Philosophical perspectives on Education | BICTE TU | Study Material

 

·      3.1 Meaning and definition of philosophy

Philosophy is the ever-oldest discipline of the world. It is the study of general and fundamental problems concerning matters such as existence, knowledge, truth, beauty, law, justice, validity, mind, and language. It is believed that the impetus of philosophy begins with the rise of curiosity within human beings about their surroundings. Human beings are a curious creature by their inborn nature. They want to have the clear understanding of their surroundings. The area of their search has no limit. They want to explore all the knowledge about the universe. They want to know how the universe was created, which supernatural power created the world, who was the creator of this universe, what is the relation of human beings along with other creatures to this universe, etc.

They also attempt to explore about themselves. They attempt to explore the answers about ever lasting questions such as what is soul, what is life and death, what is the aim of life etc. The discipline, which is related to this endless inquiry, is called philosophy. In this way, philosophy is a discipline, which is related to the search of eternal or everlasting truth. It is the systematic inquiry of universe. The philosophical questions begin with the experience of human beings of external world and these questions try to investigate ultimate reality. These questions have no limit because each finding gives birth to the new question. It is the human beings' endeavor to explain total universe around them.

Defining the prominent philosopher Socrates says, “Those who are lover of vision of truth are philosophers.”

According to Plato, “He, who has a taste of every sort of knowledge and who is curious to learn and is never satisfied, may be justly termed as a philosopher.”

Etymologically, philosophy is made by two Latin words: “Philo” and “Sophia”. ‘Philo’ means ‘love’ and ‘Sophia’ means ‘wisdom’. In this way, philosophy is a discipline related to the search of wisdom.

Many scholars have defined philosophy in the following ways:

“Philosophy aims at a knowledge of eternal nature of things”

-Plato

“Philosophy is the science which investigates the nature of being as it is in itself.”

-Aristotl

“Philosophy is the synthesis of science or a universal science.”

-Herbert Spencer

“Philosophy is the science and criticism of cognition

-Immanuel Kant

“Philosophy is the science of sciences.”

 - Auguste Comte

 

·      “दृश्यते अनेन इति दर्शनम्                    - UpnishadUpnisha

Upanishad, the famous Hindu chronicle, has defined philosophy as that discipline which is related to the vision of ultimate reality.

The definitions of philosophy given by Plato and Aristotle are related to its traditional view. The traditional view related to the definition of philosophy defines it as a discipline related to the search of knowledge. The definitions of Herbert Spencer, Auguste Comte and Kant are related to the modern view towards philosophy. The modern view of philosophy is related to logical analysis of knowledge in different disciplines. It has developed different disciplines such as “philosophy of education”, “philosophy of political science”, “philosophy of economics” and “philosophy of biology” etc.

Philosophy tries to explain the entire universe. It does not limit its explanations to limited perspectives and angle of analysis.

·      Scope or branches of philosophy

There are four branches of philosophy:

1.Metaphysicss (Theory of reality): This branch of philosophy is related to the search for ultimate truth. It investigates the nature of being and the world. It is concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world. Metaphysics is made of two words "Meta" which means "beyond" and "physics", which means "existence which can not be perceived by senses". In this way metaphysics searches for the truth which may be beyond the natural existence. The main questions of metaphysics are: What is truth? What is untrue? What is soul? What is God? Who is the creator of this universe? How the universe was created? etc. It does not care about the utility of these truths. It investigates the fundamental element and processes of this universe. The main branches of metaphysics are ontology and cosmology. Ontology is the metaphysical study of the nature of being and existence and cosmology is the metaphysical study of the origin and nature of the universe.

2        Epistemology (Theory of knowledge):

 

E Epistemology is concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge, and whether knowledge is possible. The main questions of epistemology are:

•        What is knowledge?

•        How is knowledge acquired?

•        What do people know?

•        How do we know what we know?

•        Why do we know what we know?

It investigates the different ways of acquiring knowledge. The ways of acquiring knowledge has been classified into two types, i.e. empiricism and rationalism. Empiricism believes that senses are gateway of knowledge. Human being acquires worldly knowledge through senses. However, rationalism believes cognition, reasoning, revelation and perception are the sources of knowledge by which an individual brings out the inherent knowledge within them. It also investigates the methods of verifying knowledge or the method needed for distinguishing truth and untruth. It also tells which method should be employed in the search of the truth.

