philosophy of education essay

philosophy of education essay

Exploring the Foundations and Implications of the Philosophy of Education

1. Introduction to the Philosophy of Education

The philosophy of education is a branch of educational philosophy, and through it leads to the way of pronounced voracity. It forms the pedestal of the heavenly get up of education that by then forms an understanding or conception of education or educing responsibilities which leads to or defines the outcome of the education philosophy. Philosophy of education can be interpreted in two ways: first at a theoretical level and second at an applied or practical level. The book is divided into ten chapters in addition to the Preface. Chapters I and II attend to the problems of foundation, introducing an understanding of both basic and ultimate foundations and the meta-problems consequent thereon. Chapters III and IV show how inter-level operations are not in the least without fundamental philosophical concern. Chapters V and VI hone in on direct world consequences of the most basic foundations, working out some applications of philosophy of education as informed by basic foundations. Chapters VII and VIII broaden slightly the gaze from teaching to learning, exploring a philosophy of pedagogy and a philosophy of and part A and part B accounts of incorporation, respectively. Chapters IX and X move in the opposite trajectory, fixing their intellectual gaze and analysis on broad social or cultural dynamics, indicating subtle relationships between macropolitical economy or cosmopolitan ethics and pedagogical praxis.

Education is a term that is filled with the efforts of a multitude of people. Education can be broadly defined, and as such, it is considered a systematic mode of transformation in a pupil. It is knowledge and truth that provide the stock to the student, only after which the ultimate knowledge can be taken as an aid by an individual. An individual’s personality, occurrence, is judged based on the basis of educational background and its impacts only. It would be interesting to know that an individual’s hard work is, of course, a propeller in making him an expert, but an educational background is such a foundation that is a substantive pillar related to both practicing and being an expert nowadays. Most professionals define education as a degree of adaptation to the broad aspect of a contextual society or environment. The interpretation of educational philosophy can help to disclose particular eminences and virtues as per individual liberty. This book is about the philosophy of education that predominantly aims to attend the foundational concerns of the subject as well as their meta-level implications in practice.

2. Key Philosophical Theories and Thinkers in Education

History is also useful in demonstrating where the roots of ideas lie, and giving them seed, and it enables us to trace how these ideas have been taken up and ‘wafted abroad’. It is important to remember that history does not exist in a vacuum, and just as historical events come in reaction to that which precedes them, the ideas in this history of philosophy exert an influence in the present to inform current and future events. In recent years, thinkers have been striving to change this through activism, social justice, and forward-thinking ideas that are not pressing for revolutionary changes, but are about moving forward. A more ‘critical’ approach to philosophy is taken, and the intersection of philosophy and pedagogy is moved to the forefront.

Bringing together the theories and thinkers enhances our understanding of the philosophical tapestry in education. Thinkers such as Dewey, Piaget, and Freire heavily informed the practical philosophy of teaching and learning. Although our purposes are thinking about teaching and learning in the twenty-first century, it is worth beginning by learning about where the foundational ideas came from. Ideas do not spread randomly. They are able to inform practical outcomes because they are based on reasoned theory. Yet, they often emerge from the current state of society and an examination of what should and can be for the future.

This chapter provides an overview of the major philosophical theories that have influenced thinking in the field of education, both historically and to the present day. While this provides only some of the foundational theories, and really only skims the surface of any one of these theories, it gives an overview of how educators, philosophers, and social reformers learn from the ideas promoted. We also explore some of the most prominent thinkers in philosophy and education who developed these theories and pedagogical approaches and their influence on educational practices.

3. The Application of Philosophy in Educational Practices

Empiricism, rationalism, and pragmatism are paradigms developed by representative philosophers. According to these philosophical theories, educational practices are more meaningful when implemented in accordance with the philosophy of the builder. For example, in the learning process, the teacher is seen as facilitating or guiding children towards the principles of learning and research as initiated by the child-centered pedagogy philosophy developed by Pestalozzi and Montessori. The model of educational philosophy above has successfully influenced a number of educational schools and has consequences for the settlement of the curriculum policy implemented by those who adopt it. Thus, it is appropriate to say that the model of educational philosophy will determine the method of teaching and learning the curriculum and used to gauge the development of an educational organization.

