Philosophical Foundations of Education

403 Pages·2003·68.327 MB·English

by  Howard A. Ozmon, & Samuel M. Craver, Virginia Commonwealth University

Philosophical
Foundations
Education
of
Seventh Edition
HOWARD OZMON
A.
SAMUEL M. CRAVER
Virginia Commonwealth University
Merrill
PrenticeHall
UpperSaddle River, \c\\ Jersey
Columbus, Ohio
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
(>zmon,Howard. —
Philosophicalfoundationsofeducation / HowardA. Ozmon,SamuelM.Graver. 7thed.
p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferences (p. ) andindex.
ISBN0-13-042399-8
— — — —
1. Education Philosophy History. 2. Education Aimsandobjectives. 3. Education Studyandteaching.
I. Craver,SamuelM. II. Title.
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Preface
Thepurpose ofthis volume is to showhowphilosophical ideasabout education devel-
oped overtime, with due regard to historical influences and settings, andwithan em-
phasisonhowtheseideas continue to have relevanceforeducationan<1 life. This hook
was conceived as an introductory text in the philosophy of education, but it leads
studentsfromsimpletocomplexphilosophicalideas. Manyvariablesneededtobecon-
sidered in selectingideas, philosophers, andan organizational format, and the guiding
ruleforthebookhasbeentoselectthoseinfluencesthatwebelievehavehadthemost
relevanceforeducation. Eachchapterexaminesageneralphilosophy, suchasrealism,
and shows itsapplicationsin aims, curriculum, methods, andteaching. An assessment
ofeachphilosophyalso is provided, includinghowotherscholarshaveviewed it.
Some ideas included here are more than2,000yearsold, but theyoftenappear
in the panoply ofideas that continue to influence people because old and new ideas
are useful tools for evaluating the world. Idealism, though not a particularly influen
tial philosophytoday, might beausefulcounterpointbywhich tocompareand evalu-
ate today's materialist culture. Marxism and existentialism, though declining in
popularity, still might he useful paradigmsforexaminingaperson's individual lifeand
his or her relationship with otherpersons in the larger society.
The philosophies of education presented here are essentially arranged in
chronological order, which helpsthestudentsee how ideas evolved. We have tried to
avoidunnecessaryphilosophicalandeducationaljargon, bu1 oneneedstokno^ a ter-
minology to talk about ideas in a philosophical fashion. Technical expression is kepi
to a minimum, however. With regard to format, we realize thai not all philosophers
agree with a "systems" or"schools"approach and that this issue has serious pros and
cons. We do believe that for beginning students, often those who might be encoun
tering philosophy for the first time, the benefits ofthis organizational approach oul
weigh the disadvantages because it pro\ides a useful way ofsynthesizing ideas
Thestudj ofphilosophyofeducation should helpsharpenstudents' ideasabout
education and give idem ways to think about education in .1 broad sense The stud)
of philosophy not only assists students m developing necessarj analytical skills and
encourages critical perspectives but also provides useful perspectives on the
importance of education M is impossible to include m a volume of this size e\
iii
PREFACE
iv
philosopher or every leading philosophical idea that has had some educational im-
portance, butwehope thatthematerialpresentedwillstimulate studentsto explore
furtherthe philosophical foundations ofeducationandto cultivate ideas aboutedu-
cation and life.
Organization ofthe Book
By presenting several philosophical positions and showing how philosophy devel-
oped in an organized and orderly fashion, we hope the reader will be better able to
grasp the essential elements andbasic principles ofeach philosophyandto see how
they have influenced educationaltheoryand practice.
However,theorganizationofthebookbyschoolsofthoughtisnotmeanttofos-
terslavish emulationofanyone school, combination ofschools, orevenaschoolap-
proach. The usefulness ofthis approach lies in showing the following:
• Howpast philosophydeveloped.
• Howit has been organized.
• Howit has been used to help devise educational policies and practices.
After all, the major role of philosophy in education is not to formulate some grand
schemebut to help develop the educator's thinking capacities.
The creative genius ofindividuals, combined with particular cultural develop-
ments, produced philosophies ofeducation. Individual philosophers seldom set out
simply to construct a system, and many of them reject being identified with any
schoolofthought. The cuttingedge ofphilosophyisnotasystem, butfreeandwide-
ranging thought grappling with human problems. Perhaps the test of any era of
human history is not whether it built a system to bind together irreconcilable con-
flicts but how it enabled the resolution of those conflicts. Each era, however, also
mustwrite its own "philosophy" or consensus anew.
New Features ofthe Seventh Edition
• General editing and updating ofeach chapter
• Revisions in idealism, Easternphilosophy, pragmatism, and postmodernism
• Updating ofselected readings and bibliographic material
• Online Research activities usingthe Companion Website
• Useful Web sites and Internetlinks
Chapter Organization
Each chapterprovides a discussion ofaspecific philosophy and
• Its historical development.
• Its current status.
• Its influence on education.
PREFACE
• A critique ofits loading ideas.
• Online Research activities.
