The Formation of the Integral Human Being from the Perspective of Consciousness: Ibn Sina and Santiago Ramón y Cajal
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24256/jiis.v5i2.11522Keywords:
Integral Human Formation, Consciousness, Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Islamic Philosophy, NeuroscienceAbstract
The formation of the integral human being requires an understanding of biological, intellectual, spiritual, and moral dimensions. However, studies integrating Islamic philosophy and modern neuroscience in explaining this formation remain limited. This study examines the concepts of consciousness proposed by Ibn Sina and Santiago Ramón y Cajal and formulates a conceptual synthesis for integral human development. Using library research with a comparative approach, the study analyzes Ibn Sina’s Aḥwāl al-Nafs and Al-Najāh, alongside Cajal’s Texture of the Nervous System of Man and the Vertebrates and Advice for a Young Investigator. Data were analyzed through concept identification, classification, comparison, interpretation, and synthesis. The findings show that Ibn Sina understands consciousness as a manifestation of the soul (al-nafs) actualized through intellect (al-‘aql) toward intellectual, spiritual, and moral maturity. In contrast, Cajal explains consciousness through neuronal organization, the nervous system, and neuroplasticity as the biological basis of cognition. These perspectives are complementary, producing a model of integral human formation that unifies biological, intellectual, spiritual, and moral dimensions. This study contributes to interdisciplinary scholarship and provides a holistic foundation for education, character development, and future human-development research.
References
Ainirrohmah, N., Arridho, A. R., Makrom, C., Shofiyah, & Prasetya, B. (2026). KONSEP PENDIDIKAN FILSAFAT MENURUT AL-FARABI DAN IBNU SINA. Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam, 2(2), 57-67. doi:https://doi.org/10.59829/1s5jkh80
Arroisi, J. A., & Latifah, T. F. (20223). Neurosycal Theory in The Islamic Intellectual Tradition (Critical Analysis of Historical Dimensions in Psychology). Afkaruna: Indonesian Interdisciplinary Journal of Islamic Studies, 19(2), 246–265. doi:https://doi.org/10.18196/afkaruna.v19i2.18499
Asrori, A. (2025). KONSEP ETIKA DALAM PEMIKIRAN IBNU SINA DAN RELEVANSINYA BAGI PENDIDIKAN ISLAM. UNISAN JURNAL, 4(4), 100–108. Retrieved from https://journal.an-nur.ac.id/index.php/unisanjournal/article/view/4188
Black, D. L. (2001). Psychology: Soul and intellect. Dalam Richard C. Taylor & Luis Xavier López-Farjeat (Eds.), The Cambridge companion to Arabic philosophy. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
Cajal, S. R. (1999). Advice for a young investigator (Neely Swanson & Larry W. Swanson, Trans.). Cambridge: MIT Press.
Creswell, J. W. (2024). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Damayanti, W., Sutarto, & Suryana, E. (2023). TEORI NEUROSCIENSE DALAM PEMBELAJARAN PENDIDIKAN AGAMA ISLAM. Jurnal Literasiologi, 10(1), 175-186. doi:https://doi.org/10.47783/literasiologi.v10i1.615
Davidson, H. A. (1992). Alfarabi, Avicenna, and Averroes, on intellect: Their cosmologies, theories of the active intellect, and theories of human intellect. New York: Oxford University Press.
Díaz, L. E., González, R. L., Caminero, G. F., & Castillo, J. L. (2025). Exploring the Impact of Project-Based Learning on Sustainable Development Goals Awareness and University Students' Growth. European Journal of Educational Research (EU-JER), 14(1), 283-296. doi:https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.14.1.283
Drouin, E., Martínez, R., & Hautecoeur, P. (2025). The brain in Spain: The legacy of Santiago Ramón y Cajal. The Neuroscientist, 31(5), 67-79. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/10738584241297663
Ghosh, S. K. (2022). The evolution of epistemological methodologies in anatomy: From antiquity to modern times. The Anatomical Record, 305(4), 803-817. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.24781
Gutas, D. (2014). Avicenna and the Aristotelian tradition: Introduction to reading Avicenna’s philosophical works (2nd ed.). Leiden, Netherlands: Brill.
