International Conference on Lifelong Learning 2011, 14-15 November at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Significance of Lifelong Learning in the Pursuit of Human Well-Being:

Perspectives of Human Need Theory and Philosophy of Value Creation

ｂｙIsao Takagi

Soka University, Japan

International Conference on Lifelong Learning 2011, 14-15 November at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Copyright © 1973-2009 SOKA University All rights reserved.

Introduction

Lifelong learning Lifelong learning in the age of Knowledge-based Knowledge-based and ICT-driven global economyand ICT-driven global economy

Lifelong learning Lifelong learning as a concept and a practice tends to be subordinate to the national economic policy subordinate to the national economic policy and strategyand strategy. An economically effective lifelong An economically effective lifelong learninglearning policy is pursued

An “economic reductionist approach” to lifelong An “economic reductionist approach” to lifelong learning learning

Lifelong learning Lifelong learning should be conceived and envisioned on the broader basis of human well-human well-being and cultivation of global citizenship in being and cultivation of global citizenship in learners.learners.International Conference on Lifelong Learning 2011, 14-15 November at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia


Lifelong learning and Human well-being

• DevelopmentDevelopment as “the organized pursuit of “the organized pursuit of Human Human well-beingwell-being””

• Human well-beingHuman well-being: an achievement of participationparticipation in chosen form of life in chosen form of life and human human liberationliberation on the basis of securing basic needs of basic needs of physical health and autonomy physical health and autonomy

• Lifelong learning and human well-beingLifelong learning and human well-beingAn indispensable means means for achievement of

human well-beingA universal constituentconstituent of human well-being



PARTICIPATION LIBERATION

Avoidance of serious harm ：Minimally disabled social

participation

UNIVERSAL GOAL Critical participation

in chosen form of life

Physical health

Autonomy of agency

Critical autonomy

BASIC NEEDS ：An ‘optimum’ level of

INTERMEDIATE NEEDS ：A ‘minopt’ level of

Adequate nutrition food and water Adequate protective housingA non-hazardous work environmentA non-hazardous physical

environmentAppropriate health careSafe birth control and child-bearingSecurity in childhoodSignificant primary relationshipsPhysical securityEconomic securityBasic / Appropriate Basic / Appropriate

educationeducation Cross-cultural educationSPECIFIC SATISFIRES

Universal preconditions:

ProductionReproductionCultural transmissionPolitical authority

Preconditions for optimization:Negative freedom: Civil/political rights

Positive freedom: rights of access to need satisfiers

Political participation

SOCIETAL PRECONDITIONS:FOR NEED SATISFACTION

A Theory of Human Need in Outline (Doyal & Gough 1991)



Autonomy and Life long learning

• How to realize autonomyautonomy as well as physical health physical health could be regarded as a most crucial task in order to realize human well-being.

• AutonomyAutonomy cannot be achieved without lifelong learninglifelong learning.

• To be autonomous To be autonomous is to “have the ability to the ability to make informed choices about what should make informed choices about what should be done and how to go about doing it be done and how to go about doing it (Doyal and Gough 1991:53).” International Conference on Lifelong Learning 2011, 14-15 November at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia


The determinant variables of autonomy

The level of personal autonomypersonal autonomy is determined by three three key variables key variables (Gough 2003: 10):

(1) cognitive and emotional capacitycognitive and emotional capacity (mental health)(mental health) which is a necessary pre-requisite for a person to initiate an action

(2) “level of self and cultural understandingself and cultural understanding”(3) “a range of opportunitiesopportunities to undertake socially to undertake socially

significant activitiessignificant activities” or “some minimum freedom of some minimum freedom of agencyagency.”

These variables These variables decisive in the minimum level of autonomy are enhanced and sustained through enhanced and sustained through lifelong learninglifelong learning



Critical Autonomy

• A higher order level of autonomy• Critical autonomy(CA) entails the capacity to compare the capacity to compare

cultural rules, to reflect upon the rules of one’s own cultural rules, to reflect upon the rules of one’s own culture, to work with others to change them and, in culture, to work with others to change them and, in extremis, to move to another culture extremis, to move to another culture if all else fails (Doyal and Gough 1992:187-8)

• CA is very significant in the age of globalized society.• critical autonomy could be defined as “the possession “the possession

of freedom of agency and political freedom of freedom of agency and political freedom ((Gough 2003:10)

• Such an “enlightened capacity” “enlightened capacity” must be achieved through achieved through higher education and critical learning.higher education and critical learning.



Dual role of learning in enhancing autonomy

A dual role of learning in enhancing autonomy (Doyal and Gough 1992:188):

(1) learning provides “the linguistic and practical skills and the appropriate knowledge to enable individuals to participate successfully within their to participate successfully within their culture,” culture,”

(2) Learning can begin “to release individuals to release individuals from the confines of that culture and provide them with the conceptual wherewithal to evaluate it in the the conceptual wherewithal to evaluate it in the light of knowledge about the other cultural light of knowledge about the other cultural practices.”practices.”



Cross-cultural education and contradiction between the two concepts of autonomy

• Cross-cultural education has an independent significance in securing critical autonomycritical autonomy.

• a learner is expected, on one hand, to achieve internal autonomy internal autonomy to participate in her own community and, on the other hand, to get critical autonomy which enables her to evaluate the other different cultures and change her own culture, in which the conflict and the conflict and contradiction will be potentially taken place between the two contradiction will be potentially taken place between the two autonomies autonomies ( Doyal and Gough 1992: 89).

• Nevertheless we must establish both internal and critical autonomy establish both internal and critical autonomy in learners and society. This is a very crucial mission of lifelong a very crucial mission of lifelong learning in the age of globalizationlearning in the age of globalization. .

