MODULEFORSOMESELECTEDTOPI

CSINPHILOSOPHYOFEDUCATI
ON
Pr
epar
edbyDrPat
ri
ckO.Aki
nsanya

LESSSONONE
Whati
sPhi
l
osophy
/Phi
l
osophyofEducat
ion?

Lear
ningObj
ect
ives:
Att
heendoft
hel
esson,
lear
ner
sshoul
dbeabl
eto:
1.Def
inephi
l
osophyi
nthei
rownpossi
bleway

2.I
dent
if
yanddi
scussmaj
ormodesofphi
l
osophy

3.Concept
ual
i
set
hemeani
ngofphi
l
osophyofeducat
ion

4.Enumer
atet
hemaj
ormodesofphi
l
osophyofeducat
ion

Meani
ngofPhi
l
osophy
Var
iousphi
l
osopher
sdef
inephi
l
osophyi
nvar
iousway
s.Eachat
temptatadef
ini
ti
onr
aisesa
cr
it
ici
sm whi
ch coul
d somet
imesl
ead t
o met
aphi
l
osophy
,thati
s,phi
l
osophi
zi
ng about
phi
l
osophy
.Butone wonder
sless aboutt
his si
tuat
ion when one r
eal
i
ses t
hatev
ery
phi
l
osophyi
sapr
oductofsomanyf
act
orssuchas;one’
senv
ironment
,one’
sbackgr
ound
and or
ient
ati
on,one’
s exper
iences,one’
s educat
ion and exposur
e,and one’
s nat
ural
af
fi
li
ati
onsandpr
opensi
ti
es,whi
char
edef
ini
tel
ydi
ff
erentacr
ossboar
d.I
tlogi
cal
l
yfol
l
ows
t
hati
fphi
l
osophyi
sapr
oductofal
loft
hesement
ionedf
act
ors,
thenone’
sper
cept
ionabout
t
hemeani
ngandf
unct
ionofphi
l
osophywi
l
lvar
y.Thi
sexpl
ainst
her
easonf
ort
hedi
ff
erence
i
nthoughtpat
ter
nofAr
ist
otl
eandhi
steacher
,Pl
ato.I
tequal
l
yexpl
ainst
hesi
gni
fi
cant
di
ff
erencei
nDewey
’st
hinki
ngandRousseau’
s,andsoon.Butsuf
fi
cei
ttoment
iont
hat
despi
tet
hesedi
ver
gencesi
ntheconcept
ionofphi
l
osophy
,cer
tai
nact
ivi
ti
esandt
enet
sar
e
commonamongphi
l
osopher
s.Thi
sist
osayt
hatf
rom t
heanci
entper
iodt
omedi
eval
,to
moder
n,t
ocont
empor
aryper
iod,phi
l
osopher
shav
eengagedi
nsomepr
eoccupat
ionswhi
ch
cutacr
ossboar
d.Tounder
standphi
l
osophyt
her
efor
e,whi
l
etr
yingt
oescapev
il
if
icat
ionsat
t
heat
temptt
odef
inei
t,onemaysi
mpl
yref
lectonwhatphi
l
osopher
shav
epr
eoccupi
ed
t
hemsel
veswi
thdownt
heagesandt
hemodesusedi
nphi
l
osophi
sing.I
nthi
sref
lect
ion,i
t
shoul
dbeeasyf
ory
out
odi
scer
nthemeani
ngandt
heact
ivi
tycal
l
edphi
l
osophy
.

1|
Page
ModesofPhi
l
osophy
Thei
ntel
l
ect
ualact
ivi
ti
esofear
lyanci
entGr
eekschol
arsbequeat
hedt
het
erm –phi
l
osophi
a
–t
othedi
sci
pli
ne.Theysi
mpl
ycombi
nedt
wosepar
at ds:phi
ewor l
o(whi
chcoul
dmeanl
ove
ordogged sear
ch ordeep t
hir
storcr
avng)and sophi
i a(whi
ch means wi
sdom)
.The
combi
nat
iont
huspr
oducesl
oveofwi
sdom;doggedsear
chf
orwi
sdom;deept
hir
stf
or
wi
sdom;
orcr
avi
ngf
orwi
sdom.Wi
sdom her
egoesbey
ondt
heacqui
sit
ionofknowl
edge.I
tis
knowl
edgeofwhatt
odowi
thknowl
edge,
simpl
yput
,iti
sknowl
edgeofknowl
edge.Somany
peopl
e ar
e knowl
edgeabl
e butnotwi
se,butone cannotbe wi
se wi
thoutf
ir
stbei
ng
knowl
edgeabl
e.Thephi
l
osopherdi
ff
erent
iat
eshi
msel
ffr
om ot
heri
nvest
igat
ors/
resear
cher
s
byt
ryi
ngt
opossesst
heknowl
edgeofknowl
edge.Thi
siswhyhei
sof
tenr
egar
dedas‘
the
Sage’
–theWi
seOne.

