MEANING, SCOPE & FUNCTIONS OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

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MEANING, SCOPE & FUNCTIONS OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Contents

1.0 Objectives 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Meaning of the Philosophy and Education 1.3 Concept of Philosophy of Education 1.4 Scope of Philosophy of Education 1. Nature of Philosophy of Education

Modes of Philosophical Inquiry 1.! unctions of Philosophy of Education

#eaching Styles 1." !elationship bet"een Philosophy of #eaching and #eaching

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1.0

O#$ECTI%ES

$fter reading this unit you "ill be able to% &

'iscus 'iscusss the the (eanin (eaning g of of phil philoso osophy phy of educat education ion))

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e*plain e*plain the the unli( unli(ite ited d scope scope of of philo philosop sophy hy of educati education+ on+

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enu(era enu(erate te the the variou variouss funct function ionss of phil philoso osophy phy of educati education+ on+

•

State the various (ethods of Philosophical inquiry

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descri describe be the relat relation ionshi ship p bet"een bet"een philos philosoph ophy y of teachi teaching ng and teachi teaching ng styles+

1.1 INTODUCTION Philosophy is a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational (eans+ It signifies a natural and necessary urge in hu(an beings to ,no" the(selves and the "orl "orld d in "hic "hich h they they live live and and (ove (ove and and have have thei theirr bein being+ g+ -e -est ster ern n philosophy re(ained (ore or less true to the ety(ological (eaning of philosophy in being essentially an intellectual quest for truth+ .indu philosophy is intensely spiritual and has al"ays e(phasi/ed the need for practical reali/ation of #ruth+ Philosophy is a co(prehensive syste( of ideas about hu(an nature and the nature of the reality "e live in+ It is a guide for living) because the issues it addresses are basic and pervasive) deter(ining the course "e ta,e in life and ho" "e treat other people+ .ence "e can say that all the aspects of hu(an life are influenced and gove govern rned ed by the the phil philos osop ophi hica call cons consid ider erat atio ion+ n+ $s a fiel field d of stud study y philosophy is one of the oldest disciplines+ It is considered as a (other of all the sciences+ In fact it is at the root of all ,no"ledge+ Education has also dra"n its (aterial fro( different philosophical bases+ Education) li,e philosophy is also closely related to hu(an life+ #heref #herefore ore)) being being an i(port i(portant ant life life activi activity ty educat education ion is also also greatl greatly y influenced by philosophy+ 0arious fields of philosophy li,e the political philosophy) social philosophy and econo(ic philosophy have great influence on the various aspects of education li,e educational procedures) processes) policies) planning and its i(ple(entation) fro( both the theoretical and practical aspects+







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1.2 MEANING OF PHILOSOPHY & EDUCATION Me'n(n) o* P+(oso-+ #he "ord philosophy "ord philosophy literally literally (eans love of wisdom wisdom It is derived fro( t"o 2ree, "ords i+e+ 3phileo3 4love5 and 3Sophia3 4"isdo(5+ #his tells us so(ething about the nature of philosophy) but not (uch) because (any disciplines see, "isdo(+ Since ti(es i((e(orial there have been various pursuits for unfolding the (ystery of the universe) birth and death) sorro" and joy+ 0arious ages have produced different thoughts thro"ing light upon the (ystic region+ #he ulti(ate truth is yet to be found out+ #his eternal quest for truth 3lends the origin of philosophy+ $ love of "isdo( is the essence for any philosophy investigation+

