Introduction: In the tradition of Islamic philosophy, especially within Mulla Sadra’s transcendent theosophy (al-Ḥikmah al-Muta‘āliyah), philosophy is not merely considered a collection of abstract concepts or theoretical propositions. Rather, it is understood as a dynamic intellectual activity aimed at the perfection of the human soul and the realization of existential transcendence. In this framework, philosophy is closely connected to self-knowledge, contemplation, and the gradual movement of the human being toward intellectual and spiritual completion. Therefore, philosophical understanding cannot be achieved through imitation or the mechanical preservation of arguments alone. Mulla Sadra explicitly criticizes imitation in philosophical inquiry and emphasizes independent reasoning, reflection, and personal understanding as the foundations of true wisdom. Based on these principles, the issue of teaching philosophy to children becomes a significant theoretical question. Contemporary educational approaches increasingly stress the importance of critical thinking, dialogue, and reasoning skills in childhood education. Nevertheless, from the perspective of transcendent theosophy, an important challenge emerges: can children, whose rational capacities are not yet fully developed, genuinely participate in philosophical learning? Since philosophical inquiry often requires abstract reasoning and intellectual maturity, it may appear that philosophy is inaccessible to children in its authentic sense. The present study investigates the possibility of teaching philosophy to children on the basis of Sadrian philosophical principles. The central concern of the article is whether philosophy education for children can be justified within transcendent theosophy despite the developmental limitations associated with childhood. The article argues that a distinction should be made between “complete philosophical reasoning” and “introductory philosophical education.” Although children may not yet possess the intellectual maturity necessary for advanced philosophical theorization, they can still engage in preliminary forms of reflective thinking suitable to their cognitive capacities.
Methods: The study employs a theoretical and analytical method grounded in philosophical interpretation. Rather than relying on empirical data or experimental educational models, the article examines the issue through conceptual analysis of the principles of transcendent theosophy. The authors analyze Mulla Sadra’s understanding of philosophy, the structure of cognition, the process of intellectual perfection, and the relation between imagination and rationality. Through inferential reasoning and philosophical interpretation, the study evaluates whether these concepts provide a legitimate foundation for philosophy education in childhood. The research particularly focuses on Sadrian discussions concerning the hierarchy of human cognitive faculties and the gradual movement from sensory perception toward rational understanding. By reconstructing these philosophical principles and relating them to contemporary discussions on philosophy for children, the study attempts to formulate a theoretical justification for age-appropriate philosophical education. Therefore, the method of the article is essentially interpretive, conceptual, and analytical rather than empirical or quantitative.
Findings: The findings of the study indicate that philosophy in transcendent theosophy is fundamentally associated with the perfection and actualization of the human soul. Genuine philosophical understanding requires active intellectual participation and cannot emerge through imitation alone. Since immature children have not yet attained complete rational development, they are generally unable to engage in advanced philosophical reasoning in the strict technical sense. Their intellectual faculties remain in a developmental stage, and abstract metaphysical thinking may exceed their immediate cognitive abilities. However, the article argues that this limitation does not imply the impossibility of philosophy education altogether. One of the important principles in Sadrian philosophy is that human cognition possesses various degrees and levels of immateriality. Cognitive faculties gradually develop from sensory perception toward imagination, estimation, and finally rational understanding. Within this hierarchy, the faculty of imagination and estimative perception (wahm) plays a crucial mediating role between concrete sensory experience and abstract rational thought. Based on this principle, children can approach philosophical thinking indirectly through educational methods appropriate to their developmental stage. The study emphasizes that stories, symbolic narratives, examples drawn from everyday life, and concrete situations can function as educational tools that connect children’s lived experiences with philosophical reflection. Through these methods, children gradually become capable of questioning, comparing concepts, distinguishing meanings, and developing habits of reflective thought. Another important finding concerns the role of logic in philosophy education for children. The article suggests that logic, understood as a discipline that organizes correct thinking, can strengthen children’s reasoning abilities and intellectual order. Logical exercises may prepare the ground for more advanced forms of philosophical understanding in later stages of intellectual maturity. Thus, philosophy education in childhood should not be interpreted as the transfer of highly abstract philosophical doctrines; rather, it should be viewed as the cultivation of reflective capacities and intellectual discipline.
Conclusion: The article concludes that, according to Sadrian philosophical principles, full philosophical activity in its strict and complete sense is not attainable for immature children because advanced philosophical inquiry depends on intellectual maturity and developed rational capacities. Nevertheless, this limitation does not prevent the possibility of teaching philosophy to children in a preliminary and developmentally appropriate form. From the perspective of transcendent theosophy, education is fundamentally connected to the gradual perfection of the soul and the cultivation of intellectual capacities. Therefore, educational practices that encourage reflection, questioning, imagination, and logical reasoning can legitimately be regarded as forms of philosophical preparation. By using stories, practical examples, symbolic narratives, and age-appropriate logical exercises, educators can introduce children to the foundations of philosophical inquiry without forcing them into premature abstract theorization. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that philosophy for children can be defended within the framework of Sadrian philosophy when understood as a gradual process of intellectual and spiritual development. Such an interpretation remains faithful to the Sadrian emphasis on independent thinking, self-transformation, and the perfection of the human soul while also recognizing the cognitive characteristics and limitations of childhood.