Lesson 1 TOPIC 1: Introduction to the historical • Explain the historical

Philosophy of Education. background of philosophy of

• Education in Preliterate Societies
• Ancient China’s Significance in World
Education
• Ancient Egypt’s Significance in World
Education
education emerged from the
preliterate societies up to the
ancient period.

Why This Lesson

The historical philosophy of education is an important source of concerns and issues as is the history of
education itself for setting the intellectual agenda of contemporary philosophers in education.

Education in Preliterate Societies

Preliterate
Evolution of the proliterate society existed ways before the intervention of reading and writing. There was no
standardised written language nor advancement of technology. Society was struggling to survive against
natural forces, and it led to the earliest forms of education.

When one mentioned about the proliterate phase, it began with the Paleolithic period (the Stone Age) and
resumed with the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. An informal education focused on specific purposes
inherited from parents and other members of the group. Children were taught survival skills such as finding
shelter, making weapons and tools, etc. Each member of the society was separated according to their
individual roles, for instance, the boys will be learning how to hunt, fish, gathering skills inherited from their father,
whereas a girl learn how to prepare food and take care of her younger sisters and brothers.

During the process of enculturation, children in the Paleolithic period learned their groups’ language, customs
and values. Children learned an informal education occurs through storytelling or ritual ceremonies to convey
cultural messages and provide behavioral norms. Teaching of religious beliefs and moral values were taught.
Tribal elders, such as priests and chiefs, transmitted the groups’ religious beliefs and moral values to the young
ones, to be preserved from generation to generation.

Due to a lack of writing to record their histories, preliterate societies relied on storytelling to transmit their
heritage. They combined myths and history, and the oral tradition constructed the group's collective memory
and identity by telling of its origin, heroes, and victories. Storytelling continues to be an engaging teaching
strategy up to date, especially in preschool and primary levels

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 Figure 1: Paleolithic Period – Informal education with
specific purposes, basically for survival purposes.

Figure 2: Storytelling in the Stone Age. Figure 3: The use of symbols in writing

Ancient China’s Significance in World Education

Ancient Chinese education has contributed to the greatest invention of mankind which includes paper,
printing, gunpowder, and the compass. Chinese education in the past was strongly collective in nature with
heavy governmental control. There was extreme pressure to conform to ancient customs and
independent depart behavior was looked down upon. Most communities had a primary school and most
major cities had a college. Completing university studies was a great way to achieve a government position in
ancient China.

Ancient Chinese education focused on Chinese Classics, mainly the writings of Confucius. Confucius
emphasized strict obedience in a hierarchical setting. The order was loosely King, Father, Mother, then the
child. Respect for authority was the ultimate duty of everyone. There is little surprise that the government
support such an education that demanded obedience from them.

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Another aspect of Confucius's writings that was stressed was the Five Cardinal Virtues which were charity,
justice, righteousness, sincerity, and conformity to tradition. These were the heart of the moral training that
young people received. Even leaders needed to demonstrate these traits which limited abuses of power at
times.

In Confucianism, a gentleman (Chun Tzu) considers what is right when the peasant considers what will pay. A
gentleman trusts in justice and the peasant trusts in favor. A gentleman is generous and fair when the peasant
is biased and petty. A gentleman looks within for guidance and the peasant looks unto others. A gentleman is
easy to serve, and hard to please. The peasant is hard to serve and easy to please. A gentleman is to know
what we know and know what we do not know.

Ancient Chinese education was taught almost exclusively by rote memory. Students were expected to
memorise large amounts of information. This contributed to a focus on the conservation of knowledge rather
than the expansion of it. If something new or unusual happened, it was difficult to deal with since there was no
prior way already developed to address it.

On the other hand, the common people should follow the traditions and rules. In ancient Chinese culture, there
was no need for the common people to know why. For common people, studying Confucianism and being a
gentleman had been the most efficient way for them to advance into the upper class. During the Han dynasty,
the first civil service exam was set up. Confucianism, with no surprise, was one of the key subjects to study for the
civil service exam. Provincial schools were established countrywide, and the Confucianism tradition of education
was spread all over China. "To enrich your family, there is no need to buy good land: Books hold a thousand
measures of grain.

For an easy life, there is no need to build a mansion, in books are found houses of gold. When you go out, do not
be upset if no one follows you: In books, there will be a crowd of horses and carriages. If you wish to marry, don’t
be upset if you don't have a go-between: In books, there are girls with faces like jade. A young man who wishes
to be somebody will devote his time to the Classics. He will face the window and read." There were people who
spend their entire life studying Confucianism in order to get respected, not only for themselves but also for the
pride of their family lines.

The civil service exam system from the Han dynasty had been used until the Qing dynasty. Throughout thousands
of years of history, more western influences were bought into the Chinese education system during the Qing
dynasty. With the humiliating defeat under the hands of the British army in the Opium War (1840-1842), scholars
and government officials suggested a major restructuring of the education system, developing new areas such
as foreign language, science, and technology. In 1911, the Qing Dynasty itself was overthrown by revolution, and
a republican form of government was established. At that time, the government completely abandoned the
traditional way of education. New educational models from European, American, and Japanese were set up in
China.

Ancient Egypt’s Significance in World Education

The ancient Egyptians lived in the desert of Northern Africa, and anyone lucky enough to get an education
would not have to work outside. Just like you use notebooks, ancient Egyptian students used papyrus, a type of
paper made from reeds.
In ancient Egypt, only the children of the rich went to school. Children from less-wealthy families had to help
their parents work as farmers or craftspeople. What's more, only boys went to school, and very few girls ever
learned to read or write. Instead, they learned how to bake, cook, and weave; girls from wealthy families were
taught how to dance, play a musical instrument like the harp, and sing.
Boys who got an education started at age seven with reading, writing, and math. Egyptians were trained to
read hieroglyphs, which consisted of pictures rather than letters and words. Formal education was practical
and aimed to train scribes and priests. Scribes were hired to write down important information, before the

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invention of printing, who ranged from copyists to librarians and teachers. Formal education was extended
from basic reading, writing, and religion to higher learning in law, medicine, and astrology. The schools for
priests were said to be as numerous as temples. This indicates not only the thoroughness but also the supremacy
of priestly education. Very little is known about higher education, but the advancement of the priestly work
sheds light upon the extensive nature of the intellectual pursuit.
As in the case of Egypt, the priests in Mesopotamia dominated the intellectual and educational domain as well
as the applied one. The centre of intellectual activity and training was the library, which was usually housed in a
temple under the supervision of influential priests. Methods of teaching and learning were memorisation, oral
repetition, copying models, and individual instruction. It is believed that the exact copying of scripts was the
hardest and most strenuous and served as the test of excellence in learning. The period of education was long
and rigorous, and discipline was harsh.

Watch this video: https://youtu.be/ubI8MCZisj8

Figure 1: Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs

References:
1. Ornstein, A. C., D. U., Gutek, G.L. & Vocke, D. E. (2017). Foundations of Education. (13e) USA: Cengage
Learning.
2. McNergney, R., & McNergney, J. (2013). Foundations of Education: The Challenge of Professional
Practice. (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson
3. Don E. Marietta Jr.. (2016). Introduction to Ancient Philosophy. USA: Taylor & Francis.

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