On the the stan standa dard rd "ay "ay of tell tellin ing g the the stor story y) hu(a hu(ani nity ty3s 3s firs firstt syst syste( e(at atic ic inqu inquir irie iess too, too, place place "ith "ithin in a (yth (ythol ologi ogical cal or reli religi gious ous fra(e"or,% "isdo( ulti(ately "as to be derived fro( sacred traditions and fro( individuals thought to possess privileged access to a supernatural real real() () "hos "hosee o"n o"n acce access ss to "isd "isdo( o()) in turn turn)) gene genera rall lly y "as "as not not questioned+ .o"ever) starting in the si*th century 6CE) there appeared in ancient 2reece a series of thin,ers "hose inquiries "ere co(paratively secular 4see 7#he 7#he Milesians and the Origin of Philosophy75+ Philosophy75+ Presu(ably) these thin,ers conducted their inquiries through reason and observation) rather than through tradition or revelation+ #hese thin,ers "ere the first philosophers+ $lthough this picture is ad(ittedly si(plistic) the basic distincti distinction on has stuc,% philosophy in its (ost pri(eval for( is considered considered nothing less than secular inquiry itself+ #he subject of philosophical inquiry is the reality itself+ #here are different schools of philosophy depending on the ans"ers they see, to the question of reality+ It is the search for understanding of (an) nature and the universe+ #here are different branches of philosophy8Episte(ology) Meta Metaphy physi sics cs)) etc+ etc+ #her #heree are are diff differ eren entt fiel fields ds of phil philos osop ophy hy such such as educational philosophy) social philosophy) political philosophy) econo(ic philosophy etc+ #here are also different philosophical approaches such as idealis() naturalis() prag(atis() (aterialis() and so on+ Me'n(n) o* E/'t(on

Ety( Ety(ol ologi ogical cally ly)) the the "ord "ord educ educat atio ion n is deri derive ved d fro( fro( educare 49atin5 49atin5 7bring up7) "hich is related related to educere 7bring educere 7bring out7) 7bring forth







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-ebster defines education as education as the process of educating educating or teaching teaching 4no" that3s really useful) isn3t it:5 Educate it:5 Educate is is further defined as 7to develop the ,no"ledge) s,ill) or character of+++7 #hus) fro( these definitions) "e (ight assu(e that the purpose of education is to develop the ,no"ledge) s,ill) or character of students+ In anci ancien entt 2ree 2reece ce)) Socr Socrat ates es argue argued d that that educa educati tion on "as "as about about dra"ing out "hat "as already "ithin the student+ 4$s (any of you ,no") the "ord education co(es education co(es fro( the 9atin e-ducere (eaning e-ducere (eaning 7to lead out+75 $t the sa(e ti(e) the Sophists) Sophists) a group of itinerant teachers) teachers) pro(ised to give students the necessary ,no"ledge and s,ills to gain positions "ith the city8state+ #hus "e see that there are different vie"s and understandings of the (eaning of the ter( education+ education+ In the (odern ti(es it has acquired acquired t"o different shades of (eaning na(ely% 415 an instit instituti utional onal instr instruct uction ion)) given given to student studentss in school school colleg colleges es for(ally and 4;5 a pedagogical science) studied by the student of education+ #he "ords of $da( education is the dyna(ic side of philosophy+ Philosophy ta,es into its orbit) all the di(ensions of hu(an life+ Si(ilarly education also reflects the (ultifaceted nature of hu(an life+ #herefore) educ educat atio ion n is clos closel ely y rela relate ted d to vario various us aspe aspect ctss of hu(a hu(an n life life and and environ(ent+ .ence) the ter( education has a "ide connotation+ It is difficult to define education by single definition+ Philosophers and thin,ers fro( Socrates to 'e"ey in "est and a host of Indian philosophers have atte(pted to define education+ .o"ever education can be understood as the delibe deliberat ratee and syste( syste(ati aticc influe influence nce e*erte e*erted d by a (ature (ature through through instruction) and discipline+ It (eans the har(onious develop(ent of all the po"ers of the hu(an being physical social) intellectual) aesthetic and spiritual+ #he essential ele(ents in the educative process are a creative (ind) (ind) a "ell "ell integr integrate ated d self) self) social socially ly useful useful purpos purposes es and e*peri e*perience ence rela relate ted d to the the inte intere rest stss of the the indi indivi vidu dual al)) needs needs and and abil abilit itie iess of the the individual as a of a social group+ In the historical develop(ent of (an) education has been the right of a privileged fe"+ It is only in recent centuries that education has co(e to be recogni/ed as a hu(an right+ $ll have equal right to be educated as education has beco(e sine qua non of civili/ation+ Our discussion of the concept of education and the concept of







