Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities

Abstract This article delves into the philosophical capacities of the series Black Mirror as a narrative medium for engendering “film thought experiments”—experiments that engender ethical experiences not merely through abstract argumentation but via multilayered narratives, visual forms, and the audience's emotional engagement. The primary focus of the research is on episodes that forge ethical borderline situations: moments of existential turmoil, the collapse of meaning, and the imperative of ethical choice amid emergencies. Thus, drawing upon concepts from existential philosophy (Jaspers, Heidegger), contemporary virtue ethics (Nussbaum), and the phenomenology of the other (Levinas), the present essay endeavors to demonstrate that episodes such as “White Bear” (2013), “Be Right Back” (2013), “White Christmas” (2014), and “Nosedive” (2016) serve as exemplary instances of ethical encounters that not only represent ethical crises but also create “ethical experiences”: they immerse the viewer in the heart of ethical dilemmas, transforming them from a passive observer into an ethical agent who internally assays the cognitive and emotional tensions of these confrontations. Consequently, the viewer is provoked to contemplate the contours of ethical experience in borderline situations while simultaneously nurturing their ethical imagination and emotional sensitivity. Methodologically, this research advances through a philosophical-narrative analysis, emphasizing the interplay between ethical imagination, visual narratives, and affective-cognitive responses.

Abstract This article, grounded in Linda Zagzebski’s Exemplarist Moral Theory, explores the moral capacities of television narratives—particularly Iranian drama series—for fostering moral understanding and the cultivation of character. In contrast to rule-based ethical theories, Zagzebski locates the source of moral knowledge in lived encounters with virtuous individuals—encounters that begin with moral admiration, unfold through moral imagination, and culminate in emulative identification. On this account, narrative fiction—including serialized television—can serve as a potent medium for such formative moral encounters. Methodologically, the study employs a combination of conceptual analysis in moral philosophy and narrative analysis in media studies. It first explicates core notions from Zagzebski’s framework—such as moral admiration, knowledge by acquaintance, and moral emulation—as analytical tools. It then examines five influential Iranian television series (Hezar Dastan, Once Upon a Time, The Tales of Majid, Imam Ali, and The Times of Gharib) through the lenses of gradual narrative development, character-centered storytelling, and ethical complexity. The findings indicate that these series—through layered character arcs, dramatization of moral conflict, and evocation of responses such as admiration or revulsion—create conditions in which viewers engage with figures like Morad Beyg, Reza Tofangchi, Dr. Gharib, and the grandmother in Majid not merely as spectators but as affective and imaginative participants. Such engagement enables a non-propositional moral grasp and the internalization of virtue. Finally, the article argues that the cultural embeddedness of these series—through vernacular language, historical context, and collective memory—plays a vital role in reinforcing the moral accessibility and exemplariness of their characters.

Abstract The foundation of modern sciences on absolute and fundamental philosophies, or in other words, the construction of supplementary philosophies, represents an approach that the scientific community in the West has pursued in recent decades. This pursuit is such that it attributes part of its scientific superiority and dominance to the extension of those absolute philosophies into new sciences. Among those who have successfully engaged with this extension, emphasizing the field of sociology, is Peter Winch, who has managed to philosophically enrich this discipline. The main question of this research is: What are Peter Winch's epistemological foundations in intercultural communication? The method employed in this study is qualitative, with an interpretive approach and an analytical-critical perspective. According to Winch, since rules are inherently social, understanding the actions of others and various cultures requires the comprehension of governing rules. He also asserts that there is no meta-language or meta-rule encompassing all. Winch views rationality standards as arising from diverse life forms and social contexts, thus considering rationality standards to be multiple and non-comparable. He argues that each culture possesses its own specific rational evaluation criteria, where deviation from these rules undermines rationality. In his view, standards and rules do not qualify as criteria until they are elevated to a social level. Essentially, Winch emphasizes social rules while denying private language and rejecting transcultural rationality. He believes that to understand human actions and diverse cultures, one must recognize the governing social rules. He contends that there is no overarching meta-language or meta-rule that encompasses all rules, and that rationality standards depend on varied life forms and social contexts. This implies that rationality cannot be uniformly assessed across different cultures; each culture has its unique criteria for rational evaluation. Deviating from these rules can lead to a loss of rationality. Therefore, Winch underscores the importance of social rules and rejects private language and transcultural rationality, asserting that standards and rules are only recognized as such when elevated to a social level.

