Philosophy Education

7/23/2019 Philosophy Education

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Chapter TwoChapter TwoPhilosophy and EducationPhilosophy and Education


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The Three Branches ofThe Three Branches of

PhilosophyPhilosophy

Metaphysics:Metaphysics:

What is real?What is real? Epistemology:Epistemology:

How do we know?How do we know?

Axiology:Axiology: What is valuable?What is valuable?


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Metaphysics: What is Real?Metaphysics: What is Real?

What knowledge do students need toWhat knowledge do students need to

know?know?

What subjects shall we teach ourWhat subjects shall we teach ourstudents?students?

he !uestion o" metaphysics involves thehe !uestion o" metaphysics involves the

curriculum o" the school#curriculum o" the school#


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Changes in our metaphysicalChanges in our metaphysical

perspectiveperspective

$n$n traditional societiestraditional societies% religion was the% religion was the

basis o" learning#basis o" learning#

odayodaylearning has become more secular#learning has become more secular#


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Epistemology: ow do we !now?Epistemology: ow do we !now?

How do we learn?How do we learn?

How shall we teach the subjects that weHow shall we teach the subjects that wesee as most important?see as most important?


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Changes in our EpistemologicalChanges in our Epistemological

PerspectivePerspective

$n$n traditional societiestraditional societies% in"ormation was% in"ormation was

obtained "rom divine revelation or personalobtained "rom divine revelation or personalintuition#intuition#

odayodaylearning involves hard work% reasonlearning involves hard work% reason

and scienti"ic experimentation#and scienti"ic experimentation#


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"#iology: What $alues are Most"#iology: What $alues are Most

%mportant?%mportant?

What values are the most important?What values are the most important?

How do we teach those values?How do we teach those values?


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Changes in "#iology:Changes in "#iology:

$alues$alues

$n$n traditional societiestraditional societies% values were seen% values were seen

as absolute and unchanging#as absolute and unchanging# odayodaywe embrace a more relativistic setwe embrace a more relativistic set

o" values that re"lect di""erent cultures ando" values that re"lect di""erent cultures and

worldviews#worldviews#


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"#iology: ow do we Teach"#iology: ow do we Teach

those values?those values?

raditionalraditionalapproaches to teachingapproaches to teaching

re!uired students to memori&e lists o"re!uired students to memori&e lists o"

values and then recite them to the teacher#values and then recite them to the teacher#

odayodayteachers "ocus on theteachers "ocus on the

understanding o" those values#understanding o" those values#


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The &our Modern WesternThe &our Modern Western

PhilosophiesPhilosophies

$dealism$dealism

'ealism'ealism (ragmatism(ragmatism

ExistentialismExistentialism


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%dealism%dealism

)irst articulated by (lato in ancient)irst articulated by (lato in ancient

*reece#*reece#

+entered on an unchanging set o" ideas+entered on an unchanging set o" ideas

that "orm the core o" our society#that "orm the core o" our society#


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%dealists Believed'%dealists Believed'

+lassics and the study o" the ancient+lassics and the study o" the ancientlanguages ,*reek and -atin. should "ormlanguages ,*reek and -atin. should "orm

the basis o" the curriculum ,the basis o" the curriculum ,metaphysicsmetaphysics.#.# /tudents learn best through memori&ation/tudents learn best through memori&ation

and recitation ,and recitation ,epistemologyepistemology.#.#

0alues are absolute and unchanging and0alues are absolute and unchanging andbest taught through memori&ation o"best taught through memori&ation o"speci"ic sets o" rules or oaths ,speci"ic sets o" rules or oaths ,axiologyaxiology.#.#


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RealismRealism

'ealism developed in the 1233s and'ealism developed in the 1233s and

1433s#1433s#

his theory examined the seeminghis theory examined the seeming

paradoxical relationship between religionparadoxical relationship between religion

and science#and science#


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Realists BelievedRealists Believed

/cience and mathematics were the most/cience and mathematics were the most

important subjects ,important subjects ,metaphysicsmetaphysics.#.#

An understanding o" the natural laws o"An understanding o" the natural laws o"

our world was the appropriate method o"our world was the appropriate method o"

instruction ,instruction ,epistemologyepistemology.#.#

0alues are absolute and unchanging and0alues are absolute and unchanging and

best taught through memori&ationbest taught through memori&ation

,,axiologyaxiology.#.#


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PragmatismPragmatism

5eveloped in the 1633s#5eveloped in the 1633s#

his theory separated religion "rom thehis theory separated religion "rom theworldly activities o" humankind#worldly activities o" humankind#


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Pragmatists Believed'Pragmatists Believed'

