DPE 401

PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS

KAREN VERONICA G. LEONARDO

Post-Modernism
• Idealism
• Pragmatism
• Progressivism
 Post - Modernism
Late 20th-century movement in philosophy
and literary theory that generally questions
the basic assumptions of Western
philosophy in the modern period (roughly,
the 17th century through the 19th
century).
 Post - Modernism
Postmodern philosophy is characterized by
broad scepticism or relativism and a
general suspicion of reason. It also broadly
asserts that Western intellectual and
cultural norms and values are a product of,
or are in some sense influenced by, the
ideology of dominant or elite groups and at
least indirectly serve their interests.  
IDEALISM
 What is Idealism?
 According to idealism a man is born
with a spiritual self. He understands its
true nature only through education.
 What is Idealism?
Idealist believe that it is only through
the agency of education the ideals of
race and its cultural patterns are
preserved, transmitted and modified
subsequently in light of the new
situation.
 What is Idealism?

Plato, father of Idealism, espoused this

view about 400 years BC, in his famous
book, The Republic.
The Development of Idealism (from
ancient times)
  A Greek philosopher, who was remarkably
PLATONIC equipped with natural endowments.
IDEALISM
 He became an ardent admirer and disciple
(427 – 347 B.C.)
of Socrates.

 He opened up his own school, the

Academy in Athens and there developed
and expounded his doctrines as a teacher.

 Two of his most famous works are “The

Republic” and “The Dialogue.”

 Plato did not think that man created

knowledge. Rather, man discovered
knowledge.
  “Intelligent people should be
PLATONIC IDEALISM
taken care of by the
(427 – 347 B.C.) government next to the best
school to be of greater
service to the country.”

 He suggested that the state

take a very active role in
educational matters; that
both boys and girls should be
given equal opportunity to
develop themselves.
  Concept of Good: God
SAINT AUGUSTINE
(354-430)
 Concept of Evil :Adam

 Augustine believed that the

senses were unreliable and that
belief in God rests ultimately on
faith.

 “We must first believe, In order

that we may know.”
SAINT AUGUSTINE
(354-430)  He believed that God already
created knowledge, and people
can discover it through trying to
find God.

 Intuitive approach to education

= Learning must come from
within and all true knowledge
comes from God.
The Development of Modern Idealism
RENE DESCARTES  A French philosopher,
(1596-1650) mathematician and scientist
 His basic proposition: I think,
therefore I am.
 He thought the world consisted
of two kinds of substances:
thinking substance (mind) and
extended substance (matter)
 He struggled with how mind and
matter interacted.
 He became the father of dualism
insofar as he divided brain and
mind into separate but equal
parts
BENEDICT DE SPINOZA  A Spanish Jew who lived in Holland.
(1632-1677)  He accepted Descartes’ idea that
the universe is divided into mind
and matter.
 But he saw, that if mind and matter
are separate substances, they
cannot interact.
 He held that people’s highest
happiness consists in coming to
understand and appreciate the
truth and that they are tiny parts of
an all-inclusive, pantheistic God.
(Pantheism believes that all is God
and God is all.)
GEORGE BERKELEY  He spent most of his professional
(1646-1716) life as a minister.
 As an Anglican Bishop and
philosopher, he was a deeply
religious man who tied to
reconcile the science of his day
with the doctrines of Christianity.
 Esse Est Percipi (To be is to
perceived)
 His main purpose is to make
evident the existence of God and
to prove that God is the true
cause of all things.
IMMANUEL KANT  Critique of Pure Reason
(1724-1804)
 Critique of Practical Reason

 to Kant, the essence of

education should not be simply
training; the important thing
was enlightenment, or teaching
a child to think according to
principles as opposed to mere
random behavior
 Aim of Education in Idealism
1. Exaltation of Human Personality

2. Universal Education

3. Development of Initiative & Creative

Power
 Aims of Education in Idealism
4. Acquisition and Enrichment of
Cultural Environment

5.Development of Moral Sense

6. Self Realization
 IDEALISM AND CURRICULUM
• Principle of pursuit of attributes, e.g.,
truth, goodness and beauty.
• The Principle of physical
development.
• Principle to development of
cognitive, effective and psycho motor
domains.
IDEALISM AND METHODS OF TEACHING

• Lecture and discussion method.

• Questioning method.
• Self study method.
• Imitation method.
• Meditation and concentration
method.
 IDEALISM AND TEACHER
• In this philosophy teacher is the
friend philosopher and guide of his
students.
• The teacher guides and helps the
children in the development of their
physical as well as mental abilities.
 IDEALISM AND TEACHER
• According to idealists the teacher should
possess good personality, morality, honesty,
wisdom so that the students would follow
them.
• The teacher should encourage students to
understand and solve problems by the
method of analysis and synthesis.
PRAGMATISM
 What is Pragmatism?
Pragmatism is a philosophical
movement that includes those who
claim that an ideology or proposition is
true if it works satisfactorily, that the
meaning of a proposition is to be
found in the practical consequences of
accepting it, and that unpractical ideas
are to be rejected.
 What is Pragmatism?
The term ‘Pragmatism’ is derived from
Greek word ‘Pragma’ meaning activity
or work done. Another group of
thinkers, however, believes that
‘Pragmatism’ is derived from
‘Pragmatikos’ meaning practicability or
experimentation.
 PROPONENTS
Pragmatism originated as a
philosophical movement in the
United States in the late 1800s. Its
main proponents were Charles
Sanders Peirce, William James and
John Dewey (all members of The
Metaphysical Club)
Charles Sanders Peirce • An American philosopher,
(1839-1914) logician, mathematician,
and scientist.

