On Reasoning Nature of Editorial Essay in Indonesian Newspaper

Reasoning ability is fundamental for college students as well as professionals since it reflects their intellectual quality. This paper is aimed at revealing the reasoning nature in the editorial essays in Indonesian prominent newspapers. The study is qualitatively approached, by employing Content Analysis, in which (i) the types of reason and (ii) the soundness of reasons the editorial essays are objectively, systematically, and generally inferred. The data collection was conducted by documentation technique, by which the researchers selected the online editorial essays in Indonesian prominent newspapers. The study revealed that types of reason found in the essay written by IW (Indonesian Writer) are (a) statement of a means to an end, (b) a statement of cause, (c) statement of judgment based upon knowledge, and (d) statement of condition while the most reasonings practiced by IW in their essays are logically sound.

Pedagogies Towards Enhancing Students’ Intellectual Capital in Malaysian Secondary Schools

This research explores the pedagogical practices among secondary school teachers in enhancing students’ intellectual capital. Pedagogical practices measured were from the aspects of teaching plans/design of teaching, teaching strategies and evaluation of teaching. This study aims to obtain insightful information with regards to the current pedagogical practices that enhancing students’ intellectual quality in Malaysian secondary school classroom and to further identify the best pedagogical practices for enhancing the students’ intellectual quality. This research employed qualitative research design which is adapted to obtain data and information. Qualitative study was carried out involving interview of 10 teachers selected from different schools located at different zone in Malaysia based on certain criteria set by the researchers. A thematic analysis method was used for qualitative data. Findings of this study showed that teachers use a variety of approaches, methods and techniques in teaching and learning process that enhanced the students’ intellectual quality through questioning techniques, intellectual discussion and debate, associating content with students’ real-world experience and affective aspects in teaching and learning. Based on these findings, creativity, innovation and teachers’ affective aspects were important elements in implementing pedagogical practices in enhancing the students’ intellectual quality.

Soliloquies

The first four works written by St. Augustine of Hippo after his conversion to Christianity are dialogues that have influenced prominent thinkers from Boethius to Bernard Lonergan. Usually called the Cassiciacum dialogues, these four works are of a high literary and intellectual quality, combining Ciceronian and neo-Platonic philosophy, Roman comedy and Vergilian poetry, and early Christian theology. They are also, arguably, Augustine's most charming works, exhibiting his whimsical levity and ironic wryness. This book is the fourth work in this tetralogy. Augustine coined the term “soliloquy” to describe this new form of dialogue. The book, a conversation between Augustine and his reason, fuses the dialogue genre and Roman theater, opening with a search for intellectual and moral self-knowledge before converging on the nature of truth and the question of the soul's immortality. The volume also includes On the Immortality of the Soul, which consists of notes for the unfinished portion of the work.

On Order

The first four works written by St. Augustine of Hippo after his conversion to Christianity are dialogues that have influenced prominent thinkers from Boethius to Bernard Lonergan. Usually called the “Cassiciacum dialogues,” these four works are of a high literary and intellectual quality, combining Ciceronian and neo-Platonic philosophy, Roman comedy and Vergilian poetry, and early Christian theology. They are also, arguably, Augustine's most charming works, exhibiting his whimsical levity and ironic wryness. This book is the third work in this tetralogy, and it is Augustine's only work explicitly devoted to theodicy, the reconciliation of Almighty God's goodness with evil's existence. In this dialogue, Augustine argues that a certain kind of self-knowledge is the key to unlocking the answers to theodicy's vexing questions, and he devotes the latter half of the dialogue to an excursus on the liberal arts as disciplines that will help strengthen the mind to know itself and God.

Tackling Complex Social Challenges within Neoliberal Constraints: The Context Shaping ‘Intellectual Quality of Life’ (iQoL) in a Canadian University Context

The contemporary academic environment in Canada has undergone reorganization based on neoliberal principles, and has increased attention focused on the importance of supporting interdisciplinary initiatives to address complex problems affecting global society. The purpose of our study was to examine the experience of people participating in a specific university-funded interdisciplinary research initiative. As there is a strong emphasis within this program on reporting on the outcomes of the funding that supports interdisciplinary collaboration, our aim was to explore how participation may shape one’s intellectual quality of life (iQoL) and how one’s iQoL could be conceptualized and understood. Using a pragmatic constructivist case study, focus group and individual interviews were undertaken with 30 participants involved with university-funded interdisciplinary research teams. Findings illustrate that their iQoL was shaped by their capacity to engage in and achieve what they viewed as their core work and its outcomes. Related sub-themes addressed the social and relational climate, institutional environment and structure, and expectations and resources. We argue that further development of iQoL as a unique construct is required to adequately measure the full range of people’s experiences in academia, particularly when aiming to address ‘wicked’ social and global problems within a predominantly neoliberal context.