Abstract The theory of conventions (I’tibariat) in Islamic philosophy and constructivism theory in social sciences and international relations are both considered to be modern and almost contemporaneous in terms of new formation which, with different origins, natures and fate, has distinct implications and functions in the epistemic and social spheres. This study explicates the two theories and has, for the first time, regards the epistemological and ontological problematic caused by the incompatibility of “realism and constructivism” in the orthodox narratives of the theories in international relations -considered one of the most important philosophical, non-constructivist and interdisciplinary issues- as an entry into contemplation over the philosophical reconstruction of constructivism. In the course of exposition and categorization of the old and new perceptions of the theory of conventions (I’tibariat), the study contends that under an interactive approach, the two concepts could be compatible in a way that its referent is not “relativism” and “social determination of knowledge” or “denial of any subsistence or determination in the outer world”. Ultimately, the study moves away from both “raw realism” and “pure constructivism” approaches, and takes into account a consequent definition in the theory of constructivism that is not anti-realistic alhtough it “denies the external equivalent of conventions”. At the same time, cognitivism would not lose its true meaning either. The outcomes are considered more significant because in parallel with the decline of philosophical and political realism in recent decades and the epistemological confusion resulting from “the incommensurable bipolar epistemological views in international relations, namely the positivist majority on the one hand and a remarkable minority of post-positivists on the other”, the contemporary theorists of international relations have been guided to constructivist theories that the “social theory of international politics” indicates its conventional and social approach, during which and with efforts to reduce the epistemological importance of constructivism, the proposed solution is to resort to positivism and  ontological aspects of constructivism.

Abstract The individual-community relationship has always been one of the most fundamental topics of social sciences. In sociology, this is known as the micro-macro relationship while in economics it refers to the processes, through which, individual actions lead to macroeconomic phenomena. Based on philosophical discourse and systems theory, many sociologists even use the term "emergence" in their understanding of micro-macro relationship, which refers to collective phenomena that are created by the cooperation of individuals, but cannot be reduced to individual actions. "Emergence" theories attempt to explain the nature of society as a complex system by examining how individuals and their relationships lead to the creation of integrated and macro-social phenomena such as markets, educational systems, cultural beliefs, and shared social practices. As a prelude to activity, every researcher has to answer the question from the methodological point of view, how is it possible to study the behavior of social groups and how can we gain knowledge about the laws related to social groups? Anyone who deals with humanities and social sciences or any reality and phenomenon that affects human beings, inevitably deals with the reality that is emerging. In fact, emergence occurs when one level of reality emerges radically from another level. Examples of emergent levels of reality include how the mind emerges from the body; or the way society emerges from human beings. Therefore, when there is an emerging factor, different scientific disciplines should be used, because it is inevitable to talk about social affairs, psychology and neurobiology, as well as physical and even chemical.

Abstract Like philosophy of natural sciences, philosophy of social sciences begins with questioning of the meaning of science and the criterion of scientific explanation. Although in the former, just similar to the latter, the epistemological abstractive discussions are divergent, the practice of science is not. But in the sphere of social sciences the practice also lakes convergence and the community of scientists does not share the same scientific criteria of scientificity. The problematic of this article is that, in the realm of social sciences, what exactly scientists are pursuing and searching for when they are producing science. Usually, there are, at least, three responses to that question: cause, reason, and meaning. Describing, analyzing, and criticizing those epistemological positions, each of which is a well-known school in philosophy of social sciences, I will try to demonstrate that none of these criteria is able to pretend an absolute dominance in scientific explanation. However, this does not mean that they have all the same value and weight. The hypothesis is that, in theoretical analysis as well as in scientific practice, causal explanation, investigation of reason, and inquiry concerning meaning, are respectively more important and functional in scientific explanation in the area of social sciences. In many works of the most prominent social scientists, we can find some sort of combination of these different points of view that reflect this hierarchy of criteria.