3.     Axiology (Theory of value): Axiology is a branch of philosophy, which deals with the study of values and value judgments. The main function of axiology is the classification of knowledge investigated by metaphysics inethical-unethical, just-unjust, useful-harmful category. It determines the ideals, aims and duties of human life. It prepares a code of conduct for them. It investigates the knowledge related to human welfare among the all eternal truths. The main branches of axiology are ethics and aesthetic. Ethics studies about a system of principles governing morality and acceptable conduct. Aesthetic differentiates between beautiful and not beautiful.

4.     Logic (Theory of orderly thinking): This branch is related to make the systematic structure of knowledge. It is also known as the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. It deals with patterns of thinking that lead from true premises to true conclusions. This branch investigates logical relationship between knowledge and arranges them in a manner. It also helps in their synthesis.

Functions of philosophy

There are four functions of philosophy, which can be also explained as use of philosophy. These functions are:

•        Descriptive function: Philosophy explains the universe investigated by it. This explanation is based on its own findings. It also gives the verification of its findings. It gives the full description of the knowledge investigated by it.

•        Speculative function: Philosophy also presents its guess about the unknown world. This guessing is not haphazard but it is systematic. Philosophy uses logic for the function of speculation. This function is related to the predication of knowledge and also to assist the systematic investigation of knowledge. Speculation or guessing is the beginning of philosophy.

•        Prescriptive function: Philosophy not only presents the truth, it also tells human beings about their duties. It does not tell only what is it, it also tells what should be done. It develops the value system which should be followed by human beings. It establishes ideals, standard of moral behavior, social duties etc. It is also called the normative function.

•        Analytic function: It is also called the criticizer function of philosophy. It analyzes truth and In analyzes the truth into positive and negative category. It also analyzes the strength and weakness in human conduct. It also analyzes the relationship between existing knowledge.

 

3.2 Relationship between philosophy and education

There is an intimate relationship between philosophy and education. Philosophy is defined as the search for knowledge and education is the process of bringing out the latent knowledge inside the human being. In this way, education can be considered as the process of philosophy. Philosophy guides education towards the determination of its goal, where education helps philosophy to develop its own form.

James Ross has quoted the following words to describe the intimate relationship between philosophy and education:

“Philosophy and education are like two sides of a coin. The former is the contemplative (theoretical) side, while the later is the active side.”

The other evidence of the relationship between philosophy and education is that the entire great philosophers were great educators of their time. All the philosophers have used education as a means for the formation of their philosophy. For example, the great philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Rousseau and John Dewey are also known as the great educationists.

Socrates, who was a great criticizer of traditional thought, used dialogue method, a method of education for the search for truth. Similarly, Plato who propagated the idea of “Utopia” for an ideal state in his book “Republic” suggested the use of education to meet the demand of his ideal state. Jean Jacques Rousseau the propagator of pragmatist philosophy wrote the book “Emile” which is considered as a bible for modern educationists. All these instances verify the intimate relationship between education and philosophy.

John Dewey says, “Philosophy is the theory of education in its most general phases”.

Philosophy affects entire aspects of education. The major areas of relationship between philosophy and education are as follows:

1.     Philosophy and the aim of education: 

Metaphysics looks for truth and untruth. Axiology analyzes these truth and untruth and determines which is good and which is bad. It determines the ideals, aims and duties of life. Education is developed to attain these ideals and aims. It prepares the man for the attainment of these ideals and aims and also prepares them to be able to perform their duties stated by axiology. These all factors constitute the aim of education. For example, idealist education is developed to attain a spiritual value, which is its axiological aim. Similarly, the aim of education according to naturalism is the preparation for complete living.

2.     Philosophy and curriculum: Curricula are developed a plan to achieve the aims of education, which are determined by axiology. Philosophy determines the curriculum to attain its stipulated aims. For example, idealist curriculum includes different subjects for the attainment of spiritual aim of it. The naturalistic curricula prepares the individual for his or her self preservation.