/tudents should understand the major/tudents should understand the majorproblems "acing society ,problems "acing society ,metaphysicsmetaphysics.#.#

he curriculum should move "rom thehe curriculum should move "rom the

abstract to the concrete% "rom theabstract to the concrete% "rom thetheoretical to the practical 7 learning bytheoretical to the practical 7 learning bydoing ,doing ,epistemologyepistemology.#.#

0alues are relative and rules are0alues are relative and rules aresometimes inade!uate in guiding complexsometimes inade!uate in guiding complexdecision8making ,decision8making ,axiologyaxiology.#.#


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E#istentialismE#istentialism

Attention is on the individual and the worldAttention is on the individual and the world

o" individual relationships#o" individual relationships#

his theory represented a change in thehis theory represented a change in the

philosophical "ocus "rom religion to thephilosophical "ocus "rom religion to the

individual# ,We are responsible "or ourindividual# ,We are responsible "or our

own actions#.own actions#.


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E#istentialists Believed'E#istentialists Believed'

he best way to learn is through personal insighthe best way to learn is through personal insightgained through journaling and autobiographygained through journaling and autobiography,,metaphysicsmetaphysics.#.#

he curriculum should address the !uestions o"he curriculum should address the !uestions o"human existence% relationships% and anhuman existence% relationships% and anunderstanding o" success and "ailureunderstanding o" success and "ailure,,epistemologyepistemology.#.#

0alues are not only relative but students also0alues are not only relative but students alsohave a role in choosing them and should explorehave a role in choosing them and should exploreindividual choices and options ,individual choices and options ,axiologyaxiology.#.#


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Educational (hilosophiesEducational (hilosophies

Educators have developed a number o"Educators have developed a number o"

educational philosophies#educational philosophies#

/ome parallel one o" the "our modern/ome parallel one o" the "our modern

philosophies#philosophies#

/ome borrow ideas "rom these and other/ome borrow ideas "rom these and other

alternative philosophies#alternative philosophies#


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Two Philosophical (chools ofTwo Philosophical (chools of

ThoughtThought

AuthoritarianAuthoritarian

5emocratic ,non8authoritarian.5emocratic ,non8authoritarian.


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The "uthoritarian (chool ofThe "uthoritarian (chool of

EducationEducation 'ooted in $dealism and 'ealism'ooted in $dealism and 'ealism

5erived "rom writings o" 9ohn -ocke 7 lank5erived "rom writings o" 9ohn -ocke 7 lank

/late/late

/tressed the products rather than the process o"/tressed the products rather than the process o"learninglearning

)avored a subject8centered curriculum)avored a subject8centered curriculum

Embraced convergent thinking ,inside the box.Embraced convergent thinking ,inside the box. (erennialism% Essentialism% ehaviorism and(erennialism% Essentialism% ehaviorism and

(ositivism(ositivism


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"uthoritarian (chool:"uthoritarian (chool:

PerennialismPerennialism 'ooted in ideas o" idealism and realism#'ooted in ideas o" idealism and realism#

Has been the cornerstone o" education "orHas been the cornerstone o" education "or

centuries#centuries#

+haracteri&ed by the ;*reat ooks


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EssentialismEssentialism Essentialists "ocus on the development o"Essentialists "ocus on the development o"

essential skills "or the "uture 7 especiallyessential skills "or the "uture 7 especially

the workplace#the workplace#

Emphasi&es a core curriculum 88 re"erredEmphasi&es a core curriculum 88 re"erred

to as basic skills#to as basic skills#

)avors a top down learning environment#)avors a top down learning environment#

Embrace the =+- and E>*s as centralEmbrace the =+- and E>*s as central

to the learning experience#to the learning experience#


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BehaviorismBehaviorism 'ooted in psychology% especially William 9ames%'ooted in psychology% especially William 9ames%

Edward horndike% 9ohn Watson% and #)#Edward horndike% 9ohn Watson% and #)#/kinner#/kinner#

(opular as a method o" discipline and computer8(opular as a method o" discipline and computer8aided instruction#aided instruction# /tudents are essentially blank slates and can be/tudents are essentially blank slates and can be

;manipulated< through a rewards system to;manipulated< through a rewards system to

learn#learn# Emphasi&es learning the "acts as well asEmphasi&es learning the "acts as well as

convergent thinking#convergent thinking#


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"uthoritarian (chool: Positivism"uthoritarian (chool: Positivism

5erived "rom the writings o" Auguste5erived "rom the writings o" Auguste+omte who argued that reality existed only+omte who argued that reality existed onlyas observable "act#as observable "act#

We can ;know< only through directWe can ;know< only through directobservation#observation#

(re"ers a curriculum based primarily on(re"ers a curriculum based primarily on

science and math with rigorousscience and math with rigorousassessment o" speci"ic knowledge#assessment o" speci"ic knowledge#

