PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION

What is Philosophy?

- is the science that seeks to organize and systemize all fields of knowledge as a means of understanding
and interpreting the totality of reality.

- systematic and logical explanation of the nature, existence, purpose and relationships of things, including
human beings in the universe.

Main Branches of Philosophy

1. Metaphysics – deals with the first principles, the origin an essence of things, the causes and end of
thing.

- it is the science of existence.

2. Epistemology – deals with knowledge and with ways of knowing.

- Conceptua

- Perceptual

– Intuitive

3. Axiology – deals with purposes and values.

- Ethics

4. Logic – deals with the correct way of thinking.

Major Philosophies of Education

1. Idealism – (Platonic) Reality consists of transcendental universal, form, or ideals which are the object of
true knowledge.

(DECS order No. 13 s 1998 – Revised rules and regulation on the teaching of religion in public elementary
and secondary schools)

2. Naturalism – This opposed to idealism. This is the view that the whole of reality is nature.

3. Pragmatism – a tendency, movement, or more definite system of thought in which stress is place upon
critical consequence and values as standard for explicating philosophic concept, and as a test of truth lies
in its practical consequence and that the purpose of conduct.
- James

- Chiller

- Dewey

4. Supernaturalism – has a purpose to educate the individual for his life here on earth and to prepare for
the life beyond.

Humanism – places human being over in above worldly things.

5. Realism– universals are independent of antecedent to and more real than the specific individual
instances in which they manifest.

6. Progressivism

– dominated by the technological experimental advancement which have so powerfully shaped our
modern culture.

(DECS order No. 57 s 1998 – Clarification on the changes in the Social Studies Program, WH for 3rd year
and Economics for 4th year)

(DECS order No 91 s. 1998 – Changes in the THE program of the NSEC)

Some important features of Progressivism

1. The child as the center of the educational process.

Advocates of Progressivism

John Dewey

William Kilpatrick

7. Existentialism

- Puts emphasis on the uniqueness of the individual.

- Existence precedes, that is, essence is created by existence.

- Human nature is a product of existence.

- Holds the view that human existence, or the human situation is the starting point of thinking.

– It emphasizes concreteness of the individual.

(DECS order no. 65 s. 1998 – revised Guidelines on the selection of honor students in secondary level)

(DECS order no. 10 s. 1998 – Revised system of rating and reporting of student performance for secondary
schools)

Freedom of choice is an important value of existentialism and is determined or affected to a large extent
several factors among which are the following:

1. Influence of the family especially the parents.

8. Positivism

- a philosophical movement characterized by an emphasis upon science and scientific method as the only
source of knowledge.

9. Relativism

- a doctrine of relationism or relativity – a theory that knowledge is relative to the limited nature of the mind
and the condition of knowing.

10. Materialism

- it maintains that all events are not true to the nature of independent reality and that holds that absolutely
true knowledge is impossible.

11. Empiricism

- it spouses that legitimate human knowledge arises from what is provided to the mind by the senses or by
introspective awareness through experience.

-hence it believes on education through

12. Romanticism

- it questioned the notions of the enlightenment that had dominated Europe in the early 18th century.
13. Epicureanism

- philosophical teaching about nature and ethics that was derived from the writing of Epicurus.

- this philosophy base its knowledge on sense perception, asserting that sensations are invariably good.

14. Hedonism

- it centers on pleasure

- learning is pleasurable

15. Utilitarianism

- it believes that any moral theory that value of human actions, policies, and institutions by their
consequences in men’s experience or by general welfare of all person affected by them.

16. Communism

- disregard basic human rights and educates the young for subservience to the state.

17. Fascism

– conceives that the state is an absolute.

18. Progressivism

- it emphasizes that educational concern must be on the child interest, desires, and the learners freedom as
an individual rather than the subject matter.

19. Essentialism

- it ascribes ultimate reality to immense embodied in a thing perceptible to the senses.

The Educational Philosophies of Frontier Thinkers of Education

1. SOCRATES

a. The end of life is knowledge.

b. Knowledge is virtues

c. “Know thyself”
2. PLATO

a. Each person should devote his life to that which he is best fitted to do.

b. The function of education is to determine what each individual is by nature fitted to do.

c. Social justice (Give what is due to whom it is due)

d. Intellectual aristocracy (The rule of the intellectual elite)

3. ARISTOTLE

a. Virtue is not possession of knowledge but state of the will.

b. The end of education is knowledge alone, but the union of the intellect and the will or knowledge
express in action.

c. Reality, not ideas but the performance, is the highest function.

d. Adaptation of education to the form of government.

e. Objective and scientific not introspective method of education

4. Comenius

a. Development of the whole life.

b. Follow the order of nature.

c. Training for character.

d. Both sexes should be included in education.

