مطالب

Objective: The aim of this study is to explain the function of ethical and spiritual values across three critical stages of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, emergence, continuity, and advancement, based on the intellectual framework of the two leaders of the Revolution (Imam Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei). Accordingly, the research seeks to answer the key question: ‘What role do these values play in guiding the Revolution’s transition from its formative phase toward civilizational development?’ Method: Adopting a qualitative approach and employing a descriptive–analytical method, this study analyzes the content of official documents, writings, and speeches of Imam Khomeini and the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, aiming to provide a deep, internal, and religion-based understanding of the phenomenon. Results: The findings demonstrate that ethics and spirituality have functioned not merely as initial catalysts for revolutionary mobilization, but as foundational pillars for sustaining the political legitimacy of the Islamic system and as a robust barrier against secularization. Maintaining social equilibrium and enabling the Revolution to move beyond mere survival toward the realm of civilizational and cultural growth in the future is entirely contingent upon the continuity and institutionalization of this epistemic foundation. Conclusion: The final analysis indicates that the identity of the Islamic Revolution is defined through a triadic interconnection of ethics, spirituality, and politics. Consequently, the realization of any future-oriented strategy, the reproduction of soft power, and the achievement of the New Islamic Civilization are existentially dependent on the institutionalization of the same moral–spiritual foundation that constituted the Revolution’s point of departure. Without it, civilizational development would be unattainable.

Problem Statement: The political arena of the Islamic Republic of Iran constitutes a site of confrontation among rival discourses that seek to establish their own hegemony through the semantic articulation of fundamental concepts such as the "People," "Guardianship," "Justice," and "Law." This competition, primarily between the Reformist and Principlist currents, not only shapes policymaking trajectories and the distribution of power, but also reflects a deeper semantic struggle over political legitimacy. Nevertheless, existing studies have largely been either mono-discursive or confined to specific historical junctures, leaving a noticeable gap in comprehensive analyses of this discursive confrontation across a continuous period. Methodology: This study adopts a qualitative approach and employs Critical Discourse Analysis grounded in the discourse theory of Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe. The data consist of official statements, key speeches, press materials, and documentary texts produced by the two dominant political currents during the period 1997 AD/1376 SH–2013 AD/1392 SH. These materials were selected through purposive sampling and analyzed with a focus on central signifiers and their modes of articulation. Findings: The findings indicate that the Reformist discourse, centered on signifiers such as the "People," "Law," and "Political Development," and the Principlist discourse, emphasizing "Velayat-e Faqih," "Islamic Values," and "Justice," each sought to redefine the field of meaning in their own favor. The study demonstrates that discursive competition during this period was dynamic, unstable, and highly contingent upon political and social contextual factors. Conclusion: The analysis of rival discourses during this period reveals that Iran’s political arena is characterized by an ongoing semantic confrontation in which each discourse attempts to establish hegemony by reconfiguring central signifiers and strategically mobilizing political and social contexts. This semantic struggle reflects a structural tension embedded in the relationship between republicanism and Islamism within Iran’s political system.

This research explores fictional representations of the Iraq War by American writers, focusing on how neglecting soldiers’ individuality renders their psychological suffering invisible. This theme is especially prominent in American literature on the Iraq War, where protagonists — often American soldiers — experience deep psychological crises and struggle to reintegrate into civilian life. Kevin Powers' The Yellow Birds and Roy Scranton’s War Porn portray the war’s devastating consequences and lasting impact on soldiers. Even after returning home, these soldiers face ongoing psychological battles. Using theories of Survival Psychology and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, this paper analyzes how these novels illuminate the American war in Iraq and its far-reaching effects. The war affected not only Iraqi civilians but also American combatants, inflicting enduring psychological harm. This study identifies a recurring pattern of destruction that affects both the external environment and individual identity. By highlighting the psychological trauma and the depersonalization of soldiers’ suffering in War Porn and The Yellow Birds , the paper exposes the complex and often baffling aftermath of war. These narratives reveal how war continues to shape the lives of American veterans long after combat ends, offering a deeper understanding of the hidden psychological toll of modern warfare.