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1.3 1.3

CONC CONCEP EPT T OF PHIL PHILOS OSOP OPHY HY OF EDUC EDUCAT ATIO ION N

$ll hu(an societies) past and present) have had a vested interest in educ educat atio ion n and so(e so(e "its "its have have clai clai(e (ed d that that teac teachi hing ng 4at 4at its its best best an educ educat atio ional nal acti activit vity5 y5 is the the seco second nd olde oldest st prof profes essi sion on++ -hil -hilee not not all all soci societ etie iess chan channel nel suff suffic icie ient nt reso resour urce cess into into supp suppor ortt for for educ educat atio iona nall activities and institutions) all at the very least ac,no"ledge their centrality 1?5 41>1?5)) in its broadest sense education is the (eans of the @social continuity of lifeA 4'e"ey) 1>1?) B5+ 'e"ey pointed out that the @pri(ary ineluctable facts of the birth and death of each one of the constituent (e(bers in a social







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It is not not surp surpri risi sing ng that that such such an i(por i(porta tant nt soci social al do(ai do(ain n has has attracted the attention of philosophers for thousands of years) especially as there are co(ple* issues aplenty that have great philosophical interest+ abstr abstract actly) ly) at its its best best educati education on equips equips indivi individua duals ls "ith "ith the s,ill s,illss and substantive ,no"ledge that allo"s the( to define and to pursue their o"n goals) and also allo"s the( to participate in the life of their co((unity as full8fledged) autono(ous citi/ens+ 6ut this is to cast (atters in very individualistic ter(s) and it is fruitf fruitful ul also also to ta,e ta,e a societ societal al perspe perspecti ctive) ve) "here "here the pictur picturee changes changes so(e"hat+ It e(erges that in pluralistic societies such as the -estern de(ocracies there are so(e groups that do not "holeheartedly support the develop(ent of autono(ous individuals) for such fol, can "ea,en a group fro( "ithin by thin,ing for the(selves and challenging co((unal nor(s and beliefs fro( the point of vie" of groups "hose survival is thus threat threatened ened)) for(al for(al)) state8 state8pro provid vided ed educati education on is not necess necessari arily ly a good good thing+ 6ut in other "ays even these groups depend for their continuing survival on educational processes) as do the larger societies and nation8 states of "hich they are part for as =ohn 'e"ey put it in the opening chap chapte terr of his his clas classi sicc "or, "or, Democracy and Education 41>1?5 41>1?5)) in its broadest sense education is the (eans of the @social continuity of lifeA 4'e"ey) 1>1?) B5+ 'e"ey pointed out that the @pri(ary ineluctable facts of the birth and death of each one of the constituent (e(bers in a social groupA (a,e education a necessity) for despite this biological inevitability @the life of the group goes onA 4'e"ey) B5+ #he great social i(portance of education is underscored) too) by the fact that "hen a society is sha,en by a crisis) this often is ta,en as a sign of educational brea,do"n education) and educators) beco(e scapegoats+ It is not not surp surpri risi sing ng that that such such an i(por i(porta tant nt soci social al do(ai do(ain n has has attracted the attention of philosophers for thousands of years) especially as there are co(ple* issues aplenty that have great philosophical interest+ #he follo" follo"ing ing are so(e so(e issues issues that that philos philosophe ophers rs have have deeply deeply though thoughtt about and philosophy is still in the process of ans"ering these questions+ Is Education as trans(ission of ,no"ledge versus education as the fost foster erin ing g of inqu inquir iry y and reas reason onin ing g s,il s,ills ls that that are are cond conduci ucive ve to the the deve develo lop( p(en entt of auto autono( no(y y 4"hi 4"hich ch)) roug roughl hly) y) is the the tens tensio ion n bet"e bet"een en education as conservative and education as progressive) and also is closely relate related d to differ differing ing vie"s vie"s about about hu(an hu(an @perfec @perfectib tibil ility ityA