Abstract Ninian Smart, a distinguished contemporary pioneer of religious studies, moving away from traditional religious studies known as theology, considers his studies to be historical, comparative (in his favorite term cross-cultural), interdisciplinary as well as phenomenological and empathic, and presents his model as an analytical one. His model offers seven interconnected dimensions for the religion: rituals, experimental, mythological, doctrinal and philosophical, ethical and legal, social and institutional, and material. On the other hand, mystical theology in comparison with the Smart’s view, through a model developed by Seyyed Haider Amoli (720 - after 787 H.), offers a type of spiritual-subjective and intuitive way that creates a phenomenological distance – to stay away from presuppositions and prejudices – and has the ability to show essentialist empathy in religious studies. This empathy, in the modern non-mystical phenomenology, does not go beyond mere mental and emotional empathy. Although Smart’s model introduces pluralistic dimensions of religion, and is broader in the analysis of worldviews and religions, it is not able to deeply analyze dimensions of religion as compared with the mystical-unitary model. The shari’a-tarighat-haghighat mystical model in its tripartite structure involves the metaphor of »the way» while providing a deep relationship between the dimensions of religion; this metaphor has a symbolic importance for the analysis of religious traditions as the manifestations of trans-historical realities in a historical and temporal path.

Abstract Abstract:

In the contemporary era, technology has evolved beyond being merely a tool at the service of humanity; it has become a force with the potential to fundamentally alter nature, society, and the destiny of mankind. Characteristics such as relentless expansion, boundless power, and long-term, often unpredictable consequences have transformed technology into a unique yet perilous phenomenon. Alongside the countless opportunities that technology has provided for human progress, it has also introduced threats such as environmental degradation, social instability, and the endangerment of future generations. In response to these transformations, Hans Jonas proposed the "Principle of Responsibility," emphasizing that humanity can no longer make decisions without considering their technological ramifications. According to Jonas, ethical responsibility entails a conscious commitment to a future that is more vulnerable than ever. The unprecedented expansion of technology forces humanity to look beyond immediate and individual interests, holding us accountable for the global and long-lasting effects of our actions. From this perspective, the relationship between technology and ethical responsibility is an inseparable and fundamental one. It is a connection that, in its essence, underscores that the survival of humanity and the Earth depends on a deeper understanding of the consequences of technological actions and a commitment to principles that prioritize the preservation of life, nature, and core human values.



Keywords: Humanity, Technology, Ethical Responsibility, Consequences, Risks

Abstract Interdisciplinary research and education are legitimate only within a sphere that has affirmed the legitimacy of the modern age. One indication is a functional rupture with traditional forms of knowledge. The question is whether interdisciplinarity in Iran have fulfilled such a condition. It appears that two decades of interdisciplinary contributions in Iran still remain distant from the functions emerging from rupture. An examination of works that take interdisciplinarity itself as their subject, as well as works that discuss various subjects through an interdisciplinary approach, demonstrates that their authors maintain, in their thinking, a continuity-oriented will toward tradition and the past. The resistance of Iranian writers and researchers to rupture with the past may be discussed under the category referred to as the secularization theorem. This theorem assumes that modern consciousness is the secularized form of ancient Christian or pagan consciousness. Iranian authors likewise, generally within the framework of the same theorem, seek to bring about an indigenous modernity through the rereading, transmission, and transformation of tradition. One sign of the failure of this mode of contribution is precisely the interdisciplinary arrangement of knowledge in Iran. Through a concise analysis of the secularization theorem by way of explaining the categories of substance/function and continuity/rupture, this article elucidates the pathology of continuity-oriented essentialism in the articles published in the Quarterly Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies. It then, by focusing on one rupture-oriented article among them, prepares the ground for further discussions. Without continuity being called into question, and without a will toward rupture from the essences of tradition, neither the disciplinary system of knowledge nor the interdisciplinary system can fulfill their proper function.