Analyzing Moral Education in the Light of Paul Ricoeur's Narrative Hermeneutics

Introduction: In the education system of our country, intellectual and practical efforts have always been made to form and adhere to the values and growth of moral education. These efforts can be seen in the context of education, the development of new teaching methods, and attention to psychological, sociological, and philosophical issues related to education. An original approach to moral education can be claimed when a theoretical framework is first provided, followed by the coherent and logical organization of principles, goals, and methods of moral education. This study aims to address this issue within the framework of Paul Ricoeur's philosophical thoughts. First of all, it should be noted that in the field of challenges and problems of moral education, there are generally three viewpoints: First, some educators see the problem in the fact that moral and value education involves a kind of hypocritical and artificial behavior. Second, there are those who believe that the foundations of moral education are philosophical, psychological, and religious in nature, as general matters, and separate from the daily life considerations of students. Third, some argue that there is no coherence and harmony between the actual methods of moral education and its goals, and for this reason, moral and value education often leads to indoctrination. In addition, the research that has been carried out in the field of moral education so far has been conducted in such a way that the lack of clarity in approaches and methods of moral education, especially in their philosophical context, has caused many challenges and controversies in this area; doubts and ambiguities remain in the scope of goals, methods, and approaches. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to reflect on Paul Ricoeur's moral hermeneutic opinions and to place them as a model in the form of moral identity and narrative identity to discuss their implications in moral education.
Research Questions: What goals does Paul Ricoeur's narrative hermeneutic approach include in moral education?

What principles does Paul Ricoeur's narrative hermeneutic approach include in moral education?
What methods does Paul Ricoeur's narrative hermeneutic approach include in moral education?

 
Method: The research method used in this study is based on the qualitative hermeneutic back-and-forth method on the content of documents. This means that to obtain the categories (objectives, principles, and methods), the hermeneutic round from part (category) to whole (text), and whole to part until the maturity of the desired concept is used. It is worth mentioning that this circular flow of understanding belongs to Gadamer and is different from Ricoeur's hermeneutic arc. For Ricoeur, the process of understanding is a non-circular path from surface to depth; it is achievable and not an endless distance.
Discussion: According to Ricoeur's view, morality—and thus moral education—derive from the way we narrate. Paul Ricoeur's ethical model, or Ricoeur's practical wisdom, consists of two pillars: The Aristotelian end and Kantian normativity in the text of the narrative. Of course, Ricoeur's practical wisdom considers Kant's formalism to be passive; therefore, he chooses a narrative-based platform for his moral model. In this model, the teacher should reread the actions of the textbook author through simulations one, two, and three. Moving from the initial position of simulation one, he goes to simulation three or reconstructing the story; however, he makes this transition through understanding simulation two. According to Ricoeur, interpretation or hermeneutic reading occurs in three forms: explanation, understanding, and appropriation. Explanation includes clarifying the signifier and signified of concepts as well as the grammatical and symbolic position of words and expressions; this occurs in simulations one and two. Understanding includes a conversation between the teacher and the author of the story, while appropriation occurs in simulation three; it involves creating the teacher's (reader's) narrative from the text of the story. According to Ricoeur, the main symbols are those behind metaphors, which align with Kantian normativity; his emphasis on the notion of good in Ricoeur's definition of ethics aligns with Aristotelian ethics within his model. Finally, Ricoeur's definition of a moral life includes living well with and for others within just institutions.
Conclusion: After reflecting on Paul Ricoeur's moral hermeneutic views and positioning them as a model within moral identity and narrative identity frameworks, findings showed that cultivating moral self-esteem; learning about good concepts; strengthening bounded self-discipline; and cultivating critical compassion can be chosen as goals for moral education based on Paul Ricoeur's narrative approach. Additionally, principles such as freedom in imagination; empathy; authority; cooperation; and teamwork guide students toward achieving these goals. Furthermore, educational methods such as dialogue (dialectic) methods and learning through demonstration are effective for realizing this approach harmoniously with these principles.