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priority
1 Phil Philos osop ophy hy of educ educat atio ion n is the the crit critic icis is( ( of the the gener general al theo theory ry of education+ ; It consists of critical evaluation and syste(atic reflection upon general theories+







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T+ese -oes '(n (n/e 5

& interpreta interpretation tion of hu(an hu(an nature) the "orld "orld and the universe universe and their their relation "ith (an) & interpretation of ai(s ai(s and ideals of education) education) & the relationship relationship of various co(ponents of the syste( of education) & relationshi relationship p of education and various various areas of national national life Decono(ic Decono(ic syste() political order) social progress) cultural reconstructions etc+) & educational values) & theory of ,no"ledge and its relationship to education+ #he above (entioned proble(s constitute the scope of philosophy of education and e*plain its nature+ #hus) the scope of philosophy of education includes follo"ing+ '6 A(s 'n/ I/e's o* E/'t(on P+(oso-+ Educa ducati tion on crit critic ical ally ly eval evaluat uates es the the diff differ eren entt ai(s ai(s and ideal idealss of educ educat atio ion+ n+ #hes #hesee ai(s ai(s and idea ideals ls have have been been pror prorog ogat ated ed by vario various us philosophers in different ti(es+ #hey are character building) (an (a,ing) har(onious hu(an develop(ent) preparation for adult life) 5develop(ent of citi/enshi citi/enship) p) 5utili/ati utili/ation on of leisure) leisure) training training for civic civic life) training training for international living) achieving social and national integration) 8scientific and technological develop(ent) education for all) all) equali/ing equali/ing educational opportunities) strengthening de(ocratic political order and hu(an source develop(ent+ #hes #hesee and other other ai(s ai(s of educ educat atio ion n pres present ented ed by educa educati tiona onall thin,ers in different ti(es and cli(es are scrutini/ed and evaluated+ #hus) philosophy of education critically evaluates different ai(s and ideals of education to arrive at+







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"orld) vie" and their outloo, on the purpose of hu(an life+ #herefore) a scrutiny of the "orld vie"s) outloo,) beliefs is the specific function of philosophy and it is necessary for the philosophical treat(ent of the values+ /6 T+eo o* 9no:e/)e75 Education is related to ,no"ledge+ It is deter(ined by the source) li(its) criteria and (eans of ,no"ledge+ #he discussion of all these falls "ithin the jurisdiction of episte(ology) one of the branches of philosophy) therefore) an i(portant area of the functioning of philosophy of education is related to theory of ,no"ledge+ e6 e't(ons+(- o* e/'t(on 'n/ ;'(os 'e' o* n't(on' (*e 'n/ ;'(os o-onents o* t+e sste o* e/'t(on75 One of the (ost (ost i(por i(portan tantt contri contribut bution ionss of the philos philosoph ophy y of education to the cause of education is the provision of criteria for deciding the relationship of state and education) econo(ic syste( and education) curriculu() curriculu() school organi/atio organi/ation n and (anage(ent) (anage(ent) discipline discipline etc+ #hese proble(s have led to the evaluation of different philosophies p hilosophies of education+ #he criter criteria ia of judg(e judg(ent nt every"h every"here ere are deter( deter(ine ined d by philos philosophy ophy)) theref therefore ore)) philos philosophy ophy of educati education on provid provides es the criter criteria ia for criti critical cal evaluation and judg(ent in these fields+ 1.1.! N'te o* P+(oso-+ o* E/'t(on

Philosophy of education is one of the areas of applied philosophy+ #here are three branches branches of philosophy philosophy na(ely 3(etaphys 3(etaphysics) ics) episte(ology episte(ology and a*iology+ •

Met'-+s(s is a branch of philosophy of philosophy that that investigates principles of reality reality transcending those of any particular science+ It is concerned "ith "ith e*pl e*plai aini ning ng the the fund funda( a(en enta tall natu nature re of being and th the "orld+ "orld+ Metaphysics is Metaphysics is the study of the nature of things+ Metaphysicians as,







