scholars believed that promoting the well-being of children would be the school's role by ‎providing students with curricula enriched with a range of subject matters. Based on the study results, the researcher ‎recommended that those who are concerned with the business of changing lives must realize the importance of teaching ‎philosophy in order to establish their own. The researcher also made a number of recommendations, the most important of which ‎was that future research on this topic should take into account only one educational aspect as opposed to combining all five ‎aspects into a single study.‎ ‎(Keywords: Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali, John Dewey, Educational Philosophical Thoughts, Comparative Study)‎

Perkembangan Kognitif Mahasiswa pada Masa Dewasa Awal

The purpose of writing this article is to analyze the cognitive development of students in early adulthood. This type of research is literature study. Qualitative research is inductive using a flexible research design, data collection techniques in the form of documentation, data validity testing using triangulai, and data analysis techniques using content analysis. The results of this study indicate that there are many changes in the cognitive development of students in early adulthood, due to experiences that are supported by the cerebral cortex, especially the forebrain. Cognitive progress and brain growth of students in early adulthood are most fundamentally triggered by various major events experienced by students in life and while studying in college, which initially students' way of thinking is based on Piaget's theory, namely formal operational and experiencing a shift to post-formal which is relative and reflective. Perry is multi-minded, more relative thinking, and full relativism. Gisela is pragmatic thinking and cognitive complexity. Schaie phase achieves achievement and responsibility.

Survival through Pragmatic Thinking: Revisiting the Untold Stories behind the Canada–China Grain Trade, 1960–63

:This article examines the untold stories behind the Canada–China grain trade in the 1960–63 period. According to some archived records of Canadian business proceedings that have yet barely been examined, non-state agents in both nations took joint initiatives to deliver these grain sales, demonstrating pragmatic attitudes to de-escalate political tensions. Despite intensive disputes that persistently sabotaged trade normalisation, many actors devoted tireless efforts consistent with the future trend of public diplomacy. Acting on behalf of local civil societies and business associations, Canadian wheat trade agents facilitated effective two-way communication with their Chinese peers. The emphasis on common interests, rather than on ideological assertion, helped to contain political distrust with "de-othering" narratives. Increased engagement by civilian stakeholders thus served to hedge against political risk exposures.

Critical Analysis of Increasing Community Economic Growth in the Digital Era; Perspective on the use Adopt of Islamic Fin Tech and Blockchain in Indonesia

Technological and financial developments encourage changes in people’s attitudes and behavior. This development has an impact on economic growth. Community behavior will influence economic growth in the digital era. This paper aims to conduct a critical review of society’s economic growth in the digital era, with a focus on the use of Islamic Fin Tech (Financial Technology) and Blockchain technology in the context of Islamic finance. This research uses a descriptive qualitative analysis approach to describe the reality that occurred. The results of the analysis show that the birth of the theory of utilitarianism was caused by the desire to achieve social welfare that is beneficial globally and between communities, resulting in an increase in overall economic growth in society by adopting Islamic Fin Tech and Blockchain technology. Researchers study people’s behavior, thereby giving birth to a perspective based on pragmatic thinking and a scientific lens, even for studying social phenomena. The utilitarian theory approach which has value relevance to the use of technology and finance to improve the community’s economy is used for mutual benefits and improves the economy of each individual. The values that exist for improving the community’s economy from the perspective of Islamic Fin Tech and Blockchain are for community welfare, justice and equality, used by applying ethics and privacy, and built to support sustainable development

Why Robert Scholes's Utopian Vision Did Not Become Reality, and How to Make It Happen

Why Robert Scholes's Utopian Vision Did Not Become Reality, and How to Make It Happen

A Pragmatic Piety: Experience, Uncertainty, and Action in Charles G. Finney’s Evangelical Revivalism

Abstract This article focuses on the evangelical theology and revival practice of Charles Grandison Finney, popular in his time yet critically under-explored in American philosophy, specifically regarding his role in the emergence of American pragmatism. Spearheaded by American philosophers like Charles Sanders Peirce and William James, pragmatism argues that the significance of abstract concepts lies in their practical consequences in lived experience, as opposed to their internal logic or conformity to intellectual traditions. Whereas this philosophical method is often seen as predominantly secular in its origins, this article approaches pragmatic thinking and practice from the point of view of the spiritual conversion strategies of Charles Finney and antebellum evangelical culture more broadly. I expand on what Leonard I. Sweet has called Finney’s “pragmatic philosophy of revivalism,” addressing his theology and revival practice to disclose its latent pragmatic tendencies and those within antebellum evangelical culture. I argue that by looking at Finney as an early practitioner of this method, we must reappraise his and evangelicalism’s role in the emergence of philosophical pragmatism, challenge its putative secularity, and – as Charles Taylor has recently demonstrated – reassess what academic disciplines mean when they cite the presumed distinction between the religious and the secular.

