REYES, FRANCO ANGELO G.

3BSC6A- GREAT BOOKS (GED183)

Activity 6

1. John Locke

Termed as “The father of modern education in England”,

Locke outlined the ways of educating human mind in his book
“Some Thoughts Concerning Education”. He included in his
book the ways on how a student/ pupil must be fed, dressed,
instructed, exercised and assessed. He (Locke) advocated
the importance of close relationship between a teacher and
student/ pupil which is similar to the American Educational
Model.
Locke’s psychological work helped the development of
the idea “associationism” in which he warned the parents not
to permit their child to develop negative associations or
influences that may hurt their advancement in education. He
Denounces scholasticism but promoted experimentation in
learning. Locke also promoted training the students/ pupils in
virtue and wisdom rather that focusing on the main content
itself. Locke believed that playing is essential and is equal to
learning because playing itself can integrate learning.
Because of this, teachers take consideration the element of
“fun” inside the classroom
Locke had many profitable ideas about education but his approach to Biblical
training is a concern for Christian educators. Locke believed that the only virtue in reading
the Bible was for moral values. The Bible should be read so people learn about the
Gospel, not just as a moral guide. Classical education should be combined with hands-on
activities to provide a well-rounded education for the students. Locke was right on his
approach in combining physical education with mental study as evidenced by the physical
education programs that have been added to the American school system.
2. Immanuel Kant

Immanuel Kant separates education into two as

physical and moral education. For him, physical education is
only a common way with the aspect of caring and feeding
which is then comparing human with animals. Physical and
moral education teach us how a person lives in independent
existence. Instruction makes a person worthy as an individual.
By means of instruction, acquisition of information helps the
development of a person’s talent. On the other hand, moral
education makes a citizen valuable for his/ her state and
nation. Moral Education makes a person’s existence
valuable.
 Kant’s thoughts concerning education is related closely with a person’s nature. He
thinks that there is no wickedness at the person’s nature but rather, there is only
goodness which is seeded and this goodness can be improved and developed through
education. For him (Kant), all the source of kindness at this World is found in education.

3. Jean Jacques Rosseau

Rousseau was the leader of the Naturalistic

Movement. Rousseau’s philosophy was based on the
principle that everything is good when it came from God’s
hand but due to its influence (sin) of the society it steadily
degenerates. He emphasized that traditional and formal
education was manmade and therefore undesirable and
therefore was against on these educational systems. He
believes that education is the development of the child’s
inner disposition and it is certainly not about imparting
information or seeking knowledge. He also said that the first
and the most important part of education is that of
preparing a child to receive education.
Rousseau focused on the notion that education should be pleasurable; for
children they should have a good time when they are learning. This readiness for
specific kinds of activity is evidenced by their interest. Consequently, interest in a
subject and interest in ways of doing things are guides to parents and teachers, both as
to subjects of study and methods of teaching for which children have a natural
readiness at any given stage of development.
4. Thomas Aquinas

St. Thomas Aquinas is a master of theological

understanding. He was a man guided by God, who pursued
the science of God in wisdom and truth, which directed his
every teaching towards the goal of every man: eternal life.
Aquinas was not purely an academic, but a man who found
his abiding attraction to God in the love that God first had
for him and for all of mankind.
 It was this love that urged him to write his “Summa Theologiae” for the sake of
beginners, so that they, too, could be ever pointed toward their final goal and lead others
in that direction. Likewise, it is the goal of every catechist to orient his or her students to
that same end. Recourse to Aquinas’ method of teaching, therefore, is certainly relevant
for the catechists of the 21st century.

5. David Hume

The goals of education seem to be unimportant to

David Hume but rather, learning is important. Education
produces beliefs which are not associated with
impressions. Since they are not associated with
impressions, they are to be doubted and questioned as
“real”. Since they are beliefs, and not causally related to
impressions, what is learned through education (what is
known is given to a knower) form no part of reality.
Reality is formed by the philosophic mind, not the
metaphysical one. The metaphysical mind is too
disordered, lacking “force and settled order”. Later in
his writing, Hume stops referring to education and
resorts to discussing “the harmony between the course
of nature and the succession of our ideas” that allows
reality and experience to triumph over superstition and
metaphysics. Thus, the goal of “education” is to base
ones beliefs in experience and impressions which are
propositions based in reason and deduction.