SOURCE: Haddad, Fuad Said. “Conclusion.” In Alfarabi's Theory of Communication, pp. 155-69. Beirut, Lebanon: American University of Beirut, 1989.

In the following essay, Haddad summarizes and analyzes al-Fārābī's theory of language communication as well as its impact on education.

Summary

We have examined in the previous chapters Alfarabi's theory of language communication and its educational implications by analyzing and interpreting his works on language and logic. In this chapter we will first summarize the theory. Then we will bring forth its prominent characteristics and draw out its significant implications for the purpose of assessing Alfarabi's role in Arabic educational thought.

Alfarabi considers communication and instruction as two intimately related activities. To understand the methods of instruction, one must have a clear vision of how people communicate. The variety of the views on communication has led to various theories of instruction. We have seen that because mystics...