INTRODUCTION
Philosophy
of education is the analytical function carried out on educational concepts,
policy, theory, programmes and practice. Broadly speaking, modern
education lacks a unified purpose or goal to direct its curricular and
pedagogical commitments. This lack of unity exists because education has
many competing allegiances to different educational methodologies, which are
driven by a variety of diverse philosophical commitments. Today, education is
not so much about truth or morality as it is about tolerance and contributing
to the nation’s economic growth.
Philosophy is a search for a
general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than
observational means. All the aspects of human life are influenced and governed
by the philosophical consideration. As a field of study philosophy is one of
the oldest disciplines. It is considered as a mother of all the sciences. In
fact it is at the root of all knowledge. Education has also drawn its material
from different philosophical bases.
Education, like philosophy is also closely
related to human life. Therefore, being an important life activity education is
also greatly influenced by philosophy.
In order to understand the concept of Philosophy of education it is
necessary to first understand the meaning of the two terms; Philosophy and
Education.
PHILOSOPHY AND EDUCATION
Philosophy
is a systematic enquiry about the ultimate realities in the universe. The
discipline of philosophy may, therefore, be defined as an inquiry into the
foundations of our beliefs, an attempt to clarify and justify them with reason.
Education
means to lead out, through the modification of the native behavior of the
child. In the words of Dr. Radhakrishnan, “it must include not only the
training of the intellect but also the refinement of the heart and the
discipline of the spirit. Education is always guided by certain lines in
accordance with certain ideals, values and standards of life.
From
time immemorial, both education and philosophy have been linked with each
other. Great philosophers have also been great educationalists. Every
philosopher has said something on education, such as Gandhi on basic education,
Rabindranath Tagore on Santhinikethan system of education. Socrates, Plato,
Aristotle, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Dewey are known not only for their
philosophical but also for their educational ideas.
Education
is the application of philosophy or philosophy of education is applied
philosophy. It is the application of philosophy to study the problems of
education that is known as philosophy of education. In fact, philosophy is the
groundwork or foundation out of which come the objectives of education.
Philosophy and education walk hand in hand. Further, “a sound philosophy of
education is based on an adequate philosophy of life.”
PHILOSOPHY- THE ART OF EDUCATION
Education
is a sustaining, progressive and purposive activity. Its strength comes from
the political and moral values of the community. The only source of such values
is philosophy. “The art of education will never attain complete cleanness
without a philosophy “(J.G FICHTE). Without philosophy, education would be
nothing but a blind effort ad without education, philosophy would be no better
than a cripple. That is why Adams says “education is the dynamic side of philosophy”
the practical means of realizing the ideals of life”. Philosophy supplies the
aims and ideals of life; education translates them into practice and trains
people to realize them. Divorced from philosophy, education would become an
aimless endeavor, a hopeless waste of time. Philosophy gives education its
targets.
PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
Philosophy of
education
is the philosophical
reflection on the nature, aims, and problems of education. In addressing the
issues and problems, the philosopher of education strives for conceptual
clarity, argumentative rigor, and informed valuation. All educational
activities, from classroom practice to curriculum decisions to the setting of
policies at the school, district, state, and federal levels, inevitably rest upon
philosophical assumptions, claims, and positions. Consequently, thoughtful and
defensible educational practice depends upon philosophical awareness and
understanding. To that extent, the philosophy of education is essential to the
proper guidance of educational practice. Knowledge of philosophy of education
would benefit not only teachers, administrators, and policy makers at all
levels but also students, parents, and citizens generally. Societies that value
education and desire that it be conducted in a thoughtful and informed way
ignore the philosophy of education at their peril. Its relevance, reach, and
potential impact make it perhaps the most fundamental and wide-ranging area of
applied philosophy.
NEED FOR A PHILOSOPHY OF
EDUCATION
Philosophy
of education is concern with the aim of education and the basic philosophical
problems arising in the field of education. Philosophy gives direction to
education by providing certain guidelines. It attempt to establish coherent
meaning within the whole domain of thought. It is only with a philosophy of
education that school officials, teachers and even parents can co-ordinate
their efforts towards achieving an aim. Philosophy is basis for all education.
Without a philosophy of education we get nowhere at all. All our efforts prove
useless. There is an enormous loss of time, energy and finance. Moreover, there
is an immense waste of human resource. Practice, unguided by theory, is
aimless, inconsistent and inefficient. Education is essentially a philosophical
enterprise. “Philosophizing” is the main business of philosophy. Therefore,
there is a need for a philosophy of education.
Philosophy
is fundamentally a belief or an opinion.
There should, therefore, be a consensus among different beliefs. This
consensus will lead to co-ordination and to evolving a desirable philosophy of
education based upon certain criteria. This philosophy of education is the
living and unifying force behind the educational aims and activities.
PHILOSOPHY AND EDUCATION- THEIR
INTERDEPENDENCE
“Philosophy and education are like the sides
of a coin, presenting different views of the same thing, and that the one is
implied by the other.” - James Ross
“Philosophy may be defined as the
theory of education in its most general phase.”
- John
Dewey
“True education is practicable
only to true philosophers.” -
Spencer
“Education is a laboratory, in
which philosophical distinctions become concrete and are tested.”- John Dewey
From the given statements and
views we can easily maintain that philosophy and education are closely
inter-related. Philosophy prescribes the goals and essentials of good life and
education is the best means to achieve those goals. Philosophy is in the
background of education. The only need is to view philosophy and interpret it
in the context of time and different approaches to life and its problems.
Philosophy permeates its influence on every aspect of education. It determines
the aims, contents, methods of education. It defines the role of teacher in the
educative process.
