Khaberni - The events of the seminar "The Arabs and the Mind Problem" started today at the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, organized by the foundation in cooperation with the House of Philosophy in the Emirate of Fujairah, with the participation of elite academics and thinkers from Jordan and Arab countries.
The CEO of the foundation, Valentina Qussisiya, said in her opening speech, "It seems that in the Arab world, we were unable to restore the relationship with philosophy, as the separation continued over the centuries and was reinforced by official policies that contributed to keeping both parties in disagreement, except for individual projects that stirred the still waters occasionally, but they failed to make philosophical thinking fundamental in our lives, or in our scientific and academic institutions, thus the individual efforts, despite their importance, didn't heal the breach left by the skeptical view of philosophy, accusing it of potentially being a Trojan horse that messes with our faith, or an Achilles' heel that kills beliefs, and perhaps morals, governed by a long legacy of confrontation between the two sides."
She added that the seminar comes to discuss the cultural challenges facing the application of the mind in the Arab world, as the phrase "The Arabs and the Mind Problem," with a slight margin of doubt, indicates that there are mechanisms and challenges specific to the Arab mind, imposed by certain thinking determinants and cultural factors, forcing it into a stereotype that we are still subject to today, as she noted that the seminar will examine the factors affecting the ways of thinking of the Arab individual, and the obstacles determined for critical and creative thinking, and the cultural characteristics unique to the thinking style of the Arab mind compared to others.
Qussisiya pointed out that the seminar will explore the historical determinants, including the impact of jurisprudential, theological, and philosophical heritage, and the role of historical conflicts; religious and sectarian, and the quest for certainty and submission to absolutes, in addition to cultural and social determinants, and their elements from paternal authority and hierarchy, the sacred and the limits of criticism, and the state of freedoms and their impact on freedom of thinking, and educational and cognitive determinants as the prevalent rote learning mode, and the absence of the philosophy of dialogue, explaining that these multiple determinants make philosophy difficult to cross the walls of our Arab world, and what hinders many projects of renaissance and development that we all sing about, but without doing anything to realize them on the ground.
She stressed that the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation is proud of its partnership with "House of Philosophy" in the Emirate of Fujairah, and looks forward to continuing such cooperation with all cultural and intellectual institutions that try to build the Arab individual within the contexts of the third millennium, and its necessary requirements, noting that today's event is among the priorities that Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, the cultural and social responsibility arm of Arab Bank, works to enlighten.
Discussion at the seminar on the first day covered two main themes, through two work sessions, where the title of the first theme was: "The Arab Mind," and the session was managed by media person Samah Bipers, where each of Dr. Ahmed Barqawi from House of Philosophy presented a paper titled "What is the reason?" and Dr. Mohamed Al-Mesbahi a paper titled "The Mind in Medivial Arab Philosophy," and Dr. Ahmed Madi a paper titled "The Mind in Contemporary Arab Philosophy."
As for the second theme, it was represented in: "Factors Influencing in Ways of Thinking," managed by the coach in modern physiognomy Essam Abu Sunina, presenting each Dr. Duaa Ali presented a paper titled "The Current Arab Awareness and the Mind," Dr. George Alfar a paper titled "Religious Theology and the Mind," Dr. Hussein Hammad a paper titled "Rational Thinking and Objective Structures," and Dr. Anwar Moghith a paper titled "The Arab Ideological Barrier to Rational Thinking."
Tomorrow, Thursday, the seminar will address the theme: "The Mind, Awareness, Criticism, and Rationality," where the first session will be managed by Dr. Ahmed Al-Karki, with papers titled "The Mind and Rational Criticism" by Dr. Lena Jzrawi, "Rational Criticism and the Historical Awareness of the Arab" by Dr. Zuhair Toufiq, and "The Problem of Truth and the Mind" by Dr. Nariman Amer. Additionally, a theme: "Challenges in the Arab Context," managed by researcher Abdullah Al-Huwaidi, presenting papers titled "Education in the Arab World and Its Impact on the Formation of the Mind" by Dr. Basil Zein, "Reality, Freedom, and Thinking" by Dr. Mohamed Mahjoub, and "Problems in Establishing Contemporary Philosophical Discourse" by Dr. Magdy Mamdouh."
It is worth noting that "House of Philosophy" in the Emirate of Fujairah is a cultural institution launched from the Emirate of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to formulate rational awareness and spread and teach it. Its aims include spreading ethical values, aesthetics, enlightenment, tolerance, and promoting critical thinking among children (P4C technique), youth (philosophical encyclopedia for young people and philosophical questions for youth), and the philosophical community (especially the Fujairah Philosophical Dictionary), in addition to conferences, philosophical workshops, and more. The foundation also strives to create an Emirati intellectual elite that thinks methodically and soundly about its reality.