Abov
erol
e per
haps gener
ates a mode i
n phi
l
osophy -Pr
escr
ipt
ion.Consci
ousl
y and
somet
imesunconsci
ousl
y,phi
l
osopher
shav
ehel
dupami
rr
ori
nwhi
cht
hesoci
ety‘
oughtt
o’
conf
orm.Ror
ty(
1979)pr
esent
sapi
ctur
eoft
hist
endencyi sbook,Phi
nhi l
osophyandt
he
Mi
rr
orofNat
ure.Thr
ought
hisway
,phi
l
osopher
shav
eshowedsi
gnsoft
hei
rdi
sci
pli
nebei
ng
amet
hodorpr
ocess,
aswel
lasabodyofknowl
edge.Exampl
esr
angef
rom Socr
atest
oPl
ato,
t
oKantandt
omor
alphi
l
osopher
sofdi
spar
ateepochs.

Anot
hermodei
nphi
l
osophyi
scr
it
ique.Al
thoughAki
nsany
a(2013)hadnot
edt
hatcr
it
ical
i
nqui
ryi
snotanexcl
usi
vepr
eser
veofphi
l
osophy
,buthewasaptt
osayt
hatt
hisact
ivi
tyi
s
pur
sued mor
e deepl
y,r
igor
ousl
y,sy
stemat
ical
l
y and compr
ehensi
vel
yin phi
l
osophy
.
Phi
l
osopher
sthi
nkcr
it
ical
l
y,car
eful
l
yandl
ogi
cal
l
yoni
ssuesofl
i
fe.Thi
siswhysomehav
e
at
tempt
edt
odef
inephi
l
osophyassi
mpl
yri
gor
oust
hinki
ng,andphi
l
osopher
sasr
igor
ous
t
hinker
s.Byt
his,i
tismeantt
hatphi
l
osopher
sdonott
akef
orgr
ant
edwhatot
her
sdogl
oss
ov
er.Theyar
e gadf
li
es who of
ten subj
ectal
lissues t
o ser
ious cr
it
ique.Al
though not
ev
ery
bodyl
i
kest
hepr
esenceofcr
it
icsf
orpeopl
edoof
tenpr
efert
obepr
aisedandeul
ogi
zed.
Att
he si
ghtofa cr
it
ic,such peopl
e become i
rr
it
ated.Thi
sist
he t
rav
ailofso many
phi
l
osopher
s;andt
hati
swhyonl
yaf
ewcant
oler
atet
hem i
nthei
rci
rcl
es.Butexper
iencehas
shownt
hatwher
easy
stem l
ackscr
it
ici
sm,suchasy
stem wi
l
lsuf
feragoi
ngconcer
n.
Cr
it
ici
smsar
emeantt
oputpeopl
eont
oesandi
n-check.Cr
it
ici
smsequal
l
ymakeev
ery
sy
stem bet
ter
,st
rongerandf
ormi
dabl
e.

2|
Page
Specul
ati
oni
sanot
hermodeoft
hephi
l
osopher
.Iti
sthecapaci
tyofami
ndt
oembr
ace
cr
eat
ivi
tyori
nnov
ati
on.I
tst
emsf
rom t
heLat
i d– specul
nwor are -meani
ng“
predi
ct”
,
“
for
ecast
”,or“
proj
ect
”.Specul
ati
oni
sessent
ial
l
yamet
hodofadumbr
ati
on,hy
pot
hesi
zi
ng,
conj
ect
uri
ngandsupposi
ti
oni
ng.Thr
oughi
tspr
ocesses,
thephi
l
osopheri
sabl
etof
orecastor
makesol
i
dpr
edi
cti
onsaboutf
utur
ist
icev
ent
sandev
enpastones.I
tai
dshi
minf
rami
nga
coher
ent
,logi
cal
,necessar
ysy
stem ofgener
ali
deasi
nter
msofwhi
chev
eryel
ementofour
exper
iencecoul
dbei
nter
pret
ed(
Aki
nsany
a,2012)
.