3.     Philosophy and educative process: 

Every philosophy has its own epistemology. The epistemology tells about the process of knowledge acquisition. In this way, each philosophy has its own educative process to attain its goal. For example, idealism emphasizes on the process of self-realization as its educative process. It has devised specific methods for instruction in classroom such as dialogue and dialectic methods. Since naturalistic emphases on self preservation, the educative process of naturalism is heuristic or discovery method.

4.     Philosophy and role of teacher: Different philosophies have their specific opinion about the role of the teacher in the classroom. Their epistemology determines the role of the teacher in the classroom. They also determine their duties. For example, in idealism, the teacher should have high moral value and his role in educative process is as a leader and as an exemplar. Similarly, naturalistic philosophy emphasizes on learning by doing, therefore, they give less importance to the teacher in educative process.

5.     Philosophy and role of student:

Philosophies also determine the role of students in educative processes. They explain how a student should acquire knowledge. They explain the role of student in the process of learning. For example, idealism determines the role of students as a person who gets self-realization under the guidance of the teacher. On the contrary, according to pragmatism learners make their own knowledge. They learn through reconstruction of experiences.

 

Finally, it can be said that philosophy acts as the theoretical side of education. It gives purpose and orientation to education. But, it depends on education for its formation. If the search truth is an end of philosophy then education is a means to reach the end.

3.3           School of Philosophy:

There are 4 kinds of school of philosophy given by different philosophers in different time period. They are described below:

3.3.1      Idealism

       Idealism is a philosophical doctrine which only accepts existence of ideas or minds and strongly negates the existence of independent external material world.

       Idealism holds the view that human is spiritual being who possesses free will. It priorities human is spiritual being who possesses free will. It priorities human spiritual aspects and mental representations, and regards material and physical world as not a complete manifestation of reality. It vividly advocates that no reality exists in natural world or materiality because it is transitory. Rather it contends that reality remains in spiritual universe or a universe of ideas, essence and values. Truth, Goodness and Beauty are three elements to which it gives high impetus.

       The word idealism has been derived from the Greek word 'Idein' which means 'to see'. In fact the word idealism is a fusion of 'idea' and 'ideal' which ultimately makes the word 'idealism' not 'ideasim'. That is why idealism strongly advocates the human being is never an inventor but only a discoverer who can only see through spiritual outlook. So idealism regards spirituality, value of truth, eternal beauty and goodness and absolute. Plato, Socrates, Descartes, Kant, Hegal etc are the exponents of idealism.

 Definitions

Ideas are of the ultimate cosmic significance. They are rather the essences or archetypes which give from to cosmos. These ideas are eternal and unchanging.                                                              -Plato

Idealism is the theory that ultimate reality is spiritual.                                        -Dutta

Philosophical Premises/Features or Fundamental Principles of Idealism

i.  Idealism holds the view that sprite creates the matter and governs the world.

ii. It prioritized ideas, sprit, intellect, moral values and essence rather than the matter of physical world.

iii. It believes in ultimate truth, absolute beauty and goodness which never get changed.

iv.  It opines that everything exists in its sprit or essence and goodness which never get changed.

v. It says that ultimate aim of human life is to realize god who is the source of everything.

vi.Human being can discover these ideas but cannot make.

vii. It believes that there is harmony between human soul and the universe. Human soul is the microcosm of universal soul; it is the replica of cosmic soul.

2.       

3.3.1 Naturalism

Naturalism regards everything including objects and events as part of nature, mind is also a matter and thought is natural process of mind. It heavily emphasizes matter, it is also regarded as materialism. Naturalism believes that nothing exists beyond nature or matter. Naturalism believes that the ultimate reality lies on nature or matter. It denies the existence of sprit, and does not believe the concept, which is beyond the matter. It never accepts sentimentalism, spiritualism and supernaturalism. It believes that natural laws govern in omniscient and omnipresent manner, going against the nature does not make sense and everything comes from nature that is why all things are natural. Mind is natural so is thought. Thales, Parmenides, Bacon, Rousseau, Darwin, Comenius have contributed on the development of Naturalism.

