Philosophical

Foundations of
Education
What is Philosophy?
 PHILOSOPHY
 the science that seeks to organize and systematize all fields of
knowledge as a means of understanding and interpreting the totality
of reality
 the attempt to give a reasoned conception of the universe and of
man’s place in it. (W. P. Montagne, Lacuesta, et. al.)
 a world view or a reasoned conception of the whole cosmos, and a
life-view or doctrine of values, meanings and purpose of human life.
(J. A. Leighton, Lacuesta, et. al.)
it is a search for a comprehensive view of nature, an attempt at a
universal explanation of the nature. (A. Weber, Lacuesta, et. al.)
 Epistemology
– deals with knowledge and with
ways of knowing.

Metaphysics Axiology
– deals with the first – is teleology which
principles, the origin and deals with purposes and
essence of things, the causes values. This includes
ethics and aesthetics.
an end of things.
 Osmology
• The science of existence and/or
being
META
PHYSICS Cosmology
• deals with the nature of the
universe
 K Conceptual
I Perceptual
N Intuitive
EPI
D Empiricism
STEMO
S Intuition
LOGY
Reasoning or Logic
 Deductive
 Inductive
PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

a point of view or points of view that provide a

logical, rational, and valid basis of educational
effort and criteria for the selection of a sound
educational practice.
Major Schools of Thought
 1
IDEALISM
a philosophical approach that has its central tenet that ideas are
the only true reality, the only thing worth knowing. In search for
truth, beauty, and justice that is enduring and everlasting, the
focus is on conscious reasoning in the mind.
 2 WORLDS

Spiritual/Mental World of
World Appearance
the world experienced
eternal, permanent, through sight, touch, smell,
orderly, regular, and taste, and sound, that is
universal. changing, imperfect, and
disorderly.
  the philosophy of the Greeks; Socrates and
CLASSICAL Plato
 searches for an absolute truth

RELIGIOUS  tries to reconcile God and humanity

 stemming from the ideas of Descartes,

MODERN
links perception and existence
Aim: To discover and develop each individual’s abilities
and full moral excellence in order to better serve
society.

Character
development:
Through imitating
examples and heroes.
 2
REALISM
believes that reality exists independent of the human mind.
This theory holds that universals are independent of,
antecedent to, and more real than the specific individual
instances in which they are manifested.
 ARISTOTLE

– father of Realism and Scientific method

– believed that to understand an object, its ultimate form had
to be understood, which does not change.
– first to teach logic as a formal discipline in order to be
able to reason about physical events and aspects.
– believes that the world of matter is separate from human
perceptions
Aim: To understand objective reality through “the
diligent and unsparing scrutiny of all observable
data”.

Character
development:
Through training, in the
rules of conduct.
 ￫derived from the teaching of Charles
Sanders Pierce
￫believes that we should select the
ideas, actions, and consequences with
the most desirable outcome, as well
as learning from previous experiences
to achieve desirable consequences.
PRAGMATISM ￫believe that reality is constantly
changing and that we learn best
through applying our experiences and
3 thoughts to problems, as they arise.
￫a tendency, movement, or more or less
definite system of thought in which
stress is placed upon practical
consequences and values as standards
for explicating philosophical concepts,
and as tests for determining their value
and truth.

￫Asserts that the test of truth lies in its

practical consequences and that the
purpose of thinking is to arrive a t a
general purpose of conduct.
 John Dewey
believed that thought must produce
action, rather that linger in the mind
and lead to indecisiveness.

believed that learners must adapt to

each other and to their environment.

Charles Sanders Pierce

Instrumentalism – a kind of pragmatism which stresses thought as an
instrument and its function as adapting the human organism to its
environment.

Aim: The creation of a new social order.

Character Is based on making group

decisions in light of
development:
consequences
 4 EXISTENTIALISM

focus on intricate readings of text and social and political

conventions, examining existing structures for flaws.
nature of reality is subjective and lies within the individual
focus is on freedom, the development of authentic individuals.
 Soren Kierkegard

– founder of Existentialism
– believes that we must recognize the finiteness of our lives on
this small and fragile planet, rather than believing in salvation
through God.

character development

Emphasizes individual responsibility for decisions.

 Major Philosophies in
Education
Teacher- Subject- Socially-
Centered Centered Centered
 Essentialism  Progressivism  Reconstructionism
 Perennialism  Constructivism  Behaviorism
 Humanism
Teacher-Centered

1 ESSENTIALIS
M
it is the teaching of basic skills that have
been proven over time to be needed in
society.
may be defined as the doctrine where
an indispensable common core of
culture knowledge, skills, attitudes,
ideals etc. can be identified.
Teacher-Centered

aims
To equip the individual with the fundamental, essential, and
universal knowledge, skills, and attitudes that would enable him to
adjust well to his environment.
To equip the individual with the essential or necessary knowledge,
skills and attitudes to enable him to perform well his assumed role
in society.
To protect and preserve society.
To protect and preserve those freedoms that are much valued by
citizens who are deeply imbued with democratic ideals. (In a
democracy)
Teacher-Centered

2 perennialism
focuses on the teaching of great works.
the focus is to teach ideas that are
everlasting, to seek enduring truths
which are constant, not changing, as the
natural and human worlds at their most
essential level, do not change.
advocated by Robert Maynard Hutchins
and Mortimer Adler.
Teacher-Centered

aims
 To ensure that student
acquire understanding
about the great ideas of
Western Civilization.
Student-Centered

3 progressivism
dominated by the technological experimental advancements
which have so powerfully shaped our modern culture; it is
concerned with recognizing change and adjusting through the
use of the scientific method; it concentrates on present
problems rather than on the application of a prior principles to
the solution present problems.
stresses that students should test ideas by active
experimentation.
focuses on developing the student’s moral compass
Student-Centered

John Dewey – staunchest advocate of progressivism;

after his death, William H. Kilpatrick took
over the cudgel.
features
 Before an educational practice is put into effect, it must undergo
some experimental testing to determine its efficacy.
 Considers the child as the center of educational process.
 It emphasizes learning by doing.

aim  Formulate in accordance with the interest and well-being of the child.
Student-Centered

4 humanism
its roots are found in the thinking of Erasmus (1466-1536)
developed as an educational philosophy by Rosseau and
Pestalozzi
believes that the learner should be in control of his or her own
destiny.

believed in the essential goodness of children, that humans have

Erasmus free will, moral conscience, the ability to reason, aesthetic
sensibility and religious instinct.
Student-Centered
emphasized nature and the basic goodness of humans,
Pestalozzi understanding through senses, and education as a gradual and
unhurried process in which he development of human
character follows the unfolding of nature.

focus
 Social, Cognitive, and Emotional well-being
 Personal Freedom
 Choice
 Responsibility
Student-Centered

aims
 Help students to strive to be all that they can.

Character
development
Healthy self- concept and
awareness of the psychological
need.
Student-Centered

5 Constructivism/cognitivism
focuses on using education to shape a
student’s world view.
believes that the learner actively
constructs his or her own
understandings of reality though
interaction with objects, events, and
people in the environment, and
reflecting on these interactions.
Student-Centered

equilibrium
the balancing between what is
assimilated (the new) and
accommodation, the change in
structure.
Socially-Centered

6 reconstructionism
perspective that education
is the means to solve social
problems.
Socially-Centered

7 behaviorism
stresses scientific information and
observation, rather than subjective
or metaphysical realities.
believes that behavior is shaped
deliberately by forces in the
environment and that the type of
person and actions desired can be
the product of design.