PHILOSOPHICAL

FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHIES
DURING THE ANCIENT PERIOD

Dominique Planas
Rizza Sandoy
Silvestre Udani III
Philosophy
 is often defined as the foundation upon
which knowledge is based.
 Derived from the Greek “philos,” which
means love, and “sophos,” which means
“wisdom,” the actual meaning of the word
philosophy is “love of wisdom” (Johnson et.
al., 2011). 
Educational Philosophy
 Our beliefs about why,
what and how we teach,
whom we teach, and about
the nature of learning.
 A set of principles that guides professional
action through the events and issues teachers
face daily
 EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHIES DURING
THE ANCIENT PERIOD
 Socrates (Socratic Method)

 Plato (Idealism)

 Aristotle (Realism)
 Philosophy of
Socrates (470-399 B.C)

 He was interested in the

development of a person’s moral
character

 Teacher of Plato
 Philosophy of
Socrates (470-399 B.C)

 concerned with the question of ETHICS

(moral behaviour)

• Unlike the Sophists believed that there was definite right and
wrong

 He created a question-and-answer approach to teaching

(Socratic Method)
Philosophy of Socrates

• He believed that people could accept it and apply it

into their daily lives
• He said that it was up to people (society),as a
whole, to establish those things that are right and
those that are wrong
• Dedicated his life to searching for standards by
which people could live a virtuous/good life
Philosophy of Socrates
 Socrates was also concerned with justice
◦ He wanted life to be fair for all
◦ It was a person’s duty to explore the truth regarding
right and wrong, justice and injustice, courage and
cowardice
◦ He worked to find principles and laws that all could live
by and be happy
 Universal: these truths would be applicable for all
people, at any time, everywhere and in all cases
The Socratic Method

 A dialect method of inquiry

 To solve a problem, it should be broken
down into a series of questions.
 The answers to these questions would
help one discover the answer they are
seeking.
The Socratic Method

 The questions help one understand their underlying

beliefs and the extend of their knowledge.
 It is a negative method of idea elimination by identifying
ideas that led to contradictions.
 Used in courtrooms today
The Three Main Reasons the Socratic Method is
still used today:

 It helps develop critical thinking skills.

 It gets students ready to think quickly.

 It forces students to be prepared and

attentive.
The Three Main Reasons the Socratic Method is
still used today:

 It helps develop critical thinking skills.

 It gets students ready to think quickly.

 It forces students to be prepared and

attentive.
 IDEALISM

 This is the systematic

philosophy in western
culture,
Which is believe that ideas are
the only true reality.
 This philosophy begins with
PLATO (427-346 BCE)
 A philosophical belief
claiming that material things
are IMAGINARY, that
material things don not exist
independently but only as
construction in the mind.
 IDEALISM

Plato believed education helped move

individuals collectively toward achieving
the good.
 The state should be involved in
education, moving brighter students
toward abstract ideas and the less able
toward collecting data.
 Those who were brighter should rule, others should assume
roles to maintain the state.
 The philosopher-king would lead the state to the ultimate good

 Focus: Mind
REALISM
REALISM

 Aristotle was a leading proponent

-he is the first philosopher to develop
the systematic theory of logic

 Reality exists independent of the

human mind. World of Physical
objects ultimate reality

 Focus: Body
Curriculum
• Curricula should be highly organized, correlated and aligned
throughout the scope and sequence offered by schools

• Curricula should be based upon pre-established standards

and criteria.

• Curricula should be “experiential” whenever possible

Thank you!