Definitions of Naturalism

'Naturalism is the doctrine which separates nature from god, subordinates sprit to matter and sets up unchangeable laws as supreme.'                                      - James Ward

'Naturalism is metaphysics which considers nature as the whole of reality. It excludes what is supernatural or other world.'                                                                - W.F. Hocking

'Naturalism opposed to idealism; subordinates mind to matter and holds that ultimate reality is material not spiritual.'                                                                                    - Thomas and Lange

Elements of Naturalistic education

i. Importance of individual differences

ii. Opposition to bookish knowledge

iii.Principle of back to nature

iv.Emphasis on child psychology

v. Emphasize reproductive education

vi.Negative education

Objectives of education

1.       Education should make human machine as good as possible

2.       Education for self preservation and self expression

3.       Education should help to secure the need and necessities of life

4.       Nurturing children in natural way

5.       Education for autonomous development of individuality

6.       Education should improve racial gains

Educational process

1.       Learning in terms of the developmental phase

2.       Learning by doing

3.       Joyful and pleasurable learning

4.       Learning by experience, observation and through Heuristic Method

5.       Based on natural punishment and discipline

6.       Learning of Inductive method

7.       Example is better than percept

8.        Social knowledge by social participation

9.       Education making decent child

Role of Teacher

i. Teacher as a guide, gardener or a friend

ii.Teacher as a creator of natural situation

iii. Teacher as a motivator or initiator

iv. Teacher as an observer or reader of learners

v.Teacher as full moral virtues

Role of Students

i.   Student is the ventral point of educational process

ii.Student as a free individual to learn whatever he/she prefers

iii.Students are required to foster creative talents

iv. To establish autonomous organization, rules and regulations to govern social life

v. To find out one's own needs

vi.Use teacher as a guide or pathfinder

vii.To lead teaching-learning process

Curriculum

             'Nature' itself is the curriculum for naturalist education, and it is a learner who selects what is to learn from the entire nature. Naturalist education holds the view that education does not take place through a certain curriculum. Learning should not be confined in a certain bookish knowledge. Education is the free interplay between nature and learners.

i. Naturalists regard education as natural and does not prescribe any certain curriculum

ii.It prescribes those subjects that can develop the innate power of a child which can be practiced in practical life.

iii. It advocates such curriculum which enables a child to struggle for survival in each and every trouble that comes up throughout the life.

iv.It emphasizes human being and accepts the nature as unalienable entity.

v. It advocates different curriculum for different individuals because every child has individual differences, interests, needs and physical and mental conditions.

vi.It also includes sex education to prevent them from misleading due their acute curiosity to it.

3.    Realism:

Realism means to keep a firm grasp of what actually the care is 'about a thing' or 'concerning some object'. It does not believe in anticipation, speculation and illusion. It assumed as an 'angle of vision' which does not have a chair for imagination, fancy and guess. The English word realism has been derived from the Greek word 'Res' which means 'object.' So realism means the factual reflection of what the object is.

Realism opposes the idealist view as the god is true and the world is false. On the contrary Realism regards the material world that our senses feel as true, and does not accept the existence of that which our senses cannot feel.  Realism starts coming in the horizon of philosophy believing in material or physical world.  Realism starts develop during 17th century because of development of science and technology. Philosophers Aristotle, Newton, Bacon, Copernicus, Russell etc have contributed on Realism.

Definitions of Realism

"The doctrine of realism asserts that there is a real world of things behind and corresponding to the objects of our perceptions."                                      - J.S. Ross

"Realism is the reinforcement of our common acceptance of this world as it appears to us."                                                         - Butler

Philosophical premises/ Fundamental principle or Characteristics of Realism

            i.         Phenomenal world is true

            ii.       Senses are the doors to knowledge

            iii.      Opposite to Idealism

            iv.     Man is a part of material world

            v.       Belief in theory of organism

            vi.     Emphasis on experiment

            vii.    Importance of present applied life

Characteristic of Realistic Education

i. Emphasis on scientific education

ii. Emphasis on present life

iii.Emphasis on training of senses

iv. Emphasis on experiment and applied life

v.Opposite to bookish knowledge

vi. Equal importance to individuality and sociability

vii. Emphasis on freedom learner

Objectives of Realistic Education

i. Identifying the reality

ii. Preparing the learners for happy and decent life

iii.Developing the physical and mental aspects of learners

iv.Improving the sense perception of learners

v.  Identifying the necessities of learners

vi.Imparting theoretical and vocational education

Realism and Curriculum

i.Curriculum should include those subjects which identify learners with the reality

ii. It should enable the learners to solve the problems of day-to-day living

iii.It should focus on the subjects like Natural science, Physical science, Health, Culture, Maths, Geography, Sports etc.

iv.  It emphasizes to link subjects like art, literature, languages and social science

v. It gives total freedom to learners so far as the selection of the subjects for their study is concerned.

vi.It advocates for allowing the learners learn in mother tongue.

vii.It prescribes to draft curriculum by taking into consideration the learner's interest, need, psychology and individual differences.