The Chicago School in Urban Sociology: A Socio-Historical Approach on the Pragmatic Thought Influence as a Theoretical Frame of Reference in it-1892-2020

The present theoretical study analyzes the legacy of the Chicago School of Urban Sociology and evaluates it in the light of the growth and development of Chicago City and the establishment of sociology in it. Sociology has become an academic discipline recognized in the United States of America in the late nineteenth century, particularly, after the establishment of the first department of sociology in the University of Chicago in 1892. That was during the period of the rapid industrialization and sustainable growth of the Chicago City. The Chicago School relied on Chicago City in particular, as one of the American cities that grew and expanded rapidly in the first two decades of the twentieth century. At the end of the nineteenth century, the city witnessed the arrival of large numbers of immigrants from Europe and South America. Accordingly, this study aims to examine the heritage of the Chicago School in depth, focusing on its origin, genesis, and development of the Chicago School of Urban Sociology. It also sheds light on its emergence and dominance over the American academic edifice in the first two decades of the twentieth century. The study further aims to investigate the role of the pragmatic thought in the growth and development of this school as a prominent scientific edifice among all American universities. The golden age of this school and the creativity of its pioneers of the scholars continued until the mid-forties. Thus, the study is to explain the causes of its decline after the mid-forties of the last century. Then, it evaluates the reality of this school after the forties until the first two decades of the current millennium. The study concluded that although much of the urban sociology tradition in the Chicago School and its deeply rooted sub-fields was and remains important, constituting a centre to this discipline, this does not mean that the styles and methods of studies conducted under the Chicago School umbrella should be applied to the urban life of today’s cities. This is due to their inadequacy with the reality of urban life in industrial cities today. That is in return is because of the radical transformations at all levels, including economic, social, political and cultural, as well as the modern communication technologies that have changed the face of the world through what is called today globalization.

Delineating the people-related features required for construction digitalisation

PurposeDigitalisation, which involves the use of digital technologies in transforming an organisation’s activities, transcends just the acquiring of emerging digital tools. Having the right people to drive the implementation of these technologies and attaining strategic organisational goals is essential. While most studies have focused on the use of emerging technologies in the construction industry, less attention has been given to the ‘people’ dimension. Therefore, this study aims to assess the people-related features needed for construction digitalisation.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted pragmatic thinking using a mixed-method approach. A Delphi was used to achieve the qualitative aspect of the research, while a questionnaire survey conducted among 222 construction professionals was used to achieve the quantitative aspect. The data gathered were analysed using frequency, percentage, mean item score, Kruskal–Wallis H test, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis.FindingsBased on acceptable reliability, validity and model fit indices, the study found that the people-related factors needed for construction digitalisation can be grouped into technical capability of personnel, attracting and retaining digital talent and organisation’s digital culture.Practical implicationsThe findings offer valuable benefits to construction organisations as understanding these identified people features can help lead to better deployment of digital tools and the attainment of the digital transformation.Originality/valueThis study attempts to fill the gap in the shortage of literature exploring the people dimension of construction digitalisation. The study offers an excellent theoretical backdrop for future works on digital talent for construction digitalisation, which has gained less attention in the current construction digitalisation discourse.

Shikantaza – The Practice of ‘Just Sitting’: Ultimate Slowing Down and its Effect on Experiencing

ABSTRACT The Slow Movement brought with itself a focus on the speed of our living, and a desire to slow down our daily activities, including movement activities. Also, in the time of the current pandemic, many people were forced to experience a certain slowing down. One question raised in the context of a slow life is the limit of slowness: what is the limit of slowness in human movement? And: is it desirable to slow down to the maximum possible? The aim of this paper is to show the limit of slowing down, which is described as ‘stopping’, based on meditative practices from the Far East, especially the Zen practice of ‘just sitting’ (shikantaza—只管打坐). This may seem radical, since ‘stopping’ one’s pragmatic activity and thinking may seem odd and worthless: empty, boring and death-like. However, from the Zen point of view the ‘stopping’ is not some static expression of our existence, but rather brings about a new kind of experiencing and a new quality of movement.

