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Understanding Dualism in Education01
Understanding Dualism in Education01
The Field Before Us: Relational Education with Fullness and Joy Let knowledge grow from more to more;
J. Carroll Smith, EdD but more of reverence in us dwell.
Charlotte Mason
• Classic - Judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and • Simply want to point out some ideas that I think we need to
outstanding of its kind: a classic novel; a classic car. A work of art of consider as we think about the education of children as whole
recognized and established value: his books have become classics. person’s made in the image of God.
• Dualism - In Philosophy a theory or system of thought that regards a • I am not a philosopher and I am not a theologian—I am an
educator trying to make sense of how theology and
domain of reality in terms of two independent principles, especially philosophy make an impact on education.
mind and matter (Cartesian dualism).
Definitions taken from Dictionary, 2014, Apple, Inc.
• I will be talking about the philosophy of Plato. I cannot deal
• For example, in religion - good and evil, human and divine, with all the intricacies of a philosopher like Plato. I am
pointing out a part of his thinking that I believe makes a
secular and sacred, etc.
negative impact on education.
• Idealism is the educational philosophy term used to describe the
effects of a Platonic education.
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Important Concepts
Plato’s views of reality
• While understanding the ideas and beliefs of the ancients can help us
understand their times, theirs cultures and ideas, it must never be our
orientation in terms of how we define ourselves or in terms of how
we understand life. In this presentation I am dealing with one
• Ozmon - “[Plato] conjectured that the human soul
once had true knowledge but lost it by being placed
classical writer - Plato.
in a material body, which distorted and corrupted
• True, common grace means that God can speak through whomever
that knowledge” (p. 9).
he chooses, but, it is only the Hebrew Old Testament and the
Christian New Testament that Mason followed and took as divinely • Barrs and Macaulay - “Accordingly, in Platonic
inspired texts. We cannot look for final truth about ourselves within thought the spiritual realm is considered superior to
the ancient antiquity framework (meaning the ancient Greek and
Romans). the material. The spirit is housed in a body of clay
from which it longs to be released. In this life,
• I cannot cover every aspect of this topic today as I wish I could. It is
too complicated and thick. My hope is that it will spur you on to however, the aim is to dwell in the realm of the
read some of the books I mention today and use in this presentation. spirit as far as possible and de-emphasize and
devalue the material realm” (p. 40).
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From C. S. Lewis’ The Discarded Image
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body
Material senses spirit Spiritual
reason
Man
This diagram is taken from page 40 in Macaulay and Barrs’ book Being Human: The Nature of
Spiritual Experience.
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Understanding Dualism
Greek Religious
Greek Philosophers
Leaders
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Platonic Thought on Education Difficulties with Platonic thought on Education
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• Highly cognitive, intellectual, • A liberal education for all • Picture Study - Spiritual
promotes an elitism. • Engages with the physical world • Nature - Physical
• Ignores the affective and the through nature and through other means. • Literature - Spiritual
physical • Promotes caring for others while at the • For all children - The Liberal Education for All not just the elite
• Promotes Competition -such same time paying attention to detail and • Emphasizes the physical world including the physical development of
children not just their ability to memorize or just their cognitive abilities
as the college we get in, etc. thoroughness.
• Knowing is for getting a great • Knowing is about relationship which • Does not divide between the secular and sacred but rather has three
domains of knowledge — knowledge of God, knowledge of man and
paying job. promotes caring, sensitivity and a long for
knowledge of the universe
the world to know Christ as we know him.
• Does not emphasize reason nor down plays it, just acknowledges that as
fallen human beings it must not be our master but rather it must be our
servant informed by the Holy Spirit (as when reading a living book).
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Our real concern is that children should have a good and
regular supply of mind-stuff to think upon; that they should
Reference List
have large converse with books as well as with things; that
they should become in<mate with great men through the Lewis, C.S. (2013). The discarded Image. Cambridge:
books and works of art they have le= us, the best part of Cambridge University Press.
themselves. Thought breeds thought; children familiar with
great thoughts take as naturally to thinking for themselves as Macaulay, R. & Barrs, J. (1978). Being human: The nature
the well-nourished body takes to growing; and we must bear of spiritual experience. Downers’ Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity
in mind that growth, physical, intellectual, moral, spiritual, is Press.
the sole end of educa6on.
(The Story of Charlo.e Mason, p. 231) Mackenna, S. (1948). The essence of Plotinus. NYC:
Oxford University Press.
The func<on of educa<on is not to give technical skill but to
develop a person; the more of a person, the beFer the work
of whatever kind. Ozmon, H. A. (2012). Philosophical foundations of
(An Essay Towards a Philosophy of Ed, p. 136) education. Boston: Pearson.
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