Assignment 1 (Fall 2019)

According to Plato; what is the role of a teacher? Explain

Plato the philosopher

Plato dedicated his life to the vindication of Socrates' memory and teachings. He wrote
34 dialogues, with The Republic in the middle. It is of general consensus that the first
dialogues written by Plato were the immortalization of his mentor’s thoughts, and
indeed a uniquely distinctive Socratic philosophy and philosophy of education is
presented in these works.

Beginning with the Republic and the following later dialogues, a Platonic philosophy
and philosophy of education is outlined. Plato remained at the Academy teaching,
writing, and living comfortably until he died in 347 B.C. at the age of 81.

Plato's Philosophy of Education

Education for Plato was one of the great things of life.The object of education is to turn
the soul towards light. Plato once stated that the main function of education is not to put
knowledge into the soul, but to bring out the latent talents in the soul by directing it
towards the right objects. This explanation of Plato on education highlights his object
of education and guides the readers in proper direction to unfold the ramifications of his
theory of education.

Plato was, in fact, the first ancient political philosopher either to establish a university
or introduce a higher course or to speak of education as such.

The main purpose of Plato’s theory of education was to ban individualism, abolish
incompetency and immaturity, and establish the rule of the efficient. Promotion of
common good was the primary objective of platonic education.

Plato: Role of the Teacher

The teacher’s role is to be both a master and a mentor for the student. Regarding the
teaching of the ‘vocational subjects’ the teacher would ‘train’ the students in order for
them to learn the arts, crafts and job skills necessary.

The student would learn by observing the teacher, participate in the activity under the
direction of the expert and then imitated the movements and skills of the teacher,
practicing until he or she has mastered the skill.

Plato feels that learning will take place more easily when the learned and the teacher
have a great love for one another, for thus, the young students will be willing to listen to
the master and try to emulate him because he loves him. The teacher must have a deep
affection for his/her students in order to be successful teaching them.
But are we to believe that …Protagoras and many others are able by private teaching to
impress upon their contemporaries the conviction that they will not be capable of
governing their homes or the city1 unless they put them in charge of their education,
and make themselves so beloved for this wisdom2 that their companions all but carry
them about on their shoulders. The Republic Book X, 600

Plato's curriculum is careful chosen to include training for the spirit (music) and
training for the body (gymnastics), with more difficult academic subjects added when
the child is developmentally ready. In the Republic, Book II, Plato tells Galucon.

“What will be the education of our heroes? --the two divisions, gymnastics for the
body, and music for the soul. gymnastic has also two branches—dancing and
wrestling Music includes literature. they will begin by telling young children
fiction stories; ... But it is important than only good stories be told so there must
be censorship of the writers of fiction, keeping the good, and rejecting the bad;
authorizing mothers and nurses to only tell their children the good ones only.

We see that Plato supported a type of vocational education, education to complete your
role in life; education for the producer, the guardians and the philosopher kings, enough
education to do your job well, but each grouped according to one’s abilities. Just as he
said for me, he said for women

“One woman has a gift of healing, another not; one is a musician, and another has no
music in her nature? And one woman has a turn for gymnastic and military exercises,
and another is hates gymnastics? Republic V Commented [SA1]: 4

Write a comprehensive note on what is the purpose of education near to Kant?

Kant's views on Education

According to Kant, the duty of educators, give a free direction for people’s natural
tendency what is left over, having to provide humanity deserving of an ideal.
According to him, educator could reconcile a person’s own freedom with nation’s
forcing and pressure (Yayla, 2005; 77).

Kant’s thoughts concerning education is related closely with person nature. He

thinks that there isn’t wickedness at the person nature. At a person there is only
goodness seeds and this goodness can improve with education. For him, all the
kindness source at the World is education. Whole talents and seeds always have to
improve in a good way that at a person has potential.

There is no badness at a person’s nature. The only reason of badness is not taking
under control and not giving a direction with the nature’s good education principles
(Kant, 1992; 15). At this time it needs to do provide being at the person potential
goodness by means of education.
Goal of education

According to Kant, creating the ‘class of thinkers’ is the ultimate goal of the
education system. Thinkers do not content themselves with ready answers, nor do
they follow the principle

Kant’s philosophy of education

Kant’s model of the philosophy of education suggests the need to return different
types of questions and the equal dialogue to all levels of education. This will
contribute to the development of people who could constitute Kant’s ‘class of
thinkers’ because, according to Kant, the dialogue method of instruction is one of the
conditions for raising the the ‘class of thinkers’.

‘In Kant’s philosophy of education, the interpretation of questions as instruments of

the education and cognition systems is determined by his approach to logic.

For Kant, it is obvious that the systems of instruction and education are
logic-oriented. Without such a system of instruction, the pupil will only be able to use
the thoughts of others.In one of his major works, Kant postulates logic as the
touchstone of all other sciences and a solution to the problems of instruction.

