PHILOSOPHICAL

thoughts of education

JOHN LOCKE-1632-
1704
John Locke FRS was an English philosopher
and physician, widely regarded as one of the
most influential of Enlightenment thinkers and
commonly known as the "father of liberalism".

HERBERT SPENCER-1820-
1903
Herbert Spencer was an English philosopher,
psychologist, biologist, anthropologist, and
sociologist. Spencer originated the expression
"survival of the fittest", which he coined in
Principles of Biology after reading Charles
Darwin's 1859 book On the Origin of Species.

JOHN DEWEY-1859-1952 was an American

philosopher, psychologist, and educational
reformer whose ideas have been influential in
education and social reform. He was one of the
most prominent American scholars in the first half
of the twentieth century.

GEORGE COUNTS-1889-1974
George Sylvester Counts was an American educator and
influential education theorist. An early proponent of the
progressive education movement of John Dewey, Counts
became its leading critic affiliated with the school of Social
reconstructionism in education.

THEODORE BRAMELD-1904-1907

Theodore Brameld was a philosopher and educator

who supported the educational philosophy of social
reconstructionism.

PAULO FREIRE-1921-1997
Best known for his book, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Freire
believed that education was a means to building a “critical
consciousness” that would enable people to create change
in their lives. His work has influenced many of our
educational and civic programmes including Implicated
Theatre, Youth Forum and ACT ESOL