Hufron, Jamaluddin, M., & Muthohar, A. (2025). Konsep Pendidikan Tauhid dalam Perspektif Al-Ghazali, Ibn Sina dan Al-Farabi: Kajian Komparatif. Impressive: Journal of Education, 3(1), 1-10. doi:https://doi.org/10.61502/ijoe.v3.i1.130
Iskandar, T. (2022). Pendidikan Tauhid Terhadap Motivasi Hidup Dalam Perspektif Al-Quran. Reflektika, 17(2), 397-412. doi:https://doi.org/10.28944/reflektika.v17i2.986
Iturriza, M., Labaka, L., Ormazabal, M., & Borges, M. (2020). Awareness-development in the context of climate change resilience. Urban Climate, 32(1), 100613. doi:10.1016/j.uclim.2020.100613
K, N. A., Makkawaru, Z., & Almusawir. (2024). PERLINDUNGAN HUKUM DATA PRIBADI DALAM PERSPEKTIF HAK ASASI MANUSIA. Indonesian Journal of Legality of Law, 7(1), 46-51. doi:https://doi.org/10.35965/ijlf.v7i1.5267
Kholilullah, K., & Fauziah, E. (2025). Lingkungan Dan Proses Perkembangan Otak. Tarbiyatul Athfal: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam Anak Usia Dini, 1(1), 1-10. Retrieved from https://ejournal.an-nadwah.ac.id/index.php/TA/article/view/1025
Marijuán, P. C. (2021). Cajal and Consciousness. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 929(1), 1-10. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2001.tb05703.x
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2024). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Moleong, L. J. (2024). Metodologi penelitian kualitatif (Edisi revisi). Jakarta: PT Remaja Rosdakarya.
Muchtar, N. E., Ahmad, V. I., Rokim, R., Wiyanti, E., & Soraya, F. H. (2025). Transformasi Kognitif Sosial Santri Penghafal Al-Qur’an Prespektif Neuroplastisitas. Al-Mada: Jurnal Agama, Sosial, Dan Budaya, 8(3), 659-674. doi:https://doi.org/10.31538/almada.v8i3.7473
Nurein, M. A., & Gasmalla, H. E. (2025). Chapter 13 - Macroscopic and microscopic imaging in neuroanatomical research. Research in Anatomy, 9(2), 295-312. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-13635-1.00008-0
Prasetia, S. A., Rofiq, A. A., Sawai, J. P., & Sawai, R. P. (2022). Ibn Sinā’s Psychology: The Substantiation of Soul Values in Islamic Education. Journal of Quran Sunnah Education & Special Needs, 6(2), 49–61. doi:https://doi.org/10.33102/jqss.vol6no2.162
Ronaldi, AM, R., & Saputra, R. (2025). Ibnu Sina: A Reconciliation Between Religion, Philosophy, Divinity, Soul, and Islamic Education. Al-Mudarris : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Islam, 8(1), 151-164. doi:https://doi.org/10.23971/mdr.v8i1.9856
Saputra, G. A., Pamungkas, B. T., Romadhon, N. N., Najmi, A., & Azzukhruf, M. W. (2025). Epistemologi Pendidikan Agama Islam: Integrasi Sumber Transenden dan Rasional dalam Pembentukan Kesadaran Religius Peserta Didik. Pendas : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Dasar, 10(4), 186-196. doi:https://doi.org/10.23969/jp.v10i04.40586
Serena, D. P., Hani, S. U., Vionita, B. S., & Sohim, B. (2023). Konsep Jiwa Perspektif Ibnu Sina. Media: Jurnal Filsafat Dan Teologi, 4(1), 83-90. doi:https://doi.org/10.53396/media.v4i1.161
Sīnā, A. ‘.-Ḥ. (2005). The metaphysics of The Healing: A parallel English-Arabic text (Michael E. Marmura, Trans.). Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press.
Sina, I. (2025). Remarks and admonitions: Physics and metaphysics: An analysis and annotated translation (Shams Constantine Inati, Trans.). New York: Columbia University Press.
Sugiyono. (2024). Metode penelitian kuantitatif, kualitatif, dan R&D. Bandung: Alfabeta.
Thagard, P. (2019). Brain-mind: From neurons to consciousness and creativity. New York: Oxford University Press.
Waliyuddin, M. N. (2021). SPIRITUALITAS DALAM PERSPEKTIF TASAWUF DAN NEUROSAINS: RELASI KOMPLEMENTER ATAU KOMPARTEMEN? Refleksi: Jurnal Filsafat dan Pemikiran Islam, 21(2), 263-283. doi:https://doi.org/10.14421/ref.v21i2.3239
Yusron, Y., & Ekawati. (2025). The Concept of Humanity from the Perspective of Ibn Sina (Avicenna). Maklumat: Journal of Da’wah and Islamic Studies, 3(4), 279–295. doi:https://doi.org/10.61166/maklumat.v3i4.89
Zed, M. (2018). Metode Penelitian Kepustakaan. Jakarta: Yayasan Pustaka Obor Indonesia.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Rahmad Ramadhan, Ridha Ahida
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with the Journal of Indonesian Islamic Studies agree to the following terms:
- Authors have retained full articles copyright and grant the Journal of Indonesian Islamic Studies right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors can enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the Journal of Indonesian Islamic Studies published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or edit it in a book), with an acknowledgment of initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) before and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (see also deposit policy and archiving on page journal).