The Unique Communication Pattern of Japanese and Indonesian Families Shaping Specific Character to their Children

The character-building system in Japan has become a role model in Indonesia. The initiators of education policies in Indonesia are intensively promoting character building as a solution to the decline in the quality of human resources. Character building in Japan and in Indonesia are carried out by the nuclear family at home. This study maps the differences in the communication patterns of Indonesian and Japanese parents in teaching character building to their children. Parents of productive age 17-50 years were used as respondents, had junior high school to postgraduate education, and had children aged 0-15 years. Questionnaires were distributed using google forms to Japanese people in Japan and Indonesians in Indonesia. It was found that the value of hard work in Indonesian families stems from the desire to avoid uncertainty and parents’ pragmatic thinking. In Japanese families, avoiding uncertainty teaches children a spirit of enthusiasm. Hofstede's cultural dimensions cannot explain the source of the spirit of togetherness in Indonesian and Japanese families, as well as the source of the spirit of hard work, and responsibility in Japanese families.

Ayodele Awojobi as a Scholar-Activist

Intellectuals are the threads that hold societies together. They form the basis upon which the making and unmaking of the future of societies are built. In fact, it is almost impossible to assess the progression of earliest societies without considerations of the transformative roles of individuals with inimitable intellectual skills and essence. This article will attempt a preliminary study on the socio-cultural and political tasks of intellectuals in neo-colonial Africa. Since there is a nexus between colonial domination vis-àvisthe production and consumption of knowledge, the existence of neo-colonial Africa thus presents a society whose intellectuals are behind in the fulfilment of their historical task. The dominance of Western liberal epistemologies and methodologies across the purported African academy have precluded, to a reasonable extent, the existence of ‘African’ intellectuals whose mission ordinarily ought to be related to the actualisation of the African revolution. Nkrumah has argued that in birthing a revolutionised postcolonial Africa—a society free from all forces of capitalism and neo-colonialism—the intellectuals are destined for an important role. Chomsky has echoed this position when he posited that there has to be a connection between scholarship and activism. By exploring the socio-political activities of the ‘mighty giant’ Professor Ayodele Oluwatuminu Awojobi, this article examines the mandate of ‘African’ intellectuals as both the ‘producers of ideas’ and ‘workers for ideas’. Through the exploration of existing primary and secondary sources, this article argues that postcolonial African intellectuals have the duty of being inspired by the revolutionary life and works of the activistscholar Ayodele Awojobi. The ultimate submission of this article is that scholarship cannot only be an arena for rhetoric, but must also be committed to the production of pragmatic thoughts, ideas, and actions that have the capacity of transforming the prevailing repellent social conditions and realities of the vast majority of the downtrodden African masses.

Formation of pragmatic thinking foreign students

The focus of the study is the search for methods to improve the speech-cogitative activity of foreign students who study Russian as a foreign language at the initial and advanced stages of education for the further development of a technical profession. In order to achieve the tasks set, the team of authors analyzes some methodological methods of teaching Russian as a foreign language (including the method of teaching the scientific style of speech within the Russian as a foreign language) and comes to the conclusion that in modern conditions of intensification of the educational process, interdisciplinary coordination is necessary, which consists in immersion lexico-grammatical units into a highly specialized text adapted to them. Due to the integration of scientific knowledge (general linguistic and special), it becomes easier and faster to master the program of a higher educational institution, since this process creates the foundation for the formation of pragmatic thinking through the analysis and implementation of structural-semantic models with content and semantic diversity into speech practice. This allows you to put the student in real communicative conditions, in which scientific and speech problems are solved simaltaneously, to create complete statements in Russian independantly on a professional topic after rethinking the basic information and its content shades, and to form the skills of automated use of language tools.