)avors convergent thinking#)avors convergent thinking#


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The )emocratic (chool ofThe )emocratic (chool of

EducationEducation 'ooted in (ragmatism and Existentialism'ooted in (ragmatism and Existentialism

5erived "rom writings o" 9ean 9ac!ue 'ousseau5erived "rom writings o" 9ean 9ac!ue 'ousseau

/tressed the (rocess rather than the (roducts o"/tressed the (rocess rather than the (roducts o"

-earning-earning )avored an experience8centered or student8)avored an experience8centered or student8

centered curriculumcentered curriculum

Embraced 5ivergent thinking ,outside the box.Embraced 5ivergent thinking ,outside the box. (rogressivism% Humanism% +onstructivism%(rogressivism% Humanism% +onstructivism%

(ost8Modernism% 'econstructionism(ost8Modernism% 'econstructionism


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)emocratic (chool:)emocratic (chool:

ProgressivismProgressivism Emerged "rom the writings o" pragmatists +harlesEmerged "rom the writings o" pragmatists +harles

(ierce% William 9ames% and 9ohn 5ewey#(ierce% William 9ames% and 9ohn 5ewey# Embraced realistic solutions to social problems#Embraced realistic solutions to social problems# Helped students understand their interconnections withHelped students understand their interconnections with

members o" the community in which they lived#members o" the community in which they lived# )avored an ;open classroom< environment and)avored an ;open classroom< environment and

cooperative learning#cooperative learning# (re"erred the problem8solving approach that "ocuses on(re"erred the problem8solving approach that "ocuses on

student interests#student interests# )ocused on the learner8centered or student8centered)ocused on the learner8centered or student8centered

curriculum#curriculum#


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ReconstructionismReconstructionism Emerged during the *reat 5epression andEmerged during the *reat 5epression and

was in"luenced by the writings o" *eorgewas in"luenced by the writings o" *eorge

/# +ounts#/# +ounts#

+hallenged teachers to become+hallenged teachers to become

;trans"ormative intellectuals


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)emocratic (chool: umanism)emocratic (chool: umanism

Embodies the ideas o" 9ean 9ac!ueEmbodies the ideas o" 9ean 9ac!ue

'ousseau#'ousseau#

/eeks to nurture the individual spirit/eeks to nurture the individual spirit

without imposing external ideas on thewithout imposing external ideas on the

student#student#

(romotes divergent thinking#(romotes divergent thinking#

)avors the student8centered approach to)avors the student8centered approach to

learning#learning#


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ConstructivismConstructivism )ocuses on individual development)ocuses on individual development

through a nurturing approach to teaching#through a nurturing approach to teaching# (rovides students with hands8on activities#(rovides students with hands8on activities# )avors the understanding o" large%)avors the understanding o" large%

complex ideas rather than the mastery o"complex ideas rather than the mastery o""acts#"acts#

At odds with the current emphasis onAt odds with the current emphasis on;mastery learning< and accountability as;mastery learning< and accountability asenvisioned by the =+-#envisioned by the =+-#


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PostmodernismPostmodernism 5eveloped during the upheavals o" society in the5eveloped during the upheavals o" society in the

123s and 143s#123s and 143s#

he goal is to understand power relationshipshe goal is to understand power relationships

within society#within society# elieves that those in power use the institutionselieves that those in power use the institutions

o" government% culture and school to maintaino" government% culture and school to maintaintheir positions within society#their positions within society#

+ontends that society has marginali&ed women%+ontends that society has marginali&ed women%workers% people o" color as well as culturalworkers% people o" color as well as culturalminorities#minorities#


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Postmodernism *Continued+Postmodernism *Continued+

he curriculum should include works o"he curriculum should include works o"

;marginali&ed< people in literature% history;marginali&ed< people in literature% history

and other subjects#and other subjects#

/tudents will then appreciate the/tudents will then appreciate the

contributions o" other members o" ourcontributions o" other members o" our

diverse society#diverse society#

)avors a student8oriented approach and)avors a student8oriented approach and

journal writing#journal writing#


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"#iology and Education"#iology and Education

Moral EducationMoral Education

+haracter Education+haracter Education


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Moral EducationMoral Education

Assumes that students are undevelopedAssumes that students are undeveloped

)ocuses on the 5evelopment o" moral)ocuses on the 5evelopment o" moral

reasoningreasoning

+onsistent with the 5emocratic /chool+onsistent with the 5emocratic /chool

Embraces (rogressivism%Embraces (rogressivism%

'econstructionism% Humanism and'econstructionism% Humanism and(ostmodernism(ostmodernism


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+haracter Education+haracter Education

/tudents are blank slates/tudents are blank slates

)avors the transmission o" ;unambiguous)avors the transmission o" ;unambiguous

moral values

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