• Readings by major philosophers and theorists (primary source materials).
Taken together, these chapters provide a chronological development of philosophy
ofeducation. In addition, eachchapteris followed by an annotated listingofselected
readingsbyphilosopherswhohavebeenidentified with that philosophyorwhooffer
important criticismsand insights about it. The selections havebeenchosencarefully
to illustrate leading themes in each chapter. They also haw been selected to furnish
students with additional primary source materials of sufficient length and depth to
providesome firsthandacquaintancewith leadingworks in the field. Theseselections
are meant to give insight without overwhelming students and to whet their appetite
to do further reading in philosophy ofeducation from the philosophers themselves.
INSTRUCTORS MANUAL
The instructor's manual forthis textbookcontainschapteroverviews, projects, iden-
tifications (words from each chapterthat students are asked to identify), discussion
and essay questions, as well as multiple choice questions. This manual can be ob-
tained by contacting your Prentice Hall sales representative or by calling Prentice
Hall's Faculty Field Services at800-526-0485.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Wewishtothank the manystudentsandcolleaguestoonumerousto name who. over
the years, have given invaluable advice and helpful criticism.
In addition, we appreciate the input from the following reviewers: Patricia
Elmore, Jacksonville State University; Richard Farber, The College of New Jersey;
Rebekah Kolleher, Wittenberg University; and Ann K. Nauman. Southeastern
Louisiana University.
Wealso thank all those whohavereviewed past editionsand whosesuggestions
have helped improve each edition.
HowardA Ozmon
Samuel M
I
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1
Contents
Introduction 1
The Need for Philosophy ofEducation 1
Branches ofPhilosophy 2
Theoryand Practice in Education 6
The Quest in Philosophy in Education 10
Developinga Philosophical Perspective on Education 12
Selected Readings 13
Idealism and Education 14
Development ofIdealism 14
PlatonicIdealism 15 • ReligiousIdealism 18
Development ofModern Idealism 20
Idealism asa Philosophy ofEducation 27
Aims ofEducation 28 • MethodsofEducation 32
• Curriculum 35 • Roleofthe Teacher 36
( ritique ofIdealism in Education 37
Plato: TheRepublic 41
Kant: Education 44
Selected Readings 46
Realism and Education 48
ClassicalTraditions 48
AristotelianRealism '/<S' Religious Realism 53
Development ofModem Realism •>i;
!ontemporary Realism 59
(
Realism as a Philosophy of Education 65
Aims "i Education 65 • Methods <<\ Education
• ( timatin 74 • lioli i>l tin T< in In i 75
\ 1
CONTENTS
viii
Critique ofRealism in Education 77
Aristotle: ThePolitics andEthics ofAristotle 81
Locke: Some Thoughts ConcerningEducation 86
Selected Readings 89
O
Eastern Philosophy, Religion,
and Education 91
The DevelopmentofEasternThought 92
FarEastern and IndianThought 92
Indian Thought 93 • Chinese Thought 102
• Japanese Thought 106
Middle EasternThought 108
EasternThoughtand PhilosophyofEducation 113
Aims ofEducation 113 • Methods and
Curriculum 115 • Role ofthe Teacher 116
Critique ofEastern Philosophyin Education 116
Bhagavad-Gita 118
Suzuki: Zen Mind, BeginnersMind 122
Selected Readings 126
4
Pragmatism and Education 127
Roots ofthe PragmatistWorldview 127
Induction:ANew Way ofThinking 128 • Centrality
ofExperience 129 • Science andSociety 132
American Pragmatists 134
Pragmatism asaPhilosophyofEducation 144
Aims ofEducation 145 • Methods of
Education 148 • Curriculum 150
• Role ofthe Teachers 151
Critique ofPragmatism in Education 154
James: Talks to Teachers 156
Dewey: Democracy andEducation 161
Selected Readings 166
D
Reconstructionism and Education 167
Historical Background ofReconstructionism 167
Philosophy ofReconstructionism 171
Reconstructionism asaPhilosophyofEducation 180
Education and theHuman Crisis 180 • Role ofthe
School 183 • Aims ofEducation 185 •
Methods ofEducation 186 • Curriculum 187
• Role ofthe Teacher 189
CONTENTS
ix
Critique ofReconstructionism in Education 190
Counts: Dare theSchools Build a New Social Order.' 193
Shane and Shane: Educating the Youngestfor Tomorrow 196
Selected Readings 199
6
Behaviorism and Education 200
Philosophical Bases ofBehaviorism 201
Realism 201 • Materialism 202 •
EarlyBehaviorists 20.) • Behaviorismand
Positivism 204
Philosophical Aspects ofBehaviorism 206
Behaviorism as a Philosophy ofEducation 212
Aims ofEducation 212 • Methods and
Curriculum 215 • Role oj'the Teacher 219
Critique ofBehaviorism in Education 220
Hobbes: The Leviathan 224
Skinner: Beyond Freedom and Dignity 228
Selected Readings 232
Existentialism, Phenomenology,
and Education 234
Existentialist Philosophers and TheirThought 234
Existentialism in Modern Life 241
Phenoinenologieal Philosophers and TheirThought 243
Heideggerand Phenomenology 244 •
Phenomenology and Hermeneuties 246
Existentialism and Phenomenology in Philosophy ofEducation 247
AimsofEducation 247 • Methodsof
Education 252 • Curriculum 255 •
Role oj the Teacher 255
CritiqueofExistentialismand Phenomenology in Education 258
Sartre: Existentialism and Humanism 2(>1
Greene: Landscapes ofLearning 264
Selected [leadings 267
8
Analytic Philosophy and Education 269
AnalyticMovement inPhilosophy 2<>!)
Realism and the Early Analytic Movement 270 •
LogicalPositivismandAnalysis 274 • Linguistu
Analysis 277
Philosophical Analysisand Philosophy ofEducation 282