We should deepen our understanding of required qualities qualities of lifelong learnersof lifelong learners and explore the way how to contribute the way how to contribute to achieve autonomous participation and liberation of to achieve autonomous participation and liberation of learners in the globalized society.learners in the globalized society.



Soka pedagogy and philosophy

• Soka(creation of value) pedagogy and philosophy can contribute to this task while sharing an ethical and comprehensive approach on human well-being by Doyal and Gough.

• Several strands of Soka education philosophy(1) Buddhist philosophy Buddhist philosophy based upon Nichiren Buddhism (2) Soka pedagogy Soka pedagogy formulated by the first president of Soka Gakkai,

Tsunesaburo Makiguchi(1871-1944)(3) the beliefs, practices, and actions toward the creation of peace and

a social and human revolution social and human revolution advocated by the second president of Soka Gakkai, Josei Toda(1900-1958)

(4) the philosophy and thoughts of the founder of Soka University and ) the philosophy and thoughts of the founder of Soka University and the third president of Soka Gakkai, Daisaku Ikeda(1928-), the third president of Soka Gakkai, Daisaku Ikeda(1928-), who has realized all of the aspirations of the first and second presidents, and has further developed the Soka philosophy and movement.



Philosophy of value creation

The founder of Soka Gakkai, Makiguchi(1871-1944) believed that the purpose of life is the creation of valuethe purpose of life is the creation of value which enables the individual to attain happiness. • the purpose of education for Makiguchi must be ““the lifelong happiness of learners”the lifelong happiness of learners”. . • Makiguchi further believed that “true happiness is to be found in a life of value creation true happiness is to be found in a life of value creation (Ikeda 1996).” • Value creationValue creation is “the capacity to find meaning, to enhance one’s own “the capacity to find meaning, to enhance one’s own

existence and to contribute to well-being of others, under any existence and to contribute to well-being of others, under any circumstance circumstance ((Ikeda 1996).”

• Ikeda (1996) notes that “Makiguchi looked beyond the limits of the nation-state to new horizons of human communitynew horizons of human community, and had a vision of had a vision of global citizenship, people capable of value-creation on a global scale.” global citizenship, people capable of value-creation on a global scale.”



Qualities of a global citizen (by D. Ikeda) Ikeda points out the essential elements of “global citizenship”:The wisdom to perceive the interconnectedness

of all life and living.

The courage not to fear or deny difference; but to respect and strive to understand people of different cultures and to grow from encounters with them.

The compassion to maintain an imaginative empathy that reaches beyond one’s immediate surroundings and extends to those suffering in distant places

In Buddhist teachings, a person who embodies these three qualities is called a bodhisattva.



Creative coexistence and a bodhisattva

• Ikeda proposed creative coexistencecreative coexistence as a key concept on international society in the global age:

• “ “While enmity, contradiction, and discord may While enmity, contradiction, and discord may seem to be an unavoidable aspect of relations seem to be an unavoidable aspect of relations between humans, our individuality and character between humans, our individuality and character will shine with a brighter beauty to the extent we will shine with a brighter beauty to the extent we persevere and transform these conflicts. It is persevere and transform these conflicts. It is through this process of forging our own character through this process of forging our own character that the bonds between people can be restored that the bonds between people can be restored and rejuvenated (Ikeda 2001).” and rejuvenated (Ikeda 2001).” International Conference on Lifelong Learning 2011, 14-15 November at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia


Experiences & Activities of Soka University, Japan

Established on April 2, 1971Established on April 2, 1971

Student population: 8,500Student population: 8,500

Teaching staffs: 400Teaching staffs: 400

6 faculties and 9 departments6 faculties and 9 departments

Correspondence CourseCorrespondence Course

: 3 faculties and 21,000 students : 3 faculties and 21,000 students



The Founding Principles

D. Ikeda, the founder, put forth the three founding principles:

““Be the highest seat of learning for Be the highest seat of learning for humanistic education”humanistic education”

““Be the cradle of a new culture”Be the cradle of a new culture”““Be the fortress for the peace of Be the fortress for the peace of

humankind.”humankind.”



Lifelong learning and cross-cultural learning in Soka University

Soka University as a higher learning has been developing the program and curriculum of lifelong and cross-cultural learning.

(a)correspondence education(b)summer seminar(c)non-degree student program.



Soka U International exchanges:128 University, 45 countries/territories Asia

India:6Nepal:2

Sri Lanka:1China:31

HK:2Macau:1Taiwan:4Korea:7

Thailand:2Cambodia:1

Laos:1Vietnam:1Malaysia:4Indonesia:3Singapore:1Philippines:6

Brunei:1Mongolia:1

75OceaniaAustralia:3

New Zealand:14

Russia & Eastern Europe

Russia:4Bulgaria:1Ukraine:1

6

EuropeUK:3Italy:2

Austria:1Spain:1

Germany:1 France:1

Denmarl:110

North AmericaCanada:3USA:1013

Central & South AmericaArgentina:3

Cuba:1Brazil:2Bolivia:1

Dominica:1Mexico:2Peru:1

Paraguay:112

Middle East & AfricaEgypt:2Israel:1

Turkey:1Ghana:1Kenya:1

Senegal:1South Africa:1

8

SokaSoka UniversityUniversity



Soka school system


Copyright © 1973-2009 SOKA University All rights reserved. International Conference on Lifelong Learning 2011, 14-15 November at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Copyright © 1973-2009 SOKA University All rights reserved. International Conference on Lifelong Learning 2011, 14-15 November at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Documents

International Conference on Lifelong Learning 2011, 14-15 November at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia