Concept of Philosophy and philosophy of Education

Core-1 Unit-1
Sub point –[A] Education and Philosophy
What is Philosophy?
In simple words, Philosophy is a way of life. It is an attitude towards life. Every Human being has a philosophy of his own whether it is good or bad .It does not matter that someone thinks in bad way and he has negative point of view that is his philosophy. From our birth we learn what is right and what is wrong and when we have our own view about correct and false but we don’t know that this would be considered as a philosophy of ours. A man starts/begins his learning from his birth and it ends at his death and in between these starting point to the goal he has his own attitude towards life and he passes his journey of life through his attitude, thinking and sense of judgment What is this? This is philosophy of his towards life.
The word ‘philosophy’ is derived from two Greek words- Philos’ and ‘sophia’ Where philos means ‘love’ and Sophia means ‘wisdom’. Thus philosophy means love of wisdom.
We all know what wisdom is. It means the knowledge that a society or culture has gained over a long period of time. As above Mentioned philosophy means love of wisdom- this suggests philosophy is a science through which we see or receive the knowledge of reality.
According to Dr. Radhakrishnan “Philosophy is a logical enquiry in to the nature of reality”
This means philosophy is an investigation or probing to know what is wrong –and what is right-the real thing but it is rational probing in the world that exist around us.
J.Raymant “Philosophy is an unceasing effort to discern the general truth that lies behind appearance”
Here j. Rayment is of the opinion that philosophy is the endless effort to be aware of or to recognize the truth which hides behind reality or in other words we can say it is a continuous process to find out the truth is science of value par excellence.
According to Immanuel Kant, the German philosopher-“Philosophy is the science and criticism of cognition” And in the words of B. Russel, The truth philosopher –“Philosophy is like all other studies aims primarily at knowledge”
These means that philosophy is deals with Being as much as with becoming. Thus it includes science within its ken. Man experiences eternity as well as change. Philosophy is an explanation of the total experience of man, seeks the integral truth i.e. knowledge. It should widen its field to include all types of experience, religious, moral, scientific, spiritual etc. It is also said that ”A true philosophy is an” aspirate de ensemble’, a synoptic vision of reality. It is the intellectual search for the fundamental truth for things.”
All there mean that philosophy is abstract difficult discipline. It has its own vocabulary. It provides means to lead a kind of life.
“Science is what you know, philosophy is what you don’t know” - Bertrand Russell

“Philosophy as rightly defined is nothing but the love of wisdom” -Cicero

“Some would reject every philosophy, but that rejection is itself a philosophy” - V. Samuel

“Whence?, whether?, why? and How? These questions cover all philosophy.” -Joseph Joubert
“Higher education results in philosophy and philosophy is a guide to action”. – S. Radhakrishnan
‘Philosophy asks the simple question: What is it all about? - A. N. Whitehead

“Philosophy is an art of living”
- Plutarch
”Philosophy: a route of many roads leading from nowhere to nothing”
- Bierce
What is Education:-
We all know what is education? In simple words, it is a process of teaching, training and learning especially in schools or colleges, to improve knowledge and develop skills. It has been taken from the word educare – which means to bring up or to draw out respectively. It can be defined as the instrument for developing the best in man. It is also a socially approved activity which helps a person to grow and develop to the fullest.
Rig Veda defines “Education is something that makes a man self-reliant and selfless.” That means education is a continuous process which moulds every human being and makes them self reliant. According to Aristotle- “education is the creation of a sound mind in a sound body.” Here Aristotle points out that it is the process which produces reliable sensible- that is likely to correct mind in a sensible body. This suggests self development. T. Raymont is of the opinion that “education is the complete development from infancy to maturity, the process by which he adopts himself gradually in various ways of his physical, social and spiritual environment.” Raymont suggests all-round development of the self.

Point [A] II. Cocept of Philosophy of Education:-

Philosophy of education is eventually a method of approaching educational experience. It is the criticism of the general theory of education. It consists of critical evaluation and systematic reflection upon general theories. It is a synthesis of educational facts with education values. In brief it is a philosophical process of solving educational problems through philosophical method, from philosophical attitude to arrive at philosophical conclusions and results. The main problems of philosophy of education includes aim and ideals of education, analysis of human nature, relationship of education and state, educational values, theory of knowledge and its relationship to education, economic system and education, the place of school in educational system, the curriculum and the process of education and finally the relationship of education and social progress. Following are the problems of education, education philosophy helps to solve these kinds of problems:-
1. Why do we educate?
It deals with the aims of education or purpose behind the teaching-learning process. It suggests the development i.e. overall development- psychological, spiritual, physical, social & moral…. Bread & butter aim, developing skills, economic development, and acceptance and understanding culture and so on. These are the common aims to set education.
2. What do we mean by teaching or education?
This suggests the continuous process of education- what is education? It takes place in a formal way by importing knowledge to bring about desirable change in a person’s/learner’s behavior. Everyone learns not only from schooling or colleges but also from day to day experiences and from environment. It is a continuous process from womb to tomb.
3. What to teach?
This question points out the course content means which subjects to teach – math, science, social studies, English, Guajarati, Hindi….. and in subjects which are the topics to teach if it is language then poetry, prose, grammar should be taught or if it is mathematics then at which level, which kind of math’s should be taught, e.g. at third standard a teacher ought to teach some simple sums related to multiplication, substraction, addition and so on.
4. How to teach?
This question gives answer to which methodologies, approaches and techniques are used to teach whether to use lecture method, seminar and workshop, group discussion, play-way technique, communicative approach & so on.
5. Whom to teach?
Here this question focuses the role of students as well as role of a teacher. A teacher should be taken in to consideration the level of students and then he should decide that which one is appropriate method, approach & technique. The level of students contains primary class student, secondary level, collegiate level etc.
6. What is the role of a teacher?
In teaching-learning process, teacher’s role is very important role. She/he plays different role in education, e.g. as a role model, a guide, a motivator, a facilitator and so on. Students observe their teacher and also follow them so teacher is a role model for them. A teacher always motivate/encourage the students to speak out, to participate in different activities etc. so she/he is a motivator. A teacher provides a platform and creates an opportunity to bring out the inner talent of the learners and also identify their specially and she/he allows to flourish it so she/he also plays a role of a facilitator.
7. Relation between teacher & learner:-
Relation between & teacher and learners should be more friendly and approachable. And how a teacher establishes rapport between him & students and which are different methods to remove the distance between a teacher and learners? Educational philosophy helps to solve this problem.
8. How to evaluate?
Evaluation is necessary tool through which teacher comes to know about the progress of learners or where learners are lagging behind. In schools evaluation is done in two ways- 1. Summative evaluation: In which internal test and external test are kept in focus to judge the development of learners, which is on the basis of the marks or grade. 2. Formative evaluation examines all activities learners do which includes attendance, assignments, responsibilities, participation in co-curricular activities, behavior etc.
These are general problems, philosophy of education helps to solve them. We know that education deals with knowledge. It is determined by the sources, limits, criteria and means of knowledge. The discussion of all these however falls within the jurisdiction of epistemology, an area of philosophy. The most important service of philosophy of education to a cause of education everywhere, is the prescription of criteria for deciding the relationship of state and education, economic system and education curriculum administration, discipline, progress etc. and the most important part of the scope of the philosophy of education is formed by the education values which is determined by philosophical values. Thus philosophy of education is an important branch of applied philosophy of the three divisions of philosophy- metaphysics, epistemology and axiology; philosophy of education falls in the third. It is, therefore, mainly concerned with education values.