Roles of Teacher

i.Teacher shout help the learners to find out reality

ii.Teacher should have ability of presenting the content clearly and in scientific way by keeping student's views at bay.

iii. Teacher should have the full knowledge about content and the learner's interest, need and individual differences

iv. Teacher should create educational environment where learner can use of their senses.

v.  It expects teachers to teach on the basis of material reality in practical ways.

  

Roles of Students 

i. Students are expected to learn through the use of their own sense organs. 

ii.They should find out the noble reality by experimenting, researching and experiencing.

iii. Students must be included in practical education rather than reciting or rotting the old facts.

iv.They should be adjust with the society and solve the problems by the help of learned knowledge

v.They expect to make their lives happy and decent by the help of education

vi.Students must apply learned knowledge into practical life by the help of teachers.

vii. Students are the central characters of the play called education.

       Students must be independent and walk along the road paved by the teachers.

4.       3.3.4 Pragmatism:

Pragmatism

The etymological history by pragmatism goes to the Greek word 'Pragma' which means 'activity' or 'work done'. It is also believed that the English word pragmatism originates from the Greek word 'Pragmatikos' which refers to 'practically' or 'utility.

            Pragmatism comes into existence as a rejection of Idealism and Naturalism. Pragmatism believes in experiment as the only criterion of Truth, it is also known as experimentalism or consequentialism. It does not believe in absolute Truth rather it believes in multiple truths which are in the process of making. Pragmatism regards Truth, Beauty, Reality, Goodness and Badness not absolute but relative to human experience. It is experiment that verifies all of the elements. Truth can be changed, so are other aspects. That is why the truth of today can be false tomorrow and vice versa.

            Pragmatism emphasizes the practical significance of thought. It regards action supreme and thoughts subordinate. The thought which cannot be acted out is a vacuum for pragmatism. Thought enlarges its scope and its usefulness by applying itself in practical issues. Since pragmatism regards thought as a tool to apply in practicality, it is called instrumentalism it is also called Humanism because it believes in human experience. It ignores the so called ideals of life. Pragmatism regards the truth as relative to human life. The things which work or which can verified as a truth. Human being is a biological or social organism who is master of his own destiny. Charles Sanders Peirce, William James and John Dewey have contributed for development of pragmatism.

Definitions

'Pragmatim i a temper of mind, an attitude, it is also a theory of the natue of ideas and truth, and finally it is a theory about reality.'                 - William James

'A belief of theory that the truth or value of a conception depends upon its practical bearing upon human interest.'                                        - CV Good

'Pragmatism is essentially a humanistic philosophy maintaining that man creates his own values in the course of activity that reality is still in the making and awaits its part of completion from the future, that to an unascertainable extent our trusts are manmade products.'              - JS Ross

Philosophical premises of Pragmatism

1.       Changing nature of truth

2.       Changing nature of values

3.       Emphasis on the principle of utility

4.       Reality still in the making

5.       Importance of activity

6.       Faith in pluralism

7.       Emphasis on human power

8.       Emphasis on experiment and inquiry

9.       Faith in flexibility

10.   Problems are the mother of truths

11.   Action is real, ideas are tools

12.   Opposition to irrelevant social customs and traditions

13.   Emphasis on social and democratic values

 