Subject: The purpose of this research is to explain the philosophical implementation of research and education simultaneously in teaching geography. Research Method: This study is fundamental research that uses a descriptive-analytical method and is based on collecting data through library and documentary-based research. This research uses philosophical thoughts, experimental backgrounds, teaching experiences, and theoretical articles and documents. Findings and Results: The findings indicate that in geography education, the philosophical foundations of geographical thoughts are not well explained to learners. This is because the use of research alongside geography education is very fragmentary. It is necessary to use political philosophies, political economy, and social theories derived from exploratory methods, which are now the elements of modern geography knowledge, as well as using analyses of geographical schools and transferring them to the new generation with appropriate research approaches.

The study was carried out to investigate effects of ChatGPT on 21st century skills of university students. Since there are several 21st century skills, the study focused on only five (i.e. critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving skills). The study employed systematic review of literature in which PRISMA framework was employed to facilitate selection of studies included in the review. Findings revealed that ChatGPT poses effects to students on each of the 21st century skills. However, the type and magnitude of effects depends on the type of skill. ChatGPT was found to bring more positive impacts to university students’ communication skills while more negative impacts on collaboration skills. While that was the case, the study found that ChatGPT can bring either positive or negative impacts on critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills. The effects depend mainly on the magnitude of students’ dependency on it. Those that depend more on it are likely to be more negatively affected. For instance, the more the students depend on ChatGPT, the less the ability for them to think critically and solve problems. The study recommends, therefore, that universities should embrace ChatGPT instead of avoiding it. However, they should find ways to reduce students’ over-reliance on it, among other recommendations.

The term “island disease” refers to the isolation and fragmentation of academic disciplines, a phenomenon prevalent in Iranian universities and research institutions. Specialization, while enhancing precision and depth within individual fields, often results in limited interdisciplinary interaction, leaving each discipline functioning as an isolated “island.” This fragmentation manifests in curricula that separate related subjects, minimal collaboration among faculty, and disciplinary languages that hinder cross-field understanding. Philosophical perspectives from Rumi, Jaspers, Heidegger, and Ortega y Gasset highlight the importance of holistic knowledge and the university’s role in integrating education, research, and culture. Globally, universities increasingly adopt interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary approaches to address complex societal problems, foster innovation, and prepare students for the demands of the twenty-first century. In Iran, recent initiatives—including the University of Tehran’s College of Interdisciplinary Sciences and Technologies, interdisciplinary engineering programs at Amirkabir University, and national interdisciplinary journals—illustrate growing efforts to overcome the “island disease.” This study examines the origins, manifestations, and consequences of academic isolation in Iranian higher education and argues that interdisciplinary thinking is a necessary remedy for cultivating integrated knowledge, collaboration, and problem-oriented education.

This paper revisits the famous 1922 debate between Einstein and Bergson on the nature of time, outlining its central philosophical and scientific points of contention and re-evaluating them in light of developments in quantum physics. Einstein’s conception of time is that of an objective, measurable, and relative dimension within a static four-dimensional “block universe.” In contrast, Bergson conceives of time (durée) as a qualitative, continuous, and creative flow of consciousness that resists reduction to quantitative measurement. The emergence of quantum mechanics, particularly the Heisenberg time–energy uncertainty principle, introduces new complexities that challenge this dichotomy. Quantum features of time, such as intrinsic uncertainty, the indeterminacy of precise moments, and the relational role of the observer, undermine the deterministic framework of classical and relativistic physics and appear, at least superficially, to resonate with Bergson’s critique of spatialized, discrete conceptions of time. However, a closer examination reveals that quantum time remains a quantitative, physical construct distinct from Bergson’s qualitative durée. Drawing upon modern theories such as loop quantum gravity (as articulated by Carlo Rovelli and Lee Smolin) and the insights of contemporary philosophers, this study argues that neither a purely physical nor a purely philosophical approach can, in isolation, account for the multifaceted nature of time. Rather, a comprehensive understanding requires a synthesis of both, recognizing them as complementary perspectives on a single underlying reality.

