A Study of the Epistemological Foundations of Transcendent Theosophy and Extracting its Implications for Aesthetic Education (Cultural and Art Domains)

The current study is aimed at examining the epistemological foundations of Transcendent Theosophy in order to extract its implications for aesthetic education as an effective educational method in cultural and art domains. The prevailing hypothesis of this analysis is based on the fact that aesthetic education plays an effective role in promoting the cognitive domain and improving teaching-learning process through applying cognitive functions of art. Such capacity can be proven based on Mulla Sadra's epistemological foundations. This qualitative research utilized a descriptive and analytical method. The statistical population of the study comprised primary and secondary sources related to the subject of the research, which were first identified and then studied purposefully and thoroughly and finally were continually analyzed. The findings of the research indicated that based on the epistemological foundations of Transcendent Theosophy including the relationship between agent and object of knowledge in the creation and formation of knowledge, variety in the means of gaining cognition and unity in multiplicity, there are various opportunities for cognition such as education and acquiring knowledge in the context of beauty and art. The development of aesthetic education as an efficient method will lead to the provision of intrinsic motivation and design of the conceptual experience (creating diverse learning situations), aesthetic literacy and the skill of analyzing meaning, the development of critical thinking, and the perfection of rational dimension.