Pragmatism and Education

1.       Education as life

2.       Education as a social process:

3.       Education as growth and development

4.       Education as continuous reconstruction of experiences

5.       Philosophy is the theory of education

6.       Education as responsibility of state

7.       Importance of learners

8.       Democratic education

Aims of education

1.       Constant creation of new values

2.       All round development of an individual

3.       Development of social efficiency

4.       To cultivate dynamic and adaptable mind

5.       Creating decent environment

Curriculum

Pragmatism advocates following principles for constructing curriculum

1.       Principle of utility

2.       Principle of interest

3.       Principle of experience and activity

4.       Principle of integration

Educational process

1.       Learner centered

2.       Purposive process of learning

3.       Action or learning by doing

4.       Learning by experience

5.       Principle of integration

6.       Principle of project method

Roles of Teacher

1.       Help to produce new ideas

2.       Guides the learners for full use of their experiences

3.       Works as a member of students' group

4.       Assesses the capacities and needs of learners

5.       Respects the freedom of learners

6.       Plans education that demands the use of experience

7.       As a guide and an evaluator

8.       As a social motivator

9.       As indifferent in nature

10.   Intellectual and social personality

11.   Person of scientific tendency

12.   Creator of new ideas

13.   Planner of education

Pragmatism and role of student:

Child is the central point of learning. The role of student in pragmatic education is described below:

·       Central or important place of child in educative process.

·       Gaining behavior experience is the main function of child.

·       Creator of new values and evaluator of truth.

·       Learner as a useful member of the society.

·       Child is an important individual who develops relation between education and society.

·       Child should play constructive role in learning process.

·       Child are developer of own curriculum and goals and active participants in teaching learning situation.

3.4 Implications of schools of philosophy for classroom teachers

Teachers are mentors and play an active role in inculcating independent thinking in students. However, to do that as a teacher, you must have a teaching philosophy of your own. Students always look up to their teacher and therefore, it becomes necessary for you to have thoughts to inspire them. Here are specific reasons why you should Study Philosophy of Education if you are a teacher.
Helps to decipher the path of learning
Teaching philosophy has been defined as the map, which provides directions to move ahead. One may feel lost without a map. In the same way, you are going to be missed while teaching if a specific path is not decided. Hence, a map is always needed to make informed movements. It is not possible to make students learn something until the teacher knows why and how he/she wants to teach. Once you know your path, you will be helping your students to plan to reach their destinations.
Affects the Society
Teachers are termed as the future makers of the community. People like you are the ones who help students choose different professions and identities. A teacher can leave a profound impact on students and help them make independent decisions in the near future. The core values that your students learn from you today are going to be applied and used in the society as they grow up. A solid philosophical background will help ensure that these values are all positive. If you believe in breaking stereotypes, there are high chances your students will follow the same philosophical path. If your philosophy is accepting the already existing theories, rather than questioning them, your students might follow your path.
Understanding the philosophy of education will teach them the need to know the whys. Along with the intellectual development of the students, it will also improve the standards of our society and make us more rational.
To Be in Their Shoes
By learning philosophy, a teacher would be able to view and analyze from the perspective of their students. Apart from understanding why students are behaving in a particular way, teachers would also be able to know how students perceive their actions. This helps them adapt better teaching strategies and guidance, eventually resulting in improved results.
 Best of all, a teacher would be able to analyze his/her actions and understand the positives and negatives of their methods. Just as if it helps students, it helps them as well. In other words, the educational curriculum consisting of philosophy contributes to discovering the mind of the learner (student), thus aid him/her in offering experiences and opportunities for cultivating his/her potential abilities.

To avoid being judgmental

Philosophy of education also teaches a teacher the concept of not prejudicing the personality of each student. Remember that you need to consider all students equal. But, this should not affect the unique potential and capabilities of each student. As educators, you are required to teach creativity, autonomy, and curiosity to all students without compromising with their intellectual levels. The idea is to avoid giving up on a pupil, who is a low-level learner. Philosophy teaches you that ideology, where you train with an unbiased attitude.

To teach the concept of unification

Philosophy also teaches about unifying each pupil and the teacher as one body to ensure harmony. The idea is to work together to create a better citizen, who diligently serves his community and keeps check on his/her morality. Through the philosophy of education, teachers can understand how to deal with the students and unite them as one. Even the students will then be able to confidently speak to the teacher as if he/she is their friend.

The Verdict

Through philosophy, you can ensure that your student not only retains his academic knowledge from all his completed grades but also develop a sense of humane values and ethics. These personal values provide a better upbringing for them to cope in the later years of their life. Thus, studying it is beneficial and significant for teaching students to learn autonomously.