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Episte(olog Episte(ology y is the branch of philosophy of philosophy that that studies ,no"ledge+ It atte(pts to ans"er the basic question% "hat distinguishes true 4adequate5 ,no"ledge fro( false 4inadequate5 ,no"ledge: Practically) this question ,no"ledge transl translate atess into into issues issues of scient scientifi ificc (ethodo (ethodolog logy% y% ho" can one develop develop theories or (odels that are better than co(peting theories: It also for(s one of the pillars of the ne" sciences of cognition) "hich developed fro( the infor(ation infor(ation processing processing approach to psychology psychology)) and fro( artificial artificial intelligence) as an atte(pt to develop co(puter progra(s that (i(ic a hu(an3s capacity to use ,no"ledge in an intelligent "ay+ -hen "e loo, at the history of episte(ology) "e can discern a clear trend) in spite of the confusion of (any see(ingly contradictory positions+ #he first theories of ,no"ledge stressed its absolute) per(anent character) "hereas the later theori theories es put the e(phas e(phasis is on its relati relativit vity y or situat situation ion8dep 8depende endence nce)) its its continuous continuous develop(ent develop(ent or evolution) and its active interference interference "ith the "orld and its subjects and objects+ #he "hole trend (oves fro( a static) passive vie" of ,no"ledge , no"ledge to"ards a (ore and (ore adaptive ad aptive and an d active one+ $s you can tell) the different branches of philosophy overlap one another+ $ philosopher considering "hether people ought to give e*cess "eal "ealth th to the poor poor is as,i as,ing ng an ethi ethica call ques questi tion on++ .o"e .o"eve verr) his his investigations (ight lead hi( to "onder "hether or not standards of right and "rong are built into the fabric of the universe) "hich is a (etaphysical question+ If he clai(s that people are justified in ta,ing a particular stance on that question) he is (a,ing at least a tacit episte(ological clai(+ $t every step in his reasoning) reasoning) he "ill "ant to e(ploy logic to (ini(i/e (ini(i/e the chance of being led into error by the great co(ple*ity and obscurity of the questions+ .e (ay very "ell loo, to so(e of the ethical) (etaphysical) and episte(ological "ritings of past philosophers to see ho" his brightest predecessors reasoned about the (atter+ $spects of each branch of philosophy can be studied in isolation) but philosophical questions have a "ay of leading to other philosophical







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1.! FUNCTIONS OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION EDUCATION Philosophy Philosophy of education education perfor(s perfor(s various various functions+ functions+ #hey area discussed belo"% '= Dete(n(n) t+e '(s o* e/'t(on Philos Philosophy ophy of educati education on provid provides es origin original al ideas ideas regard regarding ing all aspec aspects ts of educa educati tion on parti particu cula larl rly y educa educati tion onal al ai(s ai(s++ It is said said that that educat education ional al philos philosophy ophy gives gives differ different ent vie"s) vie"s) but this this situa situatio tion n is not har(ful) rather it helps in providing education according to the need of society+ #he difference in vie" of philosophy of education reflects the (ultiplicity and diversities of hu(an life+ Philosophy of education guides the process of education by suggesting suitable ai(s fro( the diversities of life and selecting the (eans accordingly+ = H'on(>(n) o/ 'n/ ne: t'/(t(ons (n t+e *(e/ o* e/'t(on5 In the process process of social social develop(ent develop(ent the old traditi traditions ons beco(e outdated outdated for the people+ #hey are replaced replaced by the ne" traditions traditions++ 6ut this process of replace(ent is not al"ays s(ooth+ It is faced "ith lots of opposition fro( certain orthodo* sections of the society+ $t the sa(e ti(e it (ust be ,ept in (ind that every 3old3 is not outdated and every 3ne"3 is not perfect #herefore) there is a need of co8coordinating the t"o in order to (aintain the har(ony bet"een both+ #his function can be perfor(ed by philosophy of education+ = Po;(/(n) t+e e/'t(on' -'nnes, '/(n(st'tos 'n/ e/'tos :(t+ t+e -o)ess(;e ;(s(on to '+(e;e e/'t(on' /e;eo-ent75 Spencer has rightly pointed that only a true philosopher can give a practical shape to education+ Philosophy of education provides the educational planners) ad(inistrators and educators "ith the right vision "hich guides the( to attain the educational goals efficiently+ /= P

