Relationship between Philosophy and Education
Education transmits that wisdom from one generation to the other. Philosophy is in reality
the theory of education. In other words, education is the dynamic side of philosophy, or application
of the fundamental principles of philosophy. Philosophy formulates the method, education its
process
How they are related:
-Philosophy and education are interrelated, interconnected, and intercorrelated with each
other.
-Education and philosophy are dynamic because both deals with a human being and their life.
-Philosophy is theoretical but education is practical in nature.
-Philosophy sets the goal and creates a good life among the individual but education finds out
the solution by which the goal of a human being can be fulfilled.
-Philosophy determines what constitutes a life but education makes that life very glorious.
-Philosophy deals with the end but education deals with some techniques to achieve those
ends.
-Philosophy deals with some abstraction but education is concrete in nature.
-Truth and principle can be established through philosophy but education helps to it in a
process.
-Philosophy is the love of wisdom but education collects all this wisdom for the individual.
-Philosophy determine the various aspect of education but education is a part of philosophy so
that there is saying “philosophy is the mother of all subject”.
Branches of Philosophy:
Philosophy is the way of life which is both art and science. It is a process that helps to search
for reality and truth. We know philosophy is closely related to education without philosophy
the system of education will be vague. It is a process that has some specific branches for
knowing about the reality of a concept. We have to collect specific knowledge on a particular
concept. Because philosophy means ” Love of wisdom ” However the branches of philosophy
is essential for knowing the real knowledge.
The oldest and the traditional branch
of philosophy which seeks to
reality or existence or being is metaphysics. It addresses two basic questions; What is out
there? and what is it like? The term has been derived from two break words ( beyond, upon,
or after ) and psysike( physics ). It means going beyond physic. It is concerned with explaining
the fundamental nature of being, reality, and the cosmos that encompasses it. It focuses on
nature reality. Thus, ontology is the branch of metaphysics it student three aspects of reality,
viz, self, world, and god. ( It attempts to find unity across the domains of experience and
thought ) Aristotle attributed this branch as the first philosophy and queen of science.
The branch of philosophy that deals with nature and the scope of knowledge is known as
epistemology. The word epistemology has been derived from two words ‘episteme’ and
‘logy’. The former meaning is knowledge and the letter the study of this, study of knowledge
is epistemology.
The term was first coined by James Frederic freer, Scottish philosophy in 1856 to
describe the branch of philosophy concerned with nature, method, and scope of knowledge.
The goal of epistemology is to determine the criteria for knowledge so that we can know what
can or can’t know. It helps to make the right choice in one’s life and to help realize one’s
potentialities. It is the knowledge that is not based upon observation of the physical universe.
It simply based on the mind. Which comes before.
The key elements in epistemology are :
1. Reason is the method of gaining knowledge.
2. Logic is the method of maintaining consistency in our set of knowledge.
3. Objectivity – associating knowledge with reality to determine its validity.
4. A proper epistemology of rational epistemology.
Ethics is a normative science of
manner or conduct. It is a study of what is
right or good in human conduct. As a normative science, it judges
as to what is right or wrong, good or bad, virtue or vice, etc. It stands on the sound and strong
pillar of ideals or norms set by society. It guides one to shape his character by practicing
norms or ideals.
It is primarily concerned with moral judgments right and wrong. As a science, it
evaluates the rightness or wrongness of human action by ethical standards that are set and
stated. ‘Axiology’ is considered as a science of value/theory of value, it should be wrong if we
tend to harp on anything beyond value.
Philosophy is dependent on Education
1. Philosophy is dependent on education in the sense that Philosophy follows education.
Almost all philosophers propagated their philosophies through education.
2. Here are few reasons why philosophy is dependent on education:
a. Education as a base : Education provides a base for creation of philosophy. An
educated person can think systematically, methodically and rationally.
b. Education as transmitter and propagator: Education transmits Philosophy from one
generation to another, it keeps Philosophy alive. It propagates philosophy otherwise
it’ll be lost.
c. Education is a form giver: Education provides concrete form to philosophy by
translating it into action.
d. Education as an acquaintance: Education acquaints philosophy with new problems.
e. Education as a tester: Education test philosophy in actual working conditions.
f. Education as producer: Education gives birth to new philosophies.
g. Education as the dynamic side: two things are necessary for completing any task i.e
thought and application. Philosophy is the thought or the plan side and education is
the practical side or application. Philosophy determines the aim of life and by
analysis lays down some principles to be followed in order to achieve those aims.
Education translates these principles into practice.
h. Education as the means to achieve the goal: Philosophy deals with the aim and
principles to achieve those aims whereas education deals with means to achieve
those aims.
