How to Train the Intellect

This is Module 3, Lesson 5, Training of the Intellect, or how to train the intellect. This forms part of the course Philosophical and Ethical Foundations of Values Education. Training the intellect in values education involves fostering critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and a strong sense of moral values.

When we talk about intellect, it is usually associated with mental operations and processes that include cognition, abstraction, reasoning, inference, analysis, judgment, recognition, synthesis, understanding, critique, investigation, evaluation, grasping, remembering, comparing, and so on.

This faculty is so powerful and it requires proper training to be able to utilize its power effectively. In Values Education, part of our responsibility is to train the intellect of our students. Let`s learn here some of the ways how to train the intellect of our students.

How do we train the intellect in Values Education?

1. Seek the purpose of life

First, we help our students seek the purpose of their lives. We provide opportunities like activities where the students think and reflect on the purpose of their lives.

For example, we ask them to draft short-term and long-term goals in life, or we ask them to create their dream board, or we ask them to make a list of their dreams.

As a teacher, you can utilize journaling where they can write their short-term and long-term goals. Then, they can list the details of their goals through your examples. The more details they provide, the more their goals become clearer. Do not forget to let them make a list of concrete actions they will take for the next 5 years or 10 years.

In crafting their dream board, bring old magazines and newspapers. Let them cut the images of their dream cars, houses, gadgets, family, vacations, travels, etc. Then, let them paste those on a bond paper. They can do a presentation of their dream board in front of the class. Then, let them keep the dream board in their home or bedroom where they can see it every day.

Then, at the end of all of these activities, we should incorporate the ultimate end of our lives as a being created with a soul.

2. Grasp Universal Truths

Second, we help our students to grasp universal truths.

Universal truths are the realities that are accepted with no doubt. They include things or ideas or beliefs that are widely accepted. They do not change over time or through time.

Some examples of universal truths are our human dignity, respect for life, respect for others, emotions drive decision-making, integrity matters, change is constant, everybody dies, and so on. And of course, the most important universal truth they can learn is the truth about our human nature, our human existence, our origin, our destination, and the truth about the Supernatural Being or (in Thomistic language) Supreme Being, the Unmoved Mover, the Uncaused Cause, the Necessary Being, the Creator who made us for Himself. And that our soul will always be restless until we find rest in Him — quoted from St. Augustine.

3. Understand truths and moral precepts and relate them to life

Next is, to understand truths and moral precepts and relate them to life.

Part of training the intellect is not just bombarding our students with knowledge, but most importantly helping them understand the truth and moral precepts.

Halimbawa, importante na naiintindihan ng mga studyante kung ano ang freedom at kung bakit limitado ang kalayaan natin, upang sa ganun, mas ma-appreciate nila kung paano nila ito isasabuhay.

Isa pang halimbawa, hindi lang dapat natin itinuturo na bawal ang premarital sex. Hindi sapat na sabihin lang natin na, “o mga bata ang pagtatalik ay sagrado at dapat na ginagawa kapag kasal na”. Hindi na ito oobra ngayon. Kailangan ipaintindi natin sa kabataan ang maaaring maging mga bunga, (psychologically, socially, emotionally), ng pakikipagsex kung wala pang commitment at kung hindi pa kasal. Handa ba nilang harapin ang teenage pregnancy? Ang maagang pagkakaroon ng responsibilidad bilang magulang? Bilang nanay o tatay o asawa? Handa ba sila emotionally, psychologically, especially financially?

Our keyword is that, we SHOULD be able to relate moral precepts sa aktwal na buhay nila; na ang mga pagpapahalagang moral ay hindi ginawa para hadlangan ang kaligayahan nila, kundi upang magabayan sila sa pag-iwas sa mga pwedeng kahinatnan ng pagpapadala sa kapusukan, sa kalibugan, o sa bugso ng damdamin. Gets mo?

4. Make judgments based on an objective standard of morality

Let’s help our students in Values Education to make judgments based on an objective standard of morality.

Sa Values Education, tinuturuan natin ang mga istudyante na matutong magpasya base sa objective standard ng moralidad.

