Dr. Saeed Alitajer, Eng. Fatemeh Mohammad Ali Nezhad,
Volume 13, Issue 1 (4-2025)
Schema is a concept rooted in the theoretical background of Psychology, and it has been applied in various fields such as educational sciences, computer sciences, and architecture, yielding valuable results. In architecture, studies indicate that the richness of architects' mental schemas significantly influences their design success. However, in certain works of Islamic architecture, it is noted that this mental richness and the schemas developed by the architect are expressed in such a way that their comprehensive nature cannot be fully articulated through psychological theories. Thus, clarifying the nature of architects' mental schemas through the lens of Islamic philosophy becomes essential. To this end, this research considers the theories of Mullah Sadra, an Islamic philosopher, as a theoretical framework and poses the following questions: Which aspects of psychologists' views on schema align with Sadra's perspective, and which diverge? In schema theory, which philosophical principles and foundations of Sadra's epistemology have been overlooked? Furthermore, what constitutes a new and more comprehensive definition of architects' mental schemas?
Given that the concept of mental schemas has evolved in the field of psychology and entered architecture, this research aims to redefine the mental schemas of architects based on Sadra's philosophy and compares the two perspectives.This research is foundational and employs a comparative approach, with data gathered through library studies. Initially, the research compiles data on the theory of mental schemas from developmental and cognitive psychology, alongside Sadra's philosophical and epistemological framework, to identify similarities and differences between the two perspectives. Subsequently, the cognitive actions of architects in perceiving and creating architectural works are analyzed in conjunction with the findings from the first step through logical reasoning.
The comparison of the concept of mental schemas in the philosophy and epistemological system of Sadra reveals commonalities between the two views. However, it also sheds light on new aspects and limitations of schemas that have not been previously explored in the field of psychology. These aspects are particularly relevant in the context of perception and creation of architectural works. Among the main commonalities between these two views, we can identify the relationship between the object and the mind, the change and expansion of perceptions in a hierarchical system, doubt in the perception of a perceptible phenomenon. Also, the role of schema as a descriptive and Procedural knowledge in the process of perception can be considered in accordance with Sadra's epistemological system.
Among the differences found, three main ones can be mentioned. First, in the schema theory, the epistemic source of the heart has not been seen, while in the philosophy of Sadra, through intuition, man can achieve a more sublime perception and enrich the concepts stored in his own mind. In addition, in schema theory, the progress from one stage to another in the process of cognition is considered through abstraction, while in Sadra's philosophy, interpretation occurs based on essential movement and According to each level of existence in which a person is present, can achieve the perception of the phenomenon in a corresponding level. A perception that includes all perceptions in lower levels and reveals a level of truth. Another difference is that Sadra defines the essential movement of the soul in the upward course of knowledge, a course converging towards the highest level, which is the level of the Supreme Truth, but in the schema theory, no single goal has been seen for the hierarchical system of schemas.
Therefore, architects should be familiar with the levels of existence in the perception of the natural and artificial environment so that they can expand and deepen their schemas by going through the levels of perception according to the levels of existence. Also, in the stage of designing and creating architectural schemas, they should pay attention to intuitive perception and by raising their level of existence, discover meanings and bring them down to the level of the world of sensations through the body of architecture. Finally, with this comparative study, the mental schemas of architects can be redefined as follows:
The mental schema of architects is a mental- intuitive existence with a connected and coherent structure that results from connecting the architect with different worlds of existence and represents two types of descriptive and Procedural knowledge. Descriptive knowledge refers to interpretation of a schema of existence, which is obtained after the process of ego development in the arc of ascent. A process in which the soul has a essential movement through progressive and converging levels from multiplicity to unity and increasing understanding of the only truth of existence. This knowledge along with intuitive knowledge, as a Procedural knowledge in the arc of descent, help the architect in discovering a new mental schema and transferring meaning to the material body of architecture.