Global supply chains, initially designed to enhance production efficiency and reduce costs through geographically dispersed networks, have evolved into complex global value chains (GVCs) characterized by deep interdependencies among countries and industries. According to Economic Interdependence Theory, higher levels of mutual economic dependence can influence both cooperation and systemic vulnerability, which are often underestimated—especially amid escalating geopolitical tensions. This study examines the resilience of global value chains by analyzing the structural positions of the US and China between 2012 and 2020. Using OECD Inter-Country Input-Output tables and a social network analysis (SNA) framework, it evaluates the network positions of 45 industries across 76 economies (excluding services), through three weighted centrality measures: degree, betweenness, and PageRank. These metrics allow us to (1) measure the degree of bilateral interdependence, (2) evaluate structural resilience to supply disruptions, and (3) uncover network-driven asymmetries in global economic power. Results indicate that China has significantly enhanced its resilience by diversifying industrial connections and expanding its structural centrality, thereby reducing vulnerability to external shocks. In contrast, while the United States remains integral to high-value nodes, its network position is more concentrated, which may expose it to greater risks under conditions of disruption or fragmentation.

Fire held particular significance among Zoroastrian Iranians, possessing varying degrees of importance. There were three groups of fire associated with rituals. The most sacred of these was the fire of Bahram, known as the fire of the victorious king, which was to burn perpetually in the fire temples of Ādur Gušnasp, Ādur Farnbāg, and Ādur Burzēn-Mihr under all circumstances. The fire temple of Ādur Gušnasp is located in Takht-i Soleiman, Takab (Northwest of Iran), and Ādur Burzēn-Mihr is situated in the region of Rivand in Khorasan (Northeast of Iran). However, there is a discrepancy regarding the location of the fire of Ādur Farnbāg or the fire temple of the priests. Some researchers, orientalists, and many historical geographical documents have suggested the Karyan region of Fars, but conclusive evidence has not been provided. In the archaeological study of the Bardestān desert region and the Sasanian site of Koyu, a newly discovered seal bearing an inscription referring to the fire of Ādur Farnbāg has proposed a new hypothesis concerning the location of the state fire of Ādur Farnbāg. This paper will introduce the site and the newly found seal, and the reasons for proposing the Bardestān desert region as the location for the fire of Ādur Farnbāg will be discussed. This research was conducted through field surveys and comparative library studies, aiming to address one of the most significant questions in Sasanian archaeology regarding the location of the fire temple of Ādur Farnbāg.

The theoretical vagueness of a concept such as genius loci (spirit of the place) makes often feel unsatisfied. To avoid the widespread more rhetorical trend to attributing a spirit to every place - a trend already discernible in the progressive secularisation from the Greek world (an uncanny daimon) to the Roman world (a familiar genius) – and/or to explaining it as the outcome of creative human planning (especially architectural-urban), my paper states that a place has its specific genius only if it radiates a specific and particularly intense-authoritative atmosphere. That is, when the place is pervaded by a quasi-objective feeling that affects the perceiver and finds in their felt (or lived) body its precise sounding board. Just as there are different types of atmospheres (prototypic, derivative, spurious) and atmospheric encounters, there are therefore different types of genius loci, also depending on one's conception of space, here always understood as lived space, i.e. qualitative-anisotropic, and not in a physical-geometric (isotropic) sense. Contrary to the today’s prevailing projectivist-constructionist explanation (culturalist as well as neuroscientific) and the tendency to explain every affective quality inherent in the external world as a subjective projection, i.e. according to an hydraulic model following the Platonic “invention” of the soul, a “pathic aesthetics” based on a neo-phenomenological approach means with genius loci, in the authentic and original sense of the term, a lifewordly qualitative-emotional experience: in brief a spatialised atmospheric feeling that can sometimes be protected, maybe also improved but never arbitrarily created.