Bakit? Kase nga tipikal sa kabataan, minsan nga pati sa mga may edad na, na nagdedesisyon base sa emosyon. Kadalasan ang pagpapasya sa buhay ay dala lang ng bugso ng damdamin, ng galit, ng tuwa, ng excitement, ng puso at puson. Gets mo ang ibig kong sabihin?

Okay naman din kung magpasya dahil nadala ng emosyon, pero mas mainam kung ang pagpapasya ay nakabase sa objective standard of morality, hindi sa kapricho o sa pansariling kapakanan.

So, bahagi ito ng training of the intellect, `yong palaging ikonekta ang mga pagpapasya sa objective moral standard.

5. Analyze the cause and effect of decisions and behavior

Bahagi ng training of the intellect ang pag-aanalisa sa sanhi at bunga ng ating mga desisyon at galawan.

Malaking tulong sa paghubog ng kaisipan ng mga istudyate kung bibigyan natin ng mga pagkakataon na pag-isipan nila ang mga magiging bunga ng kanilang desisyon sa buhay. Gayun din kung pag-iisipan ang mga pinag-ugatan ng mga maling desisyon na nagawa sa buhay; pati mga pinag-ugatan ng mga magagandang desisyon at galawan na ginawa nila sa buhay. Ito ay upang ang mga maling sanhi ay maiwasan, at ang magagandang sanhi ay maimprove sa susunod na pagdedesisyon. Di ba?

6. Solve problems rationally

Bahagi ng training of the intellect ang pagsasanay sa mga istudyante na solusyunan ang problema based on reason, not on emotion; based on facts and data, not on convenience and instinct.

Sa Values Education, obligasyong natin na turuan ang mga istudyante, lalo na ngayon, na matutong solusyonan ang mga problema base sa mga available na datos at siyentipikong ebidensya, hindi base sa haka-haka, opinyon at emosyos, hindi sa marites, at lalong hindi base sa kung ano ang madali para atin (convenience).

Again, wow to train the Intellect? Seek the purpose of life; Grasp universal truths; Understand truths and moral precepts and relate them to life; Make judgments based on an objective standard of morality; Analyze the cause and effect of decisions and behavior; and solve problems rationally.

So, those are just some of the many ways how to train the intellect of our students (and maybe our intellect too). Just always remember that in the training of the intellect, we are targeting the students` mental capacities and potentials, or the cognitive operations and processes.

Why should we train the intellect?

Question: Why should we train the Intellect?

First, to master its function (and its function is TO THINK).
Second, to refine its purpose (and its purpose is TO KNOW).
Third, to achieve its goal or object correctly (and its goal is TRUTH).
And lastly, to reach its fulfillment (and the highest human fulfillment as far as intellection is concerned, is WISDOM).

To recap, we talked about some of the ways How to train the Intellect in Values Education. We also answered briefly Why we should train the Intellect.

For other modules in this course (Philosophical and Ethical Foundations of Values Education), check the links below:
Module 1: Introduction
Module 2: Philosophies of Man
Module 3: Human Nature

Alternatively, you can watch on YouTube this brief lecture on lower and higher faculties of the human person.

References

• Agapay, R.B. (1991). Ethics and the Filipino, A Manual on Morals for Students and Educators. National Bookstore, Inc.
• De Torre, J.M. (1980). Social Morals. The Church Speaks on Society. Southeast Asian Science Foundation, Inc.
• Esteban, E.J. (1990). Education in Values: What, Why, and For Whom. Sinag-tala Publishers, Inc.
• Farrel, W. and Haly, M.J. (1952). My Way of Life. Confraternity of the Precious Blood.
• Lipio, F.C.O.P. (1998). Conscience: A Catholic Filipino View. St. Paul’s Philippines.
• Morga, M.D. (1993). Toward Authentic Morality: An Ethics Textbook for Philippines. National Bookstore, Inc.
• Montemayor, F.M. (1994). Ethics: The Philosophy of Life. National Bookstore, Inc.
• Peschke, K.H. (1996). Christian Ethics: Moral Theology in the Light of Vatican II. Divine World Publications.
• Reyes, R.C. (1989). Ground and Norm of Morality: Ethics for College Students. Ateneo de Manila University Press.
• Rice, C.E. (1996). 50 Questions on the National Law: What It Is and Why We Need It? Ignatius Press.