William Chittick discusses “The Traditional Approach to Learning”

William Chittick presented his paper “The Traditional Approach to Learning” to the 2006 Sacred Web Conference “Tradition in the Modern World.” His talk begins with an explanation of how the ancient Confucian tradition considers the central purpose of education to be a profound awakening of each individual. Chittick then moves to other traditions, focusing on Islam as an example, showing that they, too, share a similar perspective. He suggests that this lofty goal of education is nearly unattainable in modern societies. Dr. William C. Chittick is one of the most important contemporary translators and interpreters of Islamic mystical texts and poetry. He is currently Distinguished Professor in the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies at Stony Brook University, where he has taught for many years.