5. LOCKE

a. “Tabula rasa” or “blank paper” theory

– a child is born with a blank mind (neither good or bad)

b. Education can shape the pupil according to the will of the teacher.

c. Formal discipline

– Training gained in one area can be applied in another area.

a. Development of the child according to his nature.

b. Man should live a simple life.

c. The child, the important

d. Use of instinctive tendencies as the starting point of education

7. Peztalozzi

a. Education as the process of organized growth.

b. All education should be founded upon laws of natural development of the child.

c. Use of object in teaching.

d. Emphasis on method and technique of teaching.

8. HERBART

a. Doctrine of apperception

b. Education should be specific.

c. Mind is a unity, possessing but one power, that of entering into relation with its environment.

9. FROEBEL

a. Self-activity as the means of development.

b. Play, spontaneous activity, manual and industrial development are utilized to promote self-realization.

c. Process of education determined by the nature of the child.

10. Spencer

Knowledge that is best for use in life is also best for the development of power.

Emphasis on physical education.

Importance of science in the curriculum

Mental activity is functional.

Knowledge is instrumental.

It is consequences that make the choice good or bad.

12. JOHN DEWEY

Education is life

Education is growth

Education is a social process

Education is a continuous reconstruction of experiences.

13. JESUS CHRIST

Right relationship with God should precede all kinds and types of education.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and everything shall be added unto you”
(Matthew 6:33)

Education should be used for service.

“Give thyself” is the philosophy of service of Jesus.

FUNCTION OF PHILOSOPHIES OF EDUCATION

1. Provide guidelines in the formulation of the educational policies and programs and in the construction of
curricula.

2. Provide direction toward which all educational effort should be exerted.

3. Provide theories and hypothesis which may be tested for their effectiveness and efficiency.

4. Provide norms or standards for evaluation purposes.

Importance of Philosophy of Education to the Teacher

1. Provides the teacher with basis for making his decision concerning his work.
2. Help the teacher develop a wide range of interest, attitudes, and values concomitant to his professional
life as teacher.

3. Makes a teacher more aware of his own life and work, and makes him more dynamic, discriminating,
critical and mentally alert.

4. Philosophy of education saves time, money and effort

Philosophical Foundation of Education

A. Hinduism

– (Dharma), characterized by honesty courage, service, faith, self-control, purity, and non-violence

Dharma can be achieved through Yoga

Believes that one should be able to control and regulate his desires, not to devote life to sensual pleasure
success.

Religion should be practical.

God is truth and the best way to seek the truth is by practicing non-violence (Ahimsa)

B. Buddhism

Believes that personal gratification is the root of suffering in the world.

The teaching of Buddha centered on four noble truths:

1. All life is suffering, pain, and misery

2. Selfish craving and personal desire.

3. Suffering can cease.

4. Way to overcome this misery is through following the Eight Fold Paths

2. Chinese Philosophies

Confucianism,

- an essentially optimistic system of belief, argued that those who were naturally virtuous should, while
behaving with loyalty and respect, help to govern their country by maintaining their independence and
criticizing their rulers if necessary: The government served its citizens, rather than the reverse.
Taoism,

- by contrast, taught that humans should withdraw from culture and society, devoting themselves to
meditation and, like water, adapt themselves to natural forces.

3. Japanese Philosophy

Zen Buddhism

- No savior/s paradise, faith on God, no scriptures.

-The third eye helps one to see things in addition to what our two eyes show us, and should be attuned
to the things around us.

Emphasizes silent meditation, aiming to awaken the mind in each person.

4. Muslim Philosophy

Islam

- Emphasized a total commitment in faith obedience, and trust to one and only God.

Koran, its sacred book is the word of God.

Each person will be tried on the judgment when Allah will judge all souls.

Believes in paradise, an oasis of flowing water, pleasant drinks, food and sensual delights.

Five Pillars of Islam:

– 1. Belief in one God

– 2. Prayer

– 3. Fasting

– 4. Alms giving

– 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca

5. Christian Philosophy

God is the Creator of all thing

Jesus is the Messiah, Christ, Son of God

Jesus came down to earth to redeem mankind

Baptism is necessary for salvation

There is life after death