Education depends on Philosophy
Education is dependent on philosophy due to these reasons:
1. Education is unthinkable without philosophy: philosophy is the theory and education is
practice..Theory (Pilosophy) can exist in itself but practice ( Education) without
Philosophy is unthinkable. Philosophy is independent but education is subordinated to
philosophy.therefore, philosophy becomes a condition for education. From philosophy
educations gets logic, rationale sequence and system, a form and discipline.
2. Philosophy determines the real destination towards which education has to go:
Philosophy has always inspired educational theory and practice. Philosophy is wisdom,
education transmit that wisdom from one generation to the other. Philosophy
represents a system of thought, education embraces that thought in the content of
instruction. Philosophy embodies a way of life; education is preparation of life.
Great Philosophers have been great educators also: In words of Ross “ If further agreement is
needed to establish the fundamental dependence of education on philosophy, it may be found
in the fact” that on the whole great philosophers have been great educationists.”
Philosophy determines the various aspects of education: It is the function of educational
philosophy to decide the aims of education. Every aspect of education has a philosophical base.
There is no aspect of education- aims, curriculum, methods, textbooks, discipline teacher etc.
which is not influenced and determined by philosophy. Height and breadth of education is
probed in by philosophy.
Impact of Philosophy on different aspect of education:
Philosophy and aims in education: It is the function of educational psychology to decide about
aims of education. Every system of education must have an aim. Without an aim education is
meaningless. The aim of education is directly related to aim of life and the aim of life is always
dependent on the philosophy that prevails. The aim of education have been changing with the
changing philosophy of life. They have varied in different countries in accordance with the
changing philosophy of life.
Philosophy and curriculum: curriculum is the content of education. It is just like a gun powder
for the soldier. Through curriculum education becomes effective or ineffective. It changes with
the aim of education, which are determined by philosophy.
Philosophy and textbooks: curriculum can be enforced only through proper selection of
textbooks. A philosophy is needed to determine the quality and contents of text-books. A good
textbook must reflect prevailing values of life fixed by philosophy.
Philosophy and methods of teaching: it is the function of philosophy of education to decide
about instructional techniques. Philosophy influences and determines the methods of teaching
as well. Teaching method have an important place in education, it is through a method that the
teacher established and maintains the contact between the child and the subject matter.
Philosophy and discipline: it is the function of educational philosophy to decide about the type
of discipline required to be imposed in the educational institutions. Like curriculum, textbooks
and methods, discipline too is determined by philosophy of life accepted at a particular time.
Philosophy and teacher: A teacher is the king-pin of social fabric. Teacher has very important
role to play in education. A teacher who is well aware of the philosophy of life and education is
very successful in his/her job. The process of education cannot go on right lines without the
help of philosophy.
Philosophy helps teacher in the following manner:
1. Understanding: Philosophy helps teacher in understanding pupil, his life, actions, ideas
and problem.
2. Direction: Philosophy provides direction to the teacher.
3. Guide: Philosophy serves as guide to the teacher for experiments.
4. Clarification:Philosophy provides clarification of the nature of education to the teacher.
5. Rationality: Philosophy provides reason with faith. It enables the teacher to think.critic
constructively and rationally.
Education and philosophy, the two disciplines, are very closely related and in some areas they
overlap each other. It is quite often said that, ‘Philosophy and Education are two sides of the
same coin’. ‘Education is the dynamic side of philosophy’.
To elaborate further, ‘Philosophy and Education are the two flowers of one stem, the two sides of
one coin. One can never be thought of without the other. The presence of one is incomplete
without the other.
The art of education cannot be completed without philosophy and philosophy cannot convert
others to its aims and values without education. There is a close interaction between the two; one
without the other is unserviceable.’
Education is practical in nature and philosophy is theory. It is not vague to say that theory and
practical are identical. The educator, who has to deal with the real facts of life, is different from
the arm chair theorist who is busy in speculation.
But a close observation of the various interpretations of philosophy will prove that these two are
nothing but the one and same thing seen from different angles. Philosophy is the study of the
realities, the pursuit of wisdom.
It is not mere theorizing but something which comes naturally to every individual. A person who
goes deep into the reason and nature of things and tries to arrive at certain general principles with
a view to apply them in his daily life, is a philosopher.
Philosophy is a way of life. In a wider sense philosophy is a way of looking at life, nature and
truth. It sets up the ideals for an individual to achieve them in his life time.
Education on the other hand is the dynamic side of philosophy. It is the active aspect and the
practical means of realizing the ideals of life. Education is a sacred necessity of life, both from
the biological and sociological point of view.
It is true that education works like a catalyst for a better life, a socially desirable life. As a pot is
made out of clay and a finished product comes out of raw material, so also from the immature
child comes out the civilized man through education.
Education renews and re-builds the social structure in the pattern of philosophical ideals. Human
being, who is born and grows up with inherited propensities, determines the basic trails of man,
but education paves a long way for his success in life.