Simone Weil’s Lectures on Philosophy: A Comment

The purpose of this article is to introduce the reader to some intellectual origins of Simone Weil’s philosophy through a summary of and comment on her Lectures on Philosophy (1978) given when she was a teacher at a girls’ school at Roanne in the Loire region of central France. The article provides a comment on Simone Weil’s Lectures on Philosophy. There is a brief Introduction followed by a summary of Weil’s life which indicates her various interest as a religious thinker, mystic, anarchist, and political activist and some of the important academic commentaries on these aspects of her life and work. The source of the Lectures on Philosophy edited by her pupil Anne Reynaud-Guérithault is then discussed followed by a detailed summary of and comment on the Lectures themselves. They are grouped under five headings which are considered in turn. These are: The materialist point of view; after the discovery of mind; politics and social theory; ethics and aesthetics; miscellaneous topics and essay plans. There is a further discussion of Simone Weil’s later philosophical thought which shows that what she published reveals classical learning and intellectual quality, but also the several antimonies with which she struggled in her thinking, the two major influences on her thought being Ancient Greece and Christianity. There is a short Conclusion and Bibliography.

The Impact of Academic Potential Test (APT) on GPA Score in Bachelor Dental Program in Trisakti University

Introduction: Academic potential test (APT) is the terminology used for requirement in student recruitment process at Faculty of Dentistry, Trisakti University. According to literature, APT score is believed to predict the academic achievement in graduate school. Objectives: This study assessed the impact of APT score on GPA score at Bachelor Dental Program year 2015-2018. Methods: Cross sectional descriptive analysis were done on 486 students, divided into 4 groups based on credit semester (CS); group A 144 CS, B 100 CS, C 60 CS, and D 20 CS. Result: mean APT score were 598 + 95.46 and GPA score were 2.63 + 0.72. Linear regression test showed significant correlation between APT and GPA scores (p=0.007; r2=1.5%). It shows that APT contributed as only a little aspect for the success of students in their study. In dentistry, there are other factors that may influence GPA score beside APT such as intellectual quality, talent, behavior, psychomotor and capability in social, science and communication. Conclusion: Academic potential test could be used to predict the GPA score in Bachelor Dental Program.

A Case Study of Mindful Leadership in an Ability to Develop Focus, Clarity, and Creativity of the Leader of Buddhist Higher Education Institute

This research is a single case study using a qualitative approach that produces descriptive data consisting of written or oral words resulted from interviews and observation. The research was carried out at Buddhist Higher Education Institute, the Institute of Advanced Buddhist Studies – Plum Village Buddhist Monastery Upper Hamlet of France. The research procedures used in this case study consist of six steps of case study research by Robert K. Yin. The research data collection was obtained by purposive sampling and snowball sampling. Data analysis techniques are used through pattern matching, explanation making, and analyzing data time series. This research found that mindful leadership can develop concentration and be more focused and have clarity. Clarity within the leader can bring up conditions of calm and peace that give a significant effect on how to respond to an existing condition. By being calm, then the leader has clarity and creativity. This situation helps the leader to recognize what is happening and helps further to decide what to do. This decision helps leadership in responding to the situation. Mindful leadership focuses on actions and internal circumstances, not on intellectual quality. The development of the leaders’ internal state is related to the behavior and emotional state of each of them. Leadership that provides democratic qualities in the delivery of opinions and decision-making processes both personally and collectively strengthen the effectiveness of his leadership, and develop essential behaviors related to emotional and social intelligence.

Problematika Dakwah di Kalangan Minoritas Muslim Desa Poka Kota Ambon

This paper provides an in-depth analysis of proselytizing problems and strategies among the Muslim minority in Poka Village, Ambon City. Using qualitative des–criptive method, this research concludes that many da'is in Poka village have faced two main problems both internal and external issues. The former related to the number of da'i, the role of da'wah institutions which is not optimal, and the lack of community solidarity in propagating Islam. In addtion, many da’is do not possess a high Islamic intellectual quality and a good quality of education. The latter problems related to the lack of government attention on Islam as well as the dominant influence of non-Muslim environments. While da’wah strategies conducted by da'is are da’wah bi al-lisan and da'wah bi al-hal.