This document discusses different philosophical perspectives on education including idealism, realism, pragmatism, naturalism, existentialism, and neo-Marxism. Idealists like Plato believe education should move students toward abstract ideas and truth. Realists such as Aristotle argue that knowledge comes from studying the material world. Pragmatists including Dewey assert education should be experiential and meet students' needs and interests. Naturalists view education as being in accordance with a child's nature. Existentialists focus on individual needs and lived experiences. Neo-Marxists see education's role as empowering students to challenge capitalism.
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3.1 Philosophy as a theory.pptx
1. 3.1 Philosophy as a Theory and
Education as Practice: Theory into
Practice
Philosophy And Education
2. What is Philosophy of Education
All teachers have a personal philosophy that colors the
way they teach
Engaging in philosophy helps clarify what they do or
intend to do, justify or explain why they do what they
do in a logical, systematic manner
4. The meaning of Philosophical Inquiry
“Whatever people choose to embrace, if their choices
are made in a logical, rational manner, they are
engaged in the process of ‘doing philosophy.’’
Three specific areas of philosophical inquiry:
1. Metaphysics concerned with questions about the
nature of reality;
2. Epistemology concerned with the nature of
knowledge;
3. Axiology concerned with the nature of values
7. Particular Philosophies of Education
Idealism, the first systematic philosophy in Western
thought…Socrates and Plato, the Socratic method was
dialogue
Generic notions: Philosophers often pose abstract
questions that are not easily answered but are
concerned with the search for truth
World of matter in constant state of flux, senses are not
to be trusted, continually deceive us
Truth is perfect and eternal, but not found in the world
of matter, only through the mind
10. Idealism
The only constant for Plato was mathematics,
unchangeable and eternal
Plato’s method of dialogue engaged in systematic,
logical examination of all points of view…ultimately
leading to agreement and a synthesis of ideas…this
approach known as the dialectic.
11. Idealism
Plato believed education helped move individuals
collectively toward achieving the good.
The State should be involved in education, moving
brighter students toward abstract ideas and the less
able toward collecting data…a gender free tracking
system
Those who were brighter should rule, others
should assume roles to maintain the state
The philosopher-king would lead the State to the
ultimate good
12. Idealism
Evil comes through ignorance, education will lead
to the obliteration of evil
More modern idealists: St. Augustine, Descartes,
Kant, Hegel
Goal of Education: interested in the search for
truth through ideas…with truth comes
responsibility to enlighten others, “education is
transformation: Ideas can change lives.”
13. Idealism
Role of the Teacher: to analyze and discuss ideas with
students so that students can move to new levels of
awareness so that they can ultimately be transformed,
abstractions dealt with through the dialectic, but
should aim to connect analysis with action
Role of the teacher is to bring out what is already in
student’s mind: reminiscence(Recall/ Bring Back)
14. Methods of Instruction
Lecture from time to time, but primary method of
teaching is the dialectic…discuss, analyze, synthesize,
and apply what they have read to contemporary
society.
Curriculum…importance of the study of the
classics…many support a back to the basics approach
to education
15. Realism
Aristotle was the leading proponent of realism, started
the Lyceum(School), the first philosopher to develop a
systematic theory of logic
Generic Notions…only through studying the material
world is it possible to clarify or develop ideas…matter
is real independent of ideas
16. Aristotle’s Systematic Theory of Logic
Begin with empirical research, speculate or use
dialectic reasoning, and culminate in a
syllogism(Logic/Discussion)
A syllogism is a system of logic that consists of three
parts:
(1) a major premise,
(2) a minor premise, and
(3) a conclusion
For a syllogism to work, all the parts must be correct
17. Realists
Neo-Thomism…Aquinas affected a synthesis of pagan
ideas and Christian beliefs…reason is the means of
ascertaining or understanding truth, God could be
understood through reasoning based on the material
world…no conflict between science and religion.
The world of faith with the world of reason,
contemporary Catholic schools
18. Modern Realism
From the Renaissance, Francis Bacon developed
induction, the scientific method…based on
Aristotle, developed a method starting with
observations, culminating in generalization, tested
in specific instances for the purpose of verification
John Locke and tabula rasa, things known from
experience… ordered sense data and then reflected
on them
19. Goal of Education for Realists
Notions of the good life, truth, beauty could be
answered through the study of ideas, using the
dialectical method…for contemporary realists, the goal
of education is to help individuals understand and
apply the principles of science to help solve the
problems plaguing the modern world
Teachers should be steeped in the basic academic
disciplines
20. Pragmatism
An American philosophy from the 19th
century…Peirce, James, Dewey
“By their fruits, ye shall know them.” Pragmatism
encourages people to find processes that work in order
to achieve their desired ends…action oriented,
experientially grounded
Rousseau… “back to nature”, environment and
experience…Emile, little regard for the education of
women other than to be Emile’s companion
21. John Dewey’s Philosophy
Education starts with the needs and interests of the
child, allows the child to participate in planning her
course of study, employ project method or group
learning, depend heavily or experiential learning.
Children are active, organic beings…needing both
freedom and responsibility.
Ideas are not separate from social conditions,
philosophy has a responsibility to society
22. Dewey’s Role for the Teacher
Not the authoritarian but the facilitator…encourages,
offers suggestions, questions and helps plan and
implement courses of study…has command of several
disciplines
Inquiry method, problem solving, integrated
curriculum
23. Naturalism
Protagonist of Naturalism
JJ Rousseau – champion of naturalism
Others – Aristotle, Comte, Bacon, Darwin, Huxley,
Spencer, Epicurus, Tagore
Unchanging loss of nature explains all the events and
occurrences of the world
Education in accordance with the nature of the child
Man is the highest creature or animal according to
his nature. So the essence of his life is animal instinct
and not spiritually
24. Existentialism and Phenomenology
Kierkegaard, Buber, Jaspers, Sartre, Maxine
Greene…existentialists.
Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau
Ponty…phenomenologists
How do one’s concerns affect the lives of an
individual…the phenomena of consciousness,
perception and meaning in an individual’s experience
25. Existentialists
Education should focus on the needs of individuals,
include the nonrational as well as rational, the notion
of possibility.
Teachers should understand their own “lived world”
and help students to understand their world.
The need to be “wide awake”…the role of the teacher
is intensely personal
26. Neo-Marxism
Radical(Formal) critique of capitalism.
The role of education should be to give students the
insight to demystify capitalism and become agents of
radical change.
Marx believed the history of civilization was defined
by class struggle.
General conflict theory…the teacher is a
“transformative intellectual”