Reimagining Science Learning Through Devkota's Poem Pagal: A Hermeneutic Philosophical Inquiry

Abstract

The article aim is to explore, how to reimagine science education through the hermeneutic interpretation of Devkota's poem Pagal, positioning it as a philosophical and pedagogical document for envisioning science education. To overcome the existing modality of one–size fits–all, fragmented, discipline-based knowledge and the techno-mechanical processes of the education system, which lagging behind imagination, creativity, criticality, lived experiences, praxis-oriented practices, cultural values, spiritual consciousness, ethical responsibility, and localized ways of learning, the article draws on the poem's philosophical and pedagogical poetic expression, interpreted through philosophizing (Sat-Cit-Anand, Iksha-Anubhawa Pariksha), TAS, spirituality, and decolonial lenses to envision science education within a holistic and transformative framework. The article adopts the Hermeneutic circle as a methodology, and the analysis generalizes themes and interpretations through philosophical lenses and use the purposive sampling method as  the selection of text and context. The analysis shows that Devkota's poem criticizes, how logic-imagination, science-spirituality, and objectivity-subjectivity are separate in learning and calls for rethinking their combination together in learning. The analysis provides insight that imagination, openness, praxis, decoloniality, and spirituality are the heart of learning. So, science education is enriched by integrating imagination, lived experience, collectividual action, praxis, TAS, self consciousness, interconnectedness, and holistic learning to decolonize science learning. The findings suggest that envisaged science education moves beyond what exists to how to construct knowledge that reflects the learners' future. Moreover, envisaged science education moves towards nurturing imagination, wisdom, spiritual awareness, creativity, epistemic plurality, and relational knowing, fostering localized, holistic, and decolonized science education.