Agai
n,phi
l
osophyt
hri
vesi
nanal
ysi
sofl
anguageandcl
ari
fi
cat
ionoft
hemeani
ngofwor
ds.
Two concept
sar
eimpor
tanther
e;anal
ysi
sand cl
ari
fi
cat
ion.Byanal
ysi
s,wemean t
he
anat
omi
zat
ion,di
ssect
ion,r
esol
uti
on or br
eaki
ng down of compl
exes i
nto si
mpl
e
component
s.Thi
shel
psi
nresol
vi
ngcompl
expr
oposi
ti
onsi
ntosi
mpl
eandmeani
ngf
ulones,
andi
tsepar
atessensef
rom nonsense.Cl
ari
fi
cat
ion,ont
heot
herhand,makescl
earand
del
i
mit
sshar
plyt
het
hought
swhi
chappearopaque,
blur
redandconf
usi
ng.Wi
thanal
ysi
sand
cl
ari
fi
cat
ions,
ther
efor
e,t
hephi
l
osopheri
sabl
etodi
sti
ngui
shbet
weenst
atement
soff
actand
di
sgui
seddef
ini
ti
ons,
bet
weenhy
pot
heseswhi
chmaybet
rueorf
alse,
andr
esol
uti
onswhi
ch
ar
eadequat
eori
nadequat
e(Aki
nsany
a,2010)
.

Byandl
arge,t
hroughspecul
ati
on,anal
ysi
s,pr
escr
ipt
ion,cr
it
iqueofi
deol
ogi
esandsome
ot
herpr
eoccupat
ions,phi
l
osopher
satdi
ff
erentpoi
nts,hav
ebeenabl
etopr
esentmanwi
th
expl
anat
ionsonhi
sident
it
y,onl
i
feandot
herr
eal
i
ties.Thi
siswhathascomet
obeknownas
modesofphi
l
osophy
.Thus,wehav
eSpecul
ati
vePhi
l
osophy
,Anal
yti
cPhi
l
osophy
,Cr
it
ical
Phi
l
osophyandPr
escr
ipt
ive/
Nor
mat
ivePhi
l
osophy
.

Phi
l
osophyofEducat
ion?
Phi
l
osophy of educat
ion i
s one of t
he v
ari
ous appl
i
ed phi
l
osophi
es.Ot
her appl
i
ed
phi
l
osophi
esar
ephi
l
osophyofsci
ence,phi
l
osophyofl
aw,phi
l
osophyofr
eli
gion,phi
l
osophy
ofl
anguage,phi
l
osophyofmi
nd,soci
alphi
l
osophy
,pol
i
ticalphi
l
osophy
,et
c.Fr
om bei
nga
memberofappl
i
edphi
l
osophi
es,
wecanassumet
hedef
ini
ti
onofphi
l
osophyofeducat
ion.I
n
t
hiswi
se,phi
l
osophyofeducat
ioncoul
dbedef
inedast
heappl
i
cat
ionofphi
l
osophyt
o
educat
ionali
ssues.Ther
e ar
e howev
erdi
ff
erentappr
oaches t
o appl
yi
ng phi
l
osophyt
o
educat
ion.Somet
imes t
hese appr
oaches hav
eled t
o whatwe cal
lmet
aphi
l
osophyof
educat
ion(
Aki
nsany
a,2015)
,thati
s,phi
l
osophi
zi
ngaboutphi
l
osophyofeducat
ion.

3|
Page
CommonAppr
oachest
oPhi
l
osophyofEducat
ion
Fort
he sake ofbegi
nner
sli
ke y
ou,we mayj
ustext
ractf
ourcommon appr
oachest
o
phi
l
osophyofeducat
ionasr
efl
ect
edi
nAki
nsany
a’ konMet
swor aