Philosophical Perspective
World Philosophies
Philosophy and Education
Education
is inextricably intertwined with a
passion to understand. Both philosophy and
education are vitally concerned with a search for
truth. By its very name education calls teachers “to
lead from ignorance.” Philosophy compels
teachers to lead students in a direction that is
meaningful and of most worth.
Johnson,
p. 378-9.
J. Foundations of American Education,
Doctrine
v.
Philosophy
Answers
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Divine Potential
Eternal, absolute truth
Questions
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What is your
relationship to a
higher being?
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What is the nature of
truth?
The word philosophy denotes a
“love of wisdom” and a continual
search to find wisdom.
Three Branches of Philosophy
The search for wisdom leads to many questions. These three branches
represent types of questions that philosophers traditionally ask.
Metaphysics: What is the nature of reality?
 Epistemology: What is the nature of
knowledge?
 Axiology: What is the nature of values?
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Metaphysics Questions
What is real?
 Is there a spiritual realm of existence?
 What is the origin of the universe?
 What is the purpose of life?
 Do humans have free will?
 Is the universe rationally designed or
meaningless?
 Is human nature spiritual or physical?
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Epistemology Questions
How do we know what we know?
 On what authority do we base our claims to
truth?
 Is truth permanent or changing?
 Does knowledge come from divine
revelation, our own minds, scientific
evidence, or another source?
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Axiology Questions
What are desirable values?
 What is beautiful?
 When does the end justify any means
of achieving?
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Are values absolute or relative?
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What does “family values” mean?
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My mother wants me to be good –
what does good mean?
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Philosphy and Theory
Idealism
Social Reconstructionism
 Realism
Behaviorism / Essentialism
 Neo Thomism
Perennialism
 Pragmatism
Progressivism
 Existentialism
Existentialism
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Idealism
Metaphysics
Is considered the oldest philosophy of Western
culture, dating back to ancient Greece and the time
of Plato. For the idealist, the world of the mind,
ideas, and reason is primary.
 Universal truths present but latent in our mind
 Nothing is real except for the idea in someone’s mind.
 Two divisions of reality – apparent and real
Epistemology  Inductive and deductive logic
 Intuition as a dimension of knowing
 The search for truth
Axiology
 Order as a basic principle of values
 Values are discovered via intuition
 Values are absolute
Idealism:
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Reality is spiritual, it does not change.
To know is to think and rethink truths and ideas.
Values are absolute and eternal, and I am working to
achieve those ends.
Search for truth through ideas rather than through the
messy world of matter. Reading and writing emphasized
more than science.
Education is transformation. Ideas can change lives. The
more we know, the better we are.
All problems have roots in past. (Study past to see how
forbearers dealt with them)
Idealism Applied:
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The teacher will lecture from time to time when
necessary.
Teacher will most often teach using Plato’s dialectic
approach: Questioning, discussion, analyze,
synthesize, and apply what has been taught to
contemporary society.
Classics (literary masterpieces, past civilizations).
Focus on the “Three R’s”:
– Reading
– Writing
– Arithmetic
Realism
Metaphysics
Like idealism, is one of the oldest philosophies of
Western culture dating back to ancient Greece and
the time of Aristotle. The universe exists whether or
not the mind perceives it. The world of things is
superior to the world of ideas.
 Reality exists independent of and external to our minds
 Objects consist of two dimensions: matter and form
 The person as a sensing and rational being
Epistemology  Direct sensing
The scientific method
 Logical Systematic approach to the discovery of
knowledge
Axiology
 We can estimate value through knowledge
 Importance of following natural or moral law
 Happiness by cultivating potentiality for excellence
Realism:
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Reality is composed of matter. It is fixed.
Natural law.
Knowledge is obtainable through research.
I can obtain knowledge through my senses (touch, see,
hear, feel, smell).
Values are governed by natural laws. I can study and
research to figure them out.
Matter exists, independent of ideas.
Syllogism (example):
– All men are mortal
Socrates is a man
Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
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Understand ideas through study of world matter.
Realism Applied:
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Scientific Method
Lecture, Question and Answer.
Science, Math, Reading, Writing, and Humanities
Standards, Achievement
Behavioral Objectives
NeoThomism
Metaphysics
Neo-Thomism dates to the time of St. Thomas Aquinas
(1225-1274). Aquinas attempted to bridge the dualism of
idealism and realism that had separated philosophic
thought up to his time. For the neo-Thomist, God exists
and can be known through faith and reason.
 God as the pure being
 Human beings as rational beings with souls
 Human beings as modeled after God
Epistemology  Truths of revelations accepted on faith
Truths of science arrived at by rational observation
 Hierarchy of knowing – scientific, analytical, and
mystical
Axiology
 Goodness follows reason
 Intellect is perceiver of beauty
Neo-Thomism:
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Neo-Thomism (Theistic Realism) fusion of Greek
rationality (Realism) and Christian Theology
Good Life (Happiness) found in the presence of
God
Revelation recorded in the Bible is authoritative
source of truth
Teaching as vocation
Distinguish between education and school
Universal human rights and responsibilities
supercede culturally relative truth and values
Theory of perennialism
Neo-Thomism Applied:
Religious and character education.
 Many private religious schools.
 Learning by study and also by faith
 God is a worthy source of knowledge
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Pragmatism
Metaphysics
Developed in 20th century America with proponents
such as William James (1842-1910) and John
Dewey (1859-1952). Philosophy needed to to be
applied to solving human problems. Success judged
by the consequences of actions.
 Changing universe where the human situation was not
to transcend experience but rather to use it to solve
problems. Given uncertainty, our quest is to control and
direct change so far as possible.
Epistemology  Truth is a tentative assertion derived from experience
 Intelligence is socially built as people share experience
in solving common problems.
 Intelligence is the ability to define and solve problems.
Axiology
Moral relativity
Values arise from human responses to varying
environmental situations.
Pragmatism:
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Reality is based upon my own experience. Truth
is in my own mind. I make truth.
Knowing is a result of my experience.
Values are depending on the situation. Depend on
my experience.
Discovering solutions to problems in present day
terms.
– Problem+Speculative Thought+Action+Results
Environment and Experience
Goal of education: Growth.
Pragmatism Applied:
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Start with the needs and interests of the child in the
classroom, allow the child to participate in planning his or
her course of study, employ project method or group
learning, and depend heavily on experiential learning.
Teacher is not an authoritarian figure; More like a
cheerleader.
Teacher encourages, plans, questions, and offers
suggestions.
Individual and groups.
Children could converse quietly with one another, could
stand up and stretch if warranted, and could pursue
independent study or group work.
Existentialism
Metaphysics
 Reality through personal choice
 Each person chooses their course, and creates meaning
of his or her own existence.
Epistemology  Individual responsible for constructing own knowledge
 Validity of knowledge determined by value and
meaning to the individual
Axiology
 Personal freedom and individual responsibility
 Individual subjectivity
 Wide-awakeness
Existentialism:
Individuals are placed on this earth alone and
must make some sense of the chaos the
encounter.
 Language is important.
 Focus on needs of individual (cognitively and
affectively).
 Education liberates individual from chaotic
world.
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Existentialism Applied:
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Teacher student relationship is personal.
Humanities, Literature, Art, Drama, and Music
“Wide Awakeness”
Problems and possibilities