Philosophical Foundations of Education Book

Introduction 1

The Need for Philosophy of Education 1

Branches of Philosophy 2

Theory and Practice in Education 6

The Quest in Philosophy in Education 10

Developing a Philosophical Perspective on Education 12

Selected Readings 13

1 Idealism and Education 14

Development of Idealism 14

Platonic Idealism 15 • Religious Idealism 18

Development of Modern Idealism 20

Idealism as a Philosophy of Education 27

Aims of Education 28 • Methods of Education 32 • Curriculum 35 • Role of the Teacher 36

Critique of Idealism in Education 37

Plato: The Republic 41

Kant: Education 44

2 Realism and Education 48

Classical Traditions 48

Aristotelian Realism 48 • Religious Realism 53

Development of Modern Realism 56

Contemporary Realism 59

Realism as a Philosophy of Education 65

Aims of Education 65 • Methods of Education 71 • Curriculum 74 • Role of the Teacher 75

Critique of Realism in Education 77

Aristotle: The Politics and Ethics of Aristotle 81

Locke: Some Thoughts Concerning Education 86

3 Eastern Philosophy, Religion, and Education 91

The Development of Eastern Thought 92

Far Eastern and Indian Thought 92

Indian Thought 93 • Chinese Thought 102 • Japanese Thought 106

Middle Eastern Thought 108

Eastern Thought and Philosophy of Education 113

Aims of Education 113 • Methods and Curriculum 115 • Role of the Teacher 116

Critique of Eastern Philosophy in Education 116

Bhagavad-Gita 118

Suzuki: Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind 122

4 Pragmatism and Education 127

Roots of the Pragmatist Worldview 127

Induction: A New Way of Thinking 128 • Centrality of Experience 129 • Science and Society 132

American Pragmatists 134

Pragmatism as a Philosophy of Education 144

Aims of Education 145 • Methods of Education 148 • Curriculum 150 • Role of the Teachers 151

Critique of Pragmatism in Education 154

James: Talks to Teachers 156

Dewey: Democracy and Education 161

5 Reconstructionism and Education 167

Historical Background of Reconstructionism 167

Philosophy of Reconstructionism 171

Reconstructionism as a Philosophy of Education 180

Education and the Human Crisis 180 • Role of the School 183 • Aims of Education 185 • Methods of Education 186 • Curriculum 187 • Role of the Teacher 189

Critique of Reconstructionism in Education 190

Counts: Dare the Schools Build a New Social Order? 193

Shane and Shane: Educating the Youngest for Tomorrow 196

6 Behaviorism and Education 200

Philosophical Bases of Behaviorism 201

Realism 201 • Materialism 202 • Early Behaviorists 203 • Behaviorism and Positivism 204

Philosophical Aspects of Behaviorism 206

Behaviorism as a Philosophy of Education 212

Aims of Education 212 • Methods and Curriculum 215 • Role of the Teacher 219

Critique of Behaviorism in Education 220

Hobbes: The Leviathan 224

Skinner: Beyond Freedom and Dignity 228

7 Existentialism, Phenomenology, and Education 234

Existentialist Philosophers and Their Thought 234

Existentialism in Modern Life 241

Phenomenological Philosophers and Their Thought 243

Heidegger and Phenomenology 244 • Phenomenology and Hermeneutics 246

Existentialism and Phenomenology in Philosophy of Education 247

Aims of Education 247 • Methods of Education 252 • Curriculum 255 • Role of the Teacher 255

Critique of Existentialism and Phenomenology in Education 258

Sartre: Existentialism and Humanism 261

Greene: Landscapes of Learning 264

8 Analytic Philosophy and Education 269

Analytic Movement in Philosophy 269

Realism and the Early Analytic Movement 270 • Logical Positivism and Analysis 274 • Linguistic Analysis 277

Philosophical Analysis and Philosophy of Education 282

Aims of Education 286 • Methods of Education 289 • Curriculum 291 • Role of the Teacher 291

Critique of Analytic Philosophy in Education 292

Martin: On the Reduction of “Knowing That” to “Knowing How” 295

Barrow: Does the Question “What Is Education?” Make Sense? 298

9 Marxism and Education 304

Origins of Marxism 304

Materialism 304 • Socialism 306 • Political Economy 306

The Philosophy of Karl Marx 307

Western Marxism and the Origins of “Critical Theory” 314

The Frankfurt School 315

Marxism as a Philosophy of Education 317

Aims of Education 317 • Methods and Curriculum 322 • Role of the Teacher 325

Critique of Marxism in Education 326

Marx: On Education 330

10 Philosophy, Education, and the Challenge of Postmodernism 337

Postmodern Variety 337

Postmodernism and Philosophy 339

Postmodern Philosophy and Its European Backgrounds 340 • Criticisms of Postmodernism 345

Postmodern Philosophy and Education 346

Aims of Education 348 • Methods and Curriculum 351 • Role of the Teacher 353

Critique of Postmodernism in Education 355

Giroux: Border Pedagogy as Postmodern Resistance 358

Nuyen: Lyotard as Moral Educator 363

Useful Web Sites and Internet Links 370

Selected Bibliography 373

Index 384