Explaining the Epistemological Foundations of Neoliberalism in Online Higher Education and Its Criticism from the Perspective of Ayatollah Javadi Amoli

Abstract

The present study aims to explain the epistemological foundations of neoliberalism in online higher education and its criticism from the perspective of Ayatollah Javadi Amoli. To achieve this goal, four questions have been formulated as follows: 1- How can the epistemology of neoliberalism in online higher education be explained?, 2- What are the epistemological foundations from the perspective of Ayatollah Javadi Amoli?, 3- What criticisms can be made of the epistemology of neoliberalism in online higher education from the perspective of Ayatollah Javadi Amoli? 4- Given the criticism of the epistemological foundations of neoliberalism in online higher education from the perspective of Ayatollah Javadi Amoli, what theoretical framework can be presented in online higher education?. The methods of conceptual analysis, external criticism, and inference were used to answer the questions. Considering the above, the above findings are as follows: In response to the first question, it was determined that the basic concepts of neoliberal epistemology in online higher education include: commercialization, individualism, mercantilism, free choice, and competition. In response to the second question, it was determined that the purpose of knowledge, the possibility of obtaining knowledge, the hierarchy and degree of having knowledge, and social accountability are among the foundations of epistemology from the perspective of Ayatollah Javadi Amoli. In response to the third question, based on each of these principles, the epistemology of neoliberalism in online higher education was criticized from the perspective of Ayatollah Javadi Amoli. In the fourth question, a theoretical framework resulting from the criticism of his view on the discussion of the epistemology of neoliberalism in online higher education is presented in four areas: foundations (the goal of knowledge, the possibility of acquiring knowledge, the level and degree of having knowledge, social accountability), objectives (), principles (the principle of perfection, proportionality, continuity, responsibility), and methods (teaching wisdom, the method of argumentation, the method of intuition).