PHILOSOPHY AND AIMS OF EDUCATION
Aims of education cannot be different
from the aims of life. Education, being a planned and purposeful activity, has
manifold aims. These aims or objectives are formulated by the philosophy of
life. It is again philosophy which formulates the aims of education based upon
deep insight and fundamental thinking. In the words of Rusk, “philosophy
formulates what it conceives to be the end of life; education offers
suggestions how this end is to be achieved.” Education is necessarily
influenced by society, civilization, climate and life of people. Individual and
society both have their philosophy of life. That may be similar and also be
different. Education is the source of the life of society. Without education,
society cannot make new-born children aware of its ideals. The aims and ideals
of individual, society and civilization clearly influence the ideals of
education. Aims of education undergo changes. They are influenced by different
periods
PHILOSOPHY AND CURRICULUM
Before the construction of
curriculum, definite ideals, nature of the society and civilization are to be
kept in mind. It would be difficult to teach the books written on conceptual
basis imbued with old civilization and culture, in a society of the people who
have made the highest progress in pragmatic science. Herbert Spencer has said
that our first step would naturally be to decide the main activities on which
life is based. Necessity of a subject would have to be proved on the basis of a
philosophy of life. The leaders should have a solid philosophy admitted by all
and select the teaching material according to it.
PHILOSOPHY AND METHODS OF TEACHING
A naturalist teacher would pay attention
to the child’s interest, aptitude and mental ability. His attention would be
diverted to the needs of the boys and he would impart education in a natural,
free and happy environment, away from mere bookish knowledge. A democratic
teacher, regarding the children a little above himself, would teach either
through ‘project method’ or gradual development style. Kilpatrick determined
the relationship between philosophy and education by popularizing ‘philosophy
of method of teaching’.
PHILOSOPHY
AND DISCIPLINE
Difference
in the patterns of discipline in dictatorship and democracy is quiet clear.
Under the one there is an atmosphere of fear and under the other that of
co-operation and love. Miller has said that it signifies enough whether the
teacher is a materialist or conceptualist, as he would impress the children
consciously or unconsciously by the ideals which he has regarded true. The
glimpse of his philosophy would also influence his curiosity and interest. It would
also throw light upon his choice of subject for teaching.
SCOPE OF
PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
The scope of
philosophy of education is confined to the field of education. Thus, it is
philosophy in the field of education. The scope of philosophy of education is
concerned with the problems of education.
a) AIMS AND
IDEALS OF EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY: - Education
critically evaluates the different aims and ideals of education. These aims and
ideals have been prorogued by various philosophers in different times. They are
character building, man making, harmonious human development, preparation for
adult life, -development
of citizenship, -utilization
of leisure, training for civic life, training for international living,
achieving social and national integration, -scientific and technological
development, education for all, equalizing educational opportunities,
strengthening democratic political order and human source development.
b]
INTERPRETATION OF HUMAN NATURE: - a philosophical picture
of human nature is a result of the synthesis of the facts borrowed from all the
human science with the values discussed in different normative, sciences. The
philosophical picture, therefore, is broader as compared to the picture of man
drawn by biology, sociology, psychology, economics and anthropology and other
human science.
c)
EDUCATIONAL VALUES: - Value is typically a
philosophical subject since it is more abstract, integral and universal.
Philosophy-of education not only critically evaluates the values but also
systematizes them in a hierarchy. Educational values are' determined by
philosophical values. Educational values propagated by different philosophers
have been derived from their own world, view and their outlook on the purpose
of human life. Therefore, a scrutiny of the world views, outlook, beliefs is
the specific function of philosophy and it is necessary for the philosophical
treatment of the values.
d] THEORY OF
KNOWLEDGE: - Education is related to knowledge. It is
determined by the source, limits, criteria and means of knowledge. The
discussion of all these falls within the jurisdiction of epistemology, one of
the branches of philosophy, therefore, an important area of the functioning of
philosophy of education is related to theory of knowledge.
e] RELATIONSHIP OF EDUCATION AND
VARIOUS AREA OF NATIONAL LIFE AND VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF THE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION:-
One of the most important contributions of the philosophy of
education to the cause of education is the provision of criteria for deciding
the relationship of state and education, economic system and education,
curriculum, school organization and management, discipline etc. These problems
have led to the evaluation of different philosophies of education. The criteria
of judgment everywhere are determined by philosophy; therefore, philosophy of
education provides the criteria for critical evaluation and judgment in these
fields.
MODERN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM:
PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE
Today
man is in the grip of crisis. A crisis which is stemming from the fact that the
whole world scenario is changing so fast, with so much speed that the man is
left dazed with the ‘future shock’. What man needs today is ‘shock absorber’
which can be readily provided by education. The role of education thus becomes
even more vital and expansive when confronted with such fresh and new
challenges.
Today, teaching is not just confined to
learning skills or developing better teaching methods but attitude formation
along with classroom management skills, co-operative learning, one-to-one
counseling etc,. The role of teacher is extremely volatile which is always on
the move try to imbibe the newer methods of teaching and learning, yet
retaining what is essential, perennial in the method. Because, despite the
apparent changes brought in by the techno cultural society, essentially human
nature has not changed, thus urging us to retain the essentials.
Educational system is extremely demanding as
it has to keep ahead of every other system so that it can assimilate within
itself other disciplines. It is both a product and an instrument of cultural
transaction, thus trying to build new bridges between past and future with the
help of present. The onus lies on the present day teacher and the teacher
educator to be that bridge, which will help man realize himself and thereby his
culture, society which in turn aids in knowing and accelerating the process of
human progress.