(n) t+e

't(on 't(on to *'

t+

+'e +'e

o* t+e









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Philosophy guides the process of education in different "ays+ $ teacher approaching approaching education education philosophic philosophically ally needs to ans"er four basic questions that guide the teaching learning process+ #hey are% -hat is the nature of the learner: -hat is the nature of subject (atter: .o" .o" shoul should d one use use the the subj subjec ectt (att (atter er to guide guide stude student ntss to"a to"ard rdss (eaningful learning activities: -hat -hat behav behavio iorr tren trend d shou should ld one one e*hi e*hibi bitt in orde orderr to carr carry y out oneF oneFss philosophical position: #he #he ans" ans"er erss to thes thesee quest questio ions ns only only "ill "ill help help the the teach teacher er to identify a series of preferences) as opposed to a set of behavior that belong to (utually e*clusive categories for the follo"ing q uestions+ $n atte(pt to ans"er these questions is nothing but philosophy of teaching+ Philosophy and various philosophical vie" points infor( us that each of these these questio questions ns have differ different ent philos philosoph ophica icall perspe perspecti ctives ves that that can be considered as e*tre(es in a continuu(+ o

N'te o* t+e Le'ne

or the question about the nature of 9earner) It "ill be defined in







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(atter+ #he ter( Ha(orphous label has been reserved for rote learning) "hich e(phasi/es that each ite( to be learned is equal in i(portance to every other ite( to be learned  hence youngsters are not encouraged to find relationships a(ong ite(s to be learned and no ite( is seen to be (ore i(portant than the other+ #he other e*tre(e @structuredA "e (ay e*pect to find a position represented by those "ho have a quite realistic vie" of "hat the subject (atter (atter can never never acco(p acco(plis lish+ h+ #he ter( @Struc @Structur turedA edA as used used in this this conte*t) is fro( 6runerFs understanding that any subject (atter should be vie" vie"ed ed as havi having ng a natu natura rall stru struct ctur uree "hic "hich h can can help help to e*pl e*plai ain n relationships a(ong its co(ponents and "hich can be used to find ne" infor(ation+ o

Ho: s+o/ S@et 'tte )(/e st/ents e'n(n) 't(;(t(es

#he t"o end points of the continuu( is @cognitiveA and @affectiveA+ #hese concepts are not (utually e*clusive categories) but rather (att (atter erss of e(ph e(phas asis is and pref prefer eren ence ces+ s+ In orde orderr to illu illu(i (inat natee fact factor orss involved in any teacherFs decision to e(phasi/e cognitive or affective learning activities it is useful to consider the follo"ing addendu(+ Cognitive 'o(ain  fact) concept and generali/ation $ffective 'o(ain8 belief and value







14 T+e on;ese 'n e s'(/ o* non 't+o(t'('n te'+esB

#eacher need to be a"are of the HPhilosophical PositionsF that they ta,e and have ta,en "hile they enter into classroo(s classroo(s or plan to enter into class classroo( roo(ss Philos Philosoph ophical ical positi positions ons affec affectt the "ay they intera interact ct "ith "ith students and facilitate learning in learners individually or collectively+ collectively+

#hus "e see that the "ay "e ans"er the questions of nature of learner) subject (atter etc+ definitely affects our teaching style+ -hether a teacher is authoritative or non authoritarian) "hether teaching (ethods are constructivist or lecture (ethod are influenced based on the philosophical position that they hold+ 6ac,ground for approaching the educational proble(s effectively+ #herefore) it is essential for the educators to have the deep insight into the philosophy of education+

e*eenes

1 Chan Chandr draa S+ S+) S+) !+ Shar Shar(a (a)) !eje !ejend ndra ra J 4; 4;;5 ;5 7 Phil Philos osop ophy hy of Education+7 Ne" 'elhi) $llantic publishers+

MEANING, SCOPE & FUNCTIONS OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

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