REFLECTIVE ESSAY GUIDE QUESTIONS (750-1000 Words per Question)
1. What is the meaning of the term philosophy?
Eduard Zeller gives as the earliest meaning of the word 'philosophy' as 'thirst for learning'. (Outlines of the History
of Greek Philosophy. 13th ed., rev. Nestle, tr. Palmer. (London: 1931), p. 23n). Zeller writes that the word 'philosopher'
"seems first to have acquired its technical sense in the circle or Socrates and Plato and only after that to have attained
general currency" (p. 23). The Greek word 'philosophia' = 'thirst for education' in Plato's Protagoras 335d-e, 342a-d. "In a
new meaning however, [see] Phaedrus 278d [quoted below]." Because of the latter text, Zeller thinks it cannot be correct to
attribute the statement that only God is wise to Pythagoras (Diog. L. i, 12 [Pythagoras did not call himself [a wise man, or,]
"one who knows" (sophist), but only "one who wants to know" (philosopher) (ibid. viii, 1)]). "Isocrates [436-338 B.C.] too ...
called his general education philosophia [meaning what we call Learning (Plato rejects this as too broad in Republic
5.475c-d: a philosopher is not someone who wants to know just any- and every-thing)]." (Zeller, p. 23n). The Greek philia
means: 'friendship' or 'fondness', from philos: 'dear' [cf. our expression 'philharmonic society': "friends of music"]. The
Greek root-word-meaning of the word 'philosophy' would be "love [philo] of wisdom [sophia]"; however, in this particular
case, that type of definition [meaning of the word 'meaning'] of the word 'philosophy' does not make its meaning too much
clearer. Because what, after all, do we mean by the word 'wisdom'?
Although, there is also the question of whether the English word 'wisdom' is the best translation of the Greek word
'sophia'. We use the form expression "Know thyself!", not "Enwisen thyself!" (i.e. "Acquire wisdom of thyself!", "Learn what
and who you are!"). And yet the knowledge that is sought is what we call 'wisdom' in English, because it is specifically the
knowledge of how we should live our life ("We are discussing no small matter, but how to live"), and in order to know how
we should live our life we need to know what manner of being we are and what our end is, that is to say: to what purpose
our life exists. If anyone were wise, he would know the answers to these questions. So that the English word 'wisdom' does
appear to be the best translation of the Greek word 'sophia'. But, on the other hand, the word 'wisdom' is not always the
best translation of 'sophia'. For when Socrates questions the artisans (Apology 22d-e), he says that the artisans are "wise",
or possess sophia, in so far as [i.e. because] they know how to practice their art, although their "wisdom" goes no further
than that particular knowledge. But we do not call the knowledge of how to practice an art 'wisdom'. Therefore, sometimes,
the English word 'knowledge' will be the best translation of the Greek word 'sophia'. Thus, based on its etymology, the word
'philosophy' might be translated into English as 'thirst for knowledge of how we should live our life'. But that is Ethics, and
Ethics is only one branch of Philosophy.
In Italian, as in Latin, 'ignorare' translates as "not to know" or "not knowing" [cf. Spanish 'lo ignoro' = 'I don't know
[such-and-such]'], and the Greek word 'philosophía' can be translated as "desire to know". The philosopher (philosophos) is
one who desires to know, who wants not to be ignorant (who "wants not to not-know"). This is important: 'ignorance'
defined as 'absence of knowledge' versus 'ignorance' defined as 'thinking you know what you don't know'; Plato's
"philosophy begins in wonder" = begins in ignorance, in the first sense of the word 'ignorance'. As used originally by the
ancient Greeks, the term "philosophy" meant the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, and comprised ALL areas of
speculative thought, including the arts, sciences and religion. Philosophical questions (unlike those of the sciences) are
usually foundational and abstract in nature. Philosophy is done primarily through reflection and does not tend to rely
on experiment, although the methods used to study it may be analogous to those used in the study of the natural sciences.
In common usage, it sometimes carries the sense of unproductive or frivolous musings, but over the centuries it has
produced some of the most important original thought, and its contribution to politics, sociology, mathematics, science and
literature has been inestimable. Although the study of philosophy may not yield "the meaning of life, the universe and
everything", many philosophers believe that it is important that each of us examines such questions and even that
an unexamined life is not worth living. It also provides a good way of learning to think more clearly about a wide range of
issues, and its methods of analyzing arguments can be useful in a variety of situations in other areas of life. Philosophy is
such a huge subject that it is difficult to know how to break it down into manageable and logical sections. Perhaps the most
basic overall split at the highest level is geographical, between Eastern Philosophy and Western Philosophy (with,
arguably, African Philosophy as a possible third branch at this level).
2. Discuss and elucidate, "All educational questions are ultimately questions of philosophy"-Ross.
3. Why should a teacher study philosophy of education?
4. Define education in your own words based on the various definitions of educational thinkers.
5. “The scope of philosophy of education is unlimited”. Critically evaluate this statement.
6. Discuss the relationship between Philosophy of teaching and teaching styles.
7. Education is not an imitation of life but a preparation for it. Does the education system in your Country prepare
learners for life?
8. “The Greeks laid a strong foundation of philosophy of education.” Justify this with particular reference to the
educational theories of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
9. Why do you think that philosophy of education is important in Teacher Training Colleges?
10. Why might the study of philosophy be particularly important to educators?
11. Which branch or branches of philosophy would you want to emphasize in your classroom? Why? 12. Do you learn
better deductively or inductively? Why do you think? 13. Can you think of other school-based examples for each of the
branches and sub branches? 14. Which general or world view philosophy best fits with your own views of reality? Why?
15. What have you learned from the history of education that is related to these metaphysical philosophies? 16. It is said
that an image is worth a thousand words. What might be your image metaphor for each of these world or metaphysical
philosophies? 17. Which of these educational philosophies would you describe as authoritarian? Which as non-
authoritarian? Why? 18. Each of the educational philosophies relates to one or more of the metaphysical world view
philosophies. What connections do you see? 19. Which educational philosophy is most compatible with your beliefs?
Why?
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20. What is your philosophy? Are all four branches incorporated into your values on education?