Moral responsibility is a fundamental component of ethics, shaping our understanding of accountability, blame, and praise. Responsibility-internalism, which holds that moral responsibility is grounded in some internal mental states, such as beliefs, desires, and intentions, represents a novel yet radical departure from traditional frameworks that focus on the outcome, circumstances, and interpersonal relationships to draw the moral line. While this theory presents a simple, self-contained picture of moral responsibility, it faces serious theoretical problems that challenge its coherence and practical utility. It specifically cannot adequately explain cases of negligence, culpable ignorance, and the relational aspects of moral responsibility that are central to human interactions. This paper offers a critical-analytic examination of responsibility-internalism and its theoretical and practical shortcomings. It examines positions that would incorporate both internalist assumptions, emphasizing the control agents possess over their actions, and externalist and interpersonal factors, aiming to offer a more complete and nuanced conception of moral liability. Some of the paper is devoted to discussing case studies in which the limitations of responsibility-internalism relative to its alternatives are illustrated. And it concludes that although responsibility-internalism offers a novel take and a new tool in the discussions of moral responsibility, such an internalist approach ultimately fails to provide a full and usable theory of moral responsibility.

Many archaeological remains from the Achaemenid empire have been found in various lands; therefore, many authors have researched and written about this empire’s cultural and civilizational features. Dahāneh-ye Qolāmān is one of the valuable sites of this empire that still stands. Dahāneh-ye Qolāmān is located 30 kilometers southeast of Zabol and was one of the important sites of the Achaemenids in southeastern Iran. The site was discovered in the 1960s by Italian archaeologist Umberto Scherato, who began archaeological excavations in 1962. Archaeological studies have shown that the structures of this city were built on a high terrace and were used in at least two periods of settlement. A look at the two different types of architectural structures, namely huge buildings and smaller buildings, indicates the various uses of these buildings. Among the large buildings, building number 3 was a large religious structure, building number 1 was a large civil building, and building number 2 was an administrative building. Buildings 4, 5, 6, and 7 were residential and private, all located in the eastern part of the city, and building 15 was an industrial building with religious production. Buildings numbers 16 and 17 were also large public buildings.

Today, it is very difficult to talk about the past and its history, let alone talk about the future, especially the philosophical future. However, since the futures studies movement has been formed in non-philosophical fields and has achieved relative success, it now seems that the time has come to address futures studies in the field of philosophy and test it in this area. This article acknowledges and addresses the availability of the objective ground and scientific background for the possibility of forming and developing a philosophical branch called the philosophy of life (of course, in a general sense and not solely focused on the purpose and meaning of life). The article's view is that life has gone beyond the limits of a scientific, social, economic, and cultural concept and has reached the level of a theoretical and philosophical concept. Also, due to the emergence of specific fields and the existence of a specific philosophical background in the last century, life has gone beyond the problematic level and has found the capacity to be at the level of a philosophical problem. Therefore, in the world of philosophy and philosophical discussion of life, it should be written with a capital L, meaning: Life, and we should wait for the emergence of a philosophical branch called philosophy of Life and also a tendency called Lifeism for it. Philosophy of Life is a reflection on life for the philosophical interpretation and expression of my life or I of life (my life/ego-life) or the subject of life, which in a way can be considered an idea for the sum of subject and Dasein. Philosophy of Life/Lifeism is distinct from realism, subjectivism, philosophy of life, vitalism, pragmatism, and existentialism. Philosophy of Life is philosophizing in the form of topics and categories such as understanding/defining life, distinguishing the subject of life from the pure subject and the dissolved Dasein in the world, important levels of life: “states”, situations, conditions”, my life among lives, interaction, language, the embodiment of life, acting and spectating in life, the authenticity and inauthenticity of life, ethics, meaning, success, model, health, livelihood, death, happiness, pleasure, style, consumption, well-being, life as a perspective, etc.