Estate Planning and Wills Across Borders: Sometimes a Quagmire in the Making

In this article a synoptic evaluation is made in respect of the estate planning and wills of South African nationals working, investing or living in foreign jurisdictions, in the broader context of globalisation and internationalisation. Estate planners and testators may inadvertently leave family members in a financially vulnerable position or diminish family assets due to a non-appreciation of international private law. The importance of international wills, the role of testamentary trusts, and the potential impact and reciprocity of international instruments are considered. The most applicable Hague Conventions and the EU Succession and Matrimonial Property Regulations are discussed in an attempt to give an overview of the current legal position. In discussing the role of international private law, its practical application is illustrated by way of reference to a few jurisdictions popular among South Africans with multi-jurisdictional estates, namely Malta, Portugal, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Although there may be more popular emigration jurisdictions amongst South Africans, this contribution focusses on the South African who lives, works and plays in a European context, without necessarily cutting his or her ties with the homeland. Not all attempts to harmonise wills, deceased estates, succession and matrimonial property regimes have been met with the same levels of enthusiasm by the international community. Contributing hereto may be the fact that fiduciary law deals with sensitive and very personal aspects of individuals and is closely linked to the different worldviews of communities. It is argued that not only fiduciary advisers and will drafters, but also attorneys and notaries involved with prenuptial agreements, should be proficient in the workings and implications of the applicable international instruments. Lastly, an argument is made for more pragmatic and commercial style thinking in the arena of fiduciary law.

A puzzle based open ended approach in an architectural design studio: A critique

Wang (2010) posited that with respect to design pedagogy in general, there is a need for radical changes to occur in design studios. Focusing on architectural design education, studies reveal that subjective knowledge and irrational creativity are dominating in architectural design studios. This is observed to be one amongst the various other outcomes as teaching methodologies without a holistic knowledge are adopted (Salama, 2016). Critical, creative and pragmatic thinking are the primary criteria in architectural design studios (Ibrahim and Utaberta, 2011). Crowther (2013) reported that design studios must facilitate learning about design, learning to design and learning to become an architect. In addition to traditional one to one studio, introduction of different models with alternate instructors through single, double and collaborative critiques at the desk, outside of studio paves new directions to pedagogy (Gamble, Dagenhar & Jarrett, 2002). Amongst the various directives like transformative design pedagogy (Hadjiyanni, 2008; Fay and Kim, 2017); signature pedagogy (Schulman, 2005; Crowther, 2013); constructivist approach (Kurt, 2011); puzzle based learning (Akin, 2008; Vijayalxmi, 2009; Ramaraj and Nagammal, 2016) which revolve around architectural education, this paper investigates an ‘open ended puzzle based approach’ adopted in an architectural design studio.

РАЗВИТИЕ НА ЕМОЦИОНАЛНА ИНТЕЛИГЕНТНОСТ В ПРЕДУЧИЛИЩНА ВЪЗРАСТ

The current report examines the question of development of emotional intelligence of children at a pre-school age as a part of the work on an Erasmus+ project „To hug the world“. The core idea of the project is to enhance the quality and efficiency of education at early child age, as well as emphasize equality, social convergence and active civil participation. The development of emotional intelligence is a key factor for the complete participation of a child in life, which sets the main goal of the current development and is targeted towards the children to grow up as active future members of society, ready to participate in its management and at the same time forming sense of compassion, belonging to societies wider than the family. The child as a participant in the project „To hug the world“ acquires the needed social knowledge and skills for fulfilling their role of a citizen, learns to solve interpersonal, local, national and global problems, showing constructive, pragmatic and critical thinking, freedom of thought and independence of will. Teaching children emotional intelligence, to acknowledge feelings, to understand where they come from and to learn to cope with them, sets the foundations of the most important skills for success and premise of full personal development at a later stage. In the current report, there are different techniques used by teachers of Kindergarten „Zname na mira“, Vratsa, targeted towards forming of emotional intelligence in children.

Co-evolutionary Pragmatism: Re-examine ‘China Model’ and Its Impact on Developing Countries

ABSTRACT There is a gap between the elusive concept of Beijing Consensus and China’s effective practices to promote economic growth at home and in other countries. This article aims to expound this phenomenon by examining both the rationale underlying China’s structural transformation and the corresponding practices in development cooperation. Using a case study on the evolution of infrastructure construction within China and abroad, this article argues that China's success has little to do with a new pattern of state capitalism, but rather presents a different manner of understanding and facilitating modernization. Target-oriented non-linear synergism can drive comprehensive transformation more effectively in developing countries than model-oriented linear mechanism. With a consistent goal, the pragmatic thinking enables multiple stakeholders to coevolve in diverse contexts through open attitude.