CHAPTER 11

PHENOMENOLOGY AND EXISTENTIALISM IN PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

(SUMMARY)

The existential-phenomenologist teach that education should enable man to make choices for
his own existence. Education is, then, viewed as a means of seeing not only with one's own eyes
but also with ones entire being the very nature of human existence. Existential-Phenomenology, as
it affects education, is characterized by the following: (1) Education is continuous and always
incomplete. It is supposed to continue and with no completion or finality. (2) Education must
always aim at the truth, truth is subjectivity. The highest expression of subjectivity is passion. (3)
Education must be anthropocentric or man-centered because Existential-Phenomenologists are, by
nature, philosophers of man. They emphasize the subjectivity of man. (4) Existential-
Phenomenologists emphasize the freedom of man. As with the preceding point, each thinker has
his own version of freedom. (5) Existential-Phenomenologists emphasize authentic existence
rather than in-authentic experience. Existential-Phenomenologists theorize that man is more of an
actor than spectator. (7) Existential-Phenomenologists maintain the tenet that man is not just
simply body and soul component or unity but as a "in-carnate spirit", or "embodied
consciousness", or "embodied subjectivity". (8) The Existentialists see the world as one personal
subjectivity, where goodness, truth, and reality are individually defined. (9) Reality is a world of
existence, truth is subjectively chosen and goodness is a matter of freedom

CHAPTER 12
THE PHILIPPINE PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION AND VALUES EDUCATION
(SUMMARY)

The most exposed philosophy in the Philippines today is undoubtedly that of John Dewey. John
Dewey's philosophy has been labeled pragmatic, experimental, instrumentalist, empericist, and
naturalistic. 1) Dewey's philosophy has been called pragmatic because it holds the criterion or test
of the truth and goodness of a thing is it's workability according to a given purpose. 2) Dewey's
philosophy is labeled experimental because it insists on experimental verification as the one
reliable way to workability of an idea. 3) Dewey's philosophy is termed instrumental because it
teaches that the function of thought is to guide action, to be an instrument for resolving
problematic situations. 4) Dewey's philosophy is known as empericist for it limits knowledge to
knowledge of this world of experience and because it makes knowledge originate from experience
and lead back to experience. 5) Dewey's philosophy is known naturalistic because it regards nature
and world around us as constituting true reality.Dewey asserts that the ego, including the human
mind, intellect and will, is the result of the evolutionary process. It is believed to be continuous
with nature. Since it is actively pursued as guidance to the reconstruction of future experience to
decision-making, the mind is considered instrumental.