Formulation of Implicit Philosophy of Education inAncient Iranian Culture

The purpose of this article is to extract the Iranian philosophy of education based on the cultural characteristics of the ancient Iran. To obtain this aim, we will consider Taylor’s definition of culture and his emphasis on four main elements including state, social conditions, religion and education. In terms of research methods, we will employ historical method, transcendental analysis, and practical deduction. The findings of this research are organized in terms of the final goal of education, the fundamental concept of education, the philosophical foundations (anthropology, epistemology, and axiology) and the principles derived from them. Accordingly, in the ancient Iran, the final goal of education was “attaining goodness” and in this regard, different dimensions of human existence were considered. This point, especially in the individual aspect is one of the strengths of implicit philosophy of ancient Iranian education. Concerning anthropology, there was a deterministic look to human and his abilities, as well as social immobility and belonging to a particular social class, characteristics that can be criticized. In epistemology, the dependence of knowledge on the social classes, the lack of attention to the value of knowledge itself and the domination of imitative approaches over rationalization are among the weaknesses of this educational philosophy. There are also strengths and weaknesses in its axiology. In the social dimension, the stability of class values and the lack of power of choice are negative points. On the other hand, in terms of individual values, the commitment of individuals and the role of the family in transferring values are considered to be positive points.