In the last section, we will discuss how philosophy in educational discourse is applicable. Since there is a wide variety of philosophical theories, attitudes, beliefs, and ideologies, it is expected that educators would have different approaches to teaching. The practical application of philosophy in the formal sphere of education can be seen by addressing the considerations of its curriculum, teaching methodology as well as pupils’ guidance and policies in educational practices.

4. Challenges and Controversies in the Philosophy of Education

Part of what makes developing a philosophy of education so controversial is the sheer range of ethical standpoint that can, in fact, pit themselves against one another under the banner of solid logic and sound data. This allows deeply held ethical and philosophical commitments to not only clash with one another but to be upheld by the preponderance of evidence as valid justifications for maintaining their sociocultural position. It is possible to continue this exercise without end, sorting ethical arguments into various camps without any moral imperiousness or inevitability. We have to be thoughtful of the fact that such camps will incite in us a sense of personal pleasure or rightful ethical valor that may not at all reflect the logic of those with whom we are in discussion. The position that each ethical argument takes towards social justice issues is loaded with several presuppositional qualities that differ from position to position and are deeply invested in personal philosophies of individuality and cohesiveness. Each is expressed through this process in a denial of equity that is supported by the same morally persuasive arguments. The practice of philosophy of education is then one of creating necessary spaces of introspection where arguments can simultaneously be justified and rejected by the functioning of our knowledge of reality. By engaging with the oppositional challenges and controversies within the field, we begin to see the pull and tension that forces arguments to clash without a singular personal fault. This is one of the foundational pursuits of this volume. The report collected in these pages pulls philosophers of education into various different aspects of the field precisely to draw out the conflicting claims and convictions that such perspectives are drawing out. A grounded and fully situated philosophy for education practices imposes the pull of mutual and irreconcilable tension allowing individuals to acknowledge, if not resolve the pull of individual motivations in their daily educational practice.

The philosophy of education comprises a wide breadth of internal debates that draw into focus some of the most complex issues in education, all too often only glossed over in the more technical literature. This chapter will examine some of these challenges and controversies, both to clarify the foundation of what education is and what it means, and to suggest an approach to philosophy of education that better frames the implication of and the justificatory methods used in addressing the various issues. It seeks to draw upon thoughtful reflection of the field and its internal debates to engage the complexities of the women and men who will inhabit its pages, pushing to confront the underlying dialectical exchange that takes place just below the gloss of professional best practices and methods. Further, it encourages a passionate engagement of thought, pulling into the analysis the keen sensibility of lived human interactions with all the richness and yet ultimate lack of resolution that this entails.

5. Future Directions and Innovations in Educational Philosophy

Within discussions of the philosophy of education and its correspondence to practice, Giroux’s generation identifies one exclusive and detrimental emphasis on critique in philosophy. These discussions build upon French philosopher Michel Foucault’s treatment of ethical self-examination as an alternative to critique. Educational philosopher Edward J. Taylor, in a recent examination of Foucault and education, suggests that an ethos could be discerned as a tendency within American academic communities that may point to “certain ‘traits’ or ‘dispositions’ manifest in specific (modern) systems”. In this work, Taylor attempts to disengage from this ethos by asking: “What might we become and do if we understand philosophical practice in respects unavailable to the ethical philosopher?” Taylor’s work presents an Utopian alternative to contemporary, critique-based practices in philosophical education research by engaging individuals in self-exploration with educational philosophy without the dialectics of critique.

While the section’s analysis has focused largely on established thought, it will be useful in this chapter and in the future to consider emerging trends. But, do not let the future of philosophy of education simply be a projection of the present moment – imagine something fresh and a potentially new direction for the philosophy of education! Some in the field might look to expand the notion of philosophical practices, techniques, and methods of engagement among educators. Others still may seek to engage in the typological innovation and visual turn. Still others might look to interdisciplinary research that pushes into the neurosciences, cognitive psychology, anthropology, and sociology. Some might take up a new approach within the current debates, arguments, and tensions with the potential to bring them toward new possibilities, to shatter set positions and fixed knowledge.

Future Directions and Innovations