Methods of teaching are a central problem for Kant. Commented [SA2]: 4

Why it is necessary to teach the child; How to fight against negative education

The reason of giving a big importance to education of Kant, the most important
reason causing badness is not directing according to a good education of a person
nature and thinking of sending a person in a good way with the education. To him, a
person only can be a person with education. By means of education Kant believes
person could carry out own self and attracts attention gaining the most addition to
perfection of person nature for education (Kant, 1992; 7).

Making clear about Kant’s moral philosophy thoughts, he comes to a conclusion that
person’s nature neither good nor bad. When person improves only moral law and task
conscious and has a mind, he becomes an moral existence. According to Kant, to be a
good from the point of view moral it is only possible with virtue. Virtue is not submit
to natural tendency as possible as, and only try to be in action obeying the free moral
law.

In another way according to Kant, becoming ripe with moral view, it’s not to natural
tendency, it means trying to be in an action for the moral law. Consequently an ideal
education gives a chance to raise appropriate style as a will’s natural tendency,
constructing material desires and in stead of volition mind principles that’s to say
moral law (Kant, 1992; 108).
Explanation with examples

Kant sees a person as an existence who needs education. Kant defends that between
the existence only person needs education to develop gradually for perfection and he
others person separates from animate and lifeless existence in a different ways.

For him there are differences between person and animal. When animals behave
with instinct, people behave with their mind. The most important essential peculiarity
differentiate person from another existence is being a wise existence and being
product technical information. If we compare a person with an animal, we see that
person needs more care and help according to an animal. Because when a person
comes in to the world, person needs more protection, help and helplessness existence
comparing an animal.

Person needs others to survive and to direct their actions. However when animals
come in to the world, they have a potential being successful at struggling life.Animals
needs to be nourished but they don’t needs care.Whereas person needs mind to
determine direction of actions, draw a map before which ways he will use and has to
make his own action plan. At the same time person develops some talents not
immediately which comes from birth as a mechanical, on the contrary they can
develop bit by passing from some processes and conclusion of their own efforts
(Yayla, 2005; 78-79).

In this respect Kant think that education should need to take under discipline person’s
nature and needs to be developed person’s national and ethical side by way of
education. Commented [SA3]: 4

Aristotle Theory of Origin of State: Concept, Elements and Necessary Conditions!

Aristotle’s theory of origin of state, its nature and the end rests on several premises.

Firstly, the origin of state depends on the triangular nature of the human soul. From this

theory, he inferred that man is both rational and irrational and it is his purpose to follow

the former in preference to the latter. This is in turn related to the theory of causes—the

final cause being the end of the essential form, which a thing attains.

The second premise is Aristotle’s theory of happiness, which he calls the quality of the

soul that could be achieved only in the State. Thirdly, Aristotle never believed in any

need to distinguish between the state and the society. According to him, these two

institutions are indistinguishable and complementary to each other.

Fourthly, the state is not merely the convenient machinery that raises a man above his

animal wants and sets him free to follow his own lights; it is itself his end or at least a

part of it. State is not merely an instrument through which the individual can achieve

specific form of human goodness within the compass of his earthly life, but it is the

final form which man could attain.

The state, in fact, is mere aggregate of individuals. It is not based on an artificial device.

It is not a contract. It is natural, in other words, inherent in man’s nature, that is, reason

and reason expressed through language. Language, in turn, is a medium of

communication.

Thus, man is gregarious in nature. He is born in a society, and it is only here that he ever

survives. Society is also natural because it is the consummation of mans highest nature.

If there is greater cooperation between the state and the individuals, and they are

mutually complementary to each other, then the freedom of individual is in tandem

with the law of the region, law is an instrument of self-realization, the standard of

justice.

Aristotle believed that through state and the laws, man attains his highest virtue and
perfection and becomes a citizen, has a specific virtue and becomes an aristocrat
capable of sharing in public activity and performing public duties.

The end of the state according to Aristotle includes, aim at all lesser ends, the family
or the village. These two are too small to provide a man with everything he needs for
a good life. This is the royal gateway of excellence.

“Man is a political animal, destined by nature for state life.”

“State exists for the sake of good life and not for the sake of life only.” (Aristotle)

Aristotle was of the view that the origin of the state is present in the inherent desire of
man to satisfy his economic needs and racial instincts. The family is formed by male
and female on the one hand and master and slave on the other hand. Then they work
for achievement of their desires. They live together and form a such family in
household which has its moral and social unity and value.

Three elements are essential to build the state on perfect lines i.e., fellowship,
practical organization and justice. A man without state is either a beast or a God. Commented [SA4]: 4

According to Aristotle, “he who by nature and not be mere accident is without a state
is either above humanity or below it, he is tribe-less, lawless and heartless one.”

The family is natural and inborn instinct, similarly the state is also natural for
individuals. Baker said, “The state is the natural home of the fully grown and natural
man. It is an institution for the moral perfection of man to which his whole nature
moves.”