Education according to Indian tradition is not merely a means to earn living, nor is it only a
nursery of thought or a school for a citizenship. Rather, it is the initiation into the life of spirit, a
training of human souls in pursuit of truth and the practice of virtue.
The basic relationship between philosophy and education can be analyzed as follows. It is
philosophy, that provides the purpose or the aim and it is education which makes it practical.
Philosophy shows the way and education moves on in that direction. When we define education
as the modification or behavior, the direction in which, modification to be carried out is
determined by philosophy.
Thus, philosophy deals with the end and education with the means. In fact, we can observe that
the great philosophers of all times have been also great educators. For example, Socrates and
Plato, the great philosophers, were also famous educators.
A teacher is not a teacher, in true sense of the term, if he/she is not able to discover the
relationship between philosophy and education. According to Thomson, every teacher should
realize the importance of philosophy in education.
Good philosophy thus would not only conceive the type of society which is needed in the
society. It is philosophy which would give to the teachers a sense of adventure.
A true teacher should have knowledge of the subject he/she teaches the pupils and the society.
He/she should also have the moralistic sense which comes from philosophy.
The choice of students must cater to the principles and purposes of philosophy. Choice of
curriculum needs philosophers or leaders of thought. With the change of time and circumstances,
the curricula also changes and this change can be brought out by philosophers alone.
The necessary conditions should be fulfilled so that the child is allowed to go in a free
atmosphere with the ultimate aim of becoming a happy and a rightly adjusted person of the
society.
The learning process is an active way of doing things; hence the curriculum for the child should
concern itself with the realities of life.
As far as the methods of teaching are concerned, it can be said that the child is influenced; to
give a particular shape to his life by the way he is taught.
The philosophy of the teacher is reflected in the child by his method of teaching. So the course of
life of the child is definitely influenced by philosophy. Here comes the utility of philosophy.
The Education- philosophy relationship may be further pointed out as given below:
According to Alfred Weber “Philosophy is a search for comprehensive view of nature, an
attempt at a universal explanation of the nature of things a person who searches into the reason
and nature of things, who tries to arrive at a general principle, and who attempts to apply those
principles to daily conduct of life, acts like a true philosopher. According to John Dewey,
philosophy is “critical reviewing of just those familiar things.”
Reymont argues, ‘ Philosophy is an unceasing? To discover the general truth that lies behind the
particular facts, to discern also the reality that lies behind appearances.
” What is life? What is man’s origin? What is man’s destiny or goal? These are some of the
questions of philosophical enquiry. Different philosophers try to answer these questions
according to their own mature reflection and thinking. These different answers lead to different
philosophies.
The Major Branches of Philosophy are: (a) Metaphysics or the discussion about the nature of
ultimate reality and the cosmos, (b) Epistemology or the theory of knowledge, (c) Ethics, the
theory of morality, (d) Aesthetics or the discussion of beauty, (e) Logic or the study of ideal
method of thought and reasoning. Philosophy influences even the daily life of every individual.
An educator not only holds certain beliefs and ideals of life, he also tries to convert his pupils to
his own views and his own way of life.
The influence of a person, holding a vital belief, brought to bear upon another person with the
object of making him also to hold that belief, is education. Thus education means to lead out,
through the modification of the native behavior of the child.
Education is a laboratory where philosophic theories and speculations are tested and made
concrete. Education may, therefore, be rightly called applied philosophy.
Philosophy is wisdom; education transmits that wisdom from one generation to the other.
Philosophy is in reality the theory of education. In other words, education is the dynamic side of
philosophy, or application of the fundamental principles of philosophy.
Philosophy formulates the method, education its process. Philosophy gives ideals, values and
principles, those ideals, values and principles.
A philosopher tries to live in accordance with those aims and values and also wants others to be
converted to his beliefs and live according to them. This he can achieve through education which
is the best means for the propagation of his philosophy.
Neo-Darwinism gave rise to the Prominence of the principles of struggle for existence, cut-throat
competition, gradual process of adaptation of the purposiveness of life (or elan vital),
intellectualism and man’s faith in reason.
Emphasis on knowledge received universal acceptance. In 20th century, the two world wars, and
the consequent mass destruction wrought by the application of science, gave rise to less of faith
in mere intellect.
Humanism, faith in higher principles and values of life, character development and emotional
integration gained greater impetus.
SOURCES:
https://www.slideshare.net/varshachhajera/relationship-between-philosophy-and-education-
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Introduction: https://wideeducation.org/relationship-between-philosophy-and-education/
https://www.preservearticles.com/articles/relationship-between-education-and-philosophy-in-the-
modern-world/22819
https://brainly.in/question/7776010
Prepared by: BEBERLY BANASTAO ABLAY
HERBERT ARTIAGA