• “The Father of
Pragmatism"

• Believed that thought

must produce action,
rather than linger in the
mind and lead to
indecisiveness.
 • An American philosopher and psychologist
William James who was also trained as a physician.

(1842-1910) • The first educator to offer a psychology

course in the United States,
• one of the leading thinkers of the late
nineteenth century and is believed by
many to be one of the most influential
philosophers the United States has ever
produced, while others have labeled him
the "Father of American psychology".

• William James, the author of the

Pragmatic Theory, defines truth in terms
of the usefulness of a belief. He thinks
that useful beliefs are true and useless
beliefs are false.
 •  An American philosopher and
John Dewey educator who was a leading
(1859-1942) exponent of philosophical
pragmatism and rejected
traditional methods of teaching by
rote in favor of a broad-based
system of practical experience.
• Father of Modern Experiential
Education
• An early proponent of progressive
education, maintained that
schools should reflect the life of
the society.
• “Education is not preparation for
life; education is life itself.”
 Principles of Pragmatism
• PLURALISM
• EMPHASIS ON CHANGE
• UTILITARIANISM
• CHANGING AIM AND VALUES
• INDIVIDUALISM
• EMPHASIS ON SOCIAL ASPECTS
• EXPERIMENTALISM
 EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
• EDUCATION AS LIFE
• EDUCATION AS GROWTH
• EDUCATION AS A SOCIAL PROCESS
• EDUCATION A CONTINUOUS RESTRUCTURING
OF EXPERIENCE
• EDUCATION THE RESPONSIBILITY OF STATE
PRAGMATISM and CURRICULUM
• PRINCIPLE OF INTEREST
• PRINCIPLE OF UTILITY
• PRINCIPLE OF EXPERIENCE
• PRINCIPLE OF INTEGRATION
 PRAGMATISM and Methods of Teaching

• Project method which asks students to

do some research and prepare a project.
• Learning by doing method.
• Correlation method
• Play way method
• Use of dynamic method of teaching
 PRAGMATISM and Methods of Teaching

• Experimentation.
• Activity.
• It also encourages discussion as a
method of laboratory work. Personal
reference in the library. Educational tours
and excursions.
 PRAGMATISM and Teacher
• In pragmatism the teacher is a friend,
philosopher and guide for students.
• The teacher is not a dictator but only a
leader of a group.
• Teacher should have knowledge of
students interest and provide them social
environment.
 PRAGMATISM and Teacher
• Further the teacher should believe in
democratic values.
• The teacher should have knowledge of
social conditioning.
• The teacher should not over shadow the
personality of the pupil.
PROGRESSIVISM
 What is Progressivism?
• Progressivism is a theory of education
that is concerned with “learning by
doing” and purports(claims to) that
children learn best when pursuing their
own interests and satisfying their own
needs.
• Progressivism is the educational
philosophy which is grounded in the
“pure” philosophy of pragmatism
 What is Progressivism?
• Progressivism focuses on real-world
problem solving and individual
development.

• Learning is an active, democratic and

social process. Knowledge is constructed
by the student as they experiment and
solve problems.
 • Progressive educational
William H.
philosopher
Kilpatrick
(1871–1965) • "The Project Method" in the
Teachers College Record. In that
article Kilpatrick provided a
practical approach to
implementing John Dewey's
educational philosophy.

• Schools needed to be more

child-centered, democratic, and
socially oriented.
Francis Wayland • founder of
progressive elementary
Parker education in the United
(1837-1902) States and organizer of the first
parent-teacher group at Chicago
• He believed that education
should include the complete
development of an individual —
mental, physical, and moral
• He worked to
create curriculum that centered
on the whole child and a strong
language background.
John Dewey • “Father of Progressive
education,“
(1859-1942) • An American philosopher,
psychologist and educational
reformer.
• His philosophy based on
pragmatism.
• He established “Laboratory
School” in 1896.
• He believed that book learning
was no substitute for actually
doing things.
Characteristics of Progressivism
• Emphasis on learning by doing
• Hands-on projects , experiential
learning
• Integrated curriculum focused on
thematic units
• Strong emphasis on problem solving
and critical thinking
Characteristics of Progressivism
• Group work and development of social
skills
• Understanding and action as the goals of
learning as opposed to rote knowledge
• Collaborative and cooperative learning
projects
• Education for social responsibility and
democracy
 Aims of Education in Progressivism
• To develop the personality of an individual
through providing a democratic environment
in the educational institutions.
• An all-round development of child.
• co-operative behavior and social participation.
• Education of the whole man, or whole
personality, which includes the physical,
emotional, social and intellectual aspects of
the individual.
 Progressivism and Curriculum
• It should be based on the actual living
environment to the child.
• The curriculum is interdisciplinary in nature.
• Books and subject matter were part of the
learning process rather than sources of
ultimate knowledge.
• Curriculum is based on students' interests,
involves the application of human problems
and affairs.
 Progressivism and Curriculum
• It uses the life experience approach to fit the
student for future social action.
• Curriculum is based on a specific group of
students.
• Curriculum includes Political; moral; social;
vocational ; intellectual; mathematics; general
science, languages; integration of experiences.
Progressivism and Methods of Teaching

• Project method- active participation of

the pupils in learning.
• Socialized method- to bring all the
individual into a group system of
interaction.
• Conferences
• Demonstration
Progressivism and Methods of Teaching
• Group work
• Role play
• Debates
• Inquiry
• Discussion
• Planning and participation in the activities
 Progressivism and Teacher
• Facilitator or guide
• Determine student interest
• Involve students in curriculum
development
• Stimulate direct learning process.