PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF EDUCATION

PHILOSOPHY
The term has been derived from two Greek words, ‘Philo’ means love and ‘Sophia’
means wisdom. Philosophy means love for knowledge or passion for learning.

DEFINITIONS OF PHILOSOPHY
 According to Coleridge defined philosophy as the ‘Science of Sciences’.
 According to Bacon, “Philosophy is the great mother of science”.

BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY
1. Metaphysics (Basic Causes and nature of things)
2. Epistemology (Theories of Knowledge)
3. Axiology (Aesthetics, Ethics)
4. Logic (Increases with each, Stage of cognitive, development)

PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF EDUCATION

 Perennialism (Mortimer Adler-1963)
 Essentialism (William Bagley-1938)
 Progressivism (John Dewey- mid 1920)
 Re-constructivism (Theodore Brameld 1904-1987)

Perennialism

Perennialism views human nature as constant over time, asserting that people’s
rationality sets them apart from animals. Applied to education, perennialists maintain that the
development of the intellect is the sole purpose of schooling.

Essentialism

Essentialism views the mind as the central element of reality and holds that knowing
requires the ability to observe and measure the physical world accurately. Essentialists claim
that there is a core body of knowledge, including both classical and contemporary disciplines,
that all people need to have in order to function productively in society, and that the
overwhelming majority of students can learn this core. In essentialism, the worth of any
knowledge is measured by how much an individual needs that knowledge to become a
productive member of society.

 
Progressivism

Progressivism views nature as being ever-changing, so knowledge must be

continually redefined and rediscovered. Progressive education views learners as problem
solvers who naturally develop by exploring questions of interest to them. Progressives
contend that no knowledge is privileged over another and that the knowledge of most value is
the knowledge that the learner wants to know.

Re-constructivism

Focus is on providing students the critical tools to be agents of social change.

Students explore controversial issues, analyze world events. Educators focus on a curriculum
that highlights social reform as the aim of education. Curriculum focuses on student
experience and taking social action on real problems, such as violence, hunger, international
terrorism, inflation, and inequality.