RC 101- ADVANCE PHILOSOPHY

REFLECTION ON JOHN MILTON’S PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

_____________LINAO_________ __ FEARLYN CLAIRE____________P.______ ______MAY 28,2021___________

Surname First Name Middle Initial Date

_______________PROF. SHARON GOROSPE________ _______MAED 9B__________ ______8:00-9:30_______

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In this reflection paper I will discuss about John Milton Who is famous for his work paradise lost that I
will be referring to as we go on to this paper but I want to focus on Milton’s Philosophy of education. Milton wrote
poetry and prose between 1632 and 1674, and is most famous for his epic poetry. Special Collections and
Archives holds a variety of Milton's major works, including Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, L'Allegro, and Il
Penseroso.
He wrote two important writings. These are the tractise of education and the paradise lost. The
tractate Of Education was published in 1644, first appearing anonymously as a single eight-page quarto
sheet. Presented as a letter written in response to a request from the Puritan educational reformer Samuel
Hartlib, it represents John Milton's most comprehensive statement on educational reform, and gives voice to
his views "concerning the best and noblest way of education".
The tractice of education he purpose a dual objective of education, first is the knowledge of God
which is Milton’s main purpose of educating somebody. He believes that receiving education is to know God
better and to know him correctly and this ideas is redefined in his latter writings and lectures. This is private
purpose to “repair the ruins of our first parents by regaining to know God aright, and out of that knowledge to
love Him, to be like Him, as we may the nearest by possessing our soul of true virtue”. Second, The practice
of knowledge where in it focus on how our fellowmen benefit and is it applicable for peace. This focus on public
which states that “I call therefore a compleat generous education that which fit a man to perform justly,
skillfully, and magnanimously all the offices, both private and public, of peace and war”. Knowing God and
practically loving others and serving others is his two main goals of education. Like the DepEd core values
which focus in MAKADIYOS, MAKAKALIKASAN, MAKATAO at MAKABANSA. This philosophy also roots from
his theological backgraound in Cambridge.
While certain educational views were refined and at times redefined throughout his life, the poet firmly
held on to the belief that the true scholar was one who had the ability to evaluate all knowledge critically, thus
being able to retain the truth and discard error. He vehemently opposed the idea of anyone accepting a
teaching or belief simply because it came from a particular group or person, however respected. Milton's ideal
student is one who is self-motivated in his or her pursuit of knowledge, and the poet's ideal teacher is one who
can present learning effectively enough to inspire the student onto that road of self-motivated learning.

Milton’s curriculum focus on Traditional Subjects like Scripture, Arithmetic, Geometry, Philosophy, Latin and
Greek and the Practicality of the subjects like Liberal and Humanistic, Economics, Agriculture, Politics and Anatomy. He
also believes in Human Knowledge that it is gained by learning and can become intuitive knowledge through
obedience. There are Criticisms in Milton’s Philosophy of Education like its Scope is Overwhelming. It was
based on his personal educational experiences and the ideas were not novel to him.

Milton’s Philosophy of education has several strength’s and these are the following: (1)Emphasize the
true intent of education-to know God; (2) Promoted the application of education-to serve others; (3)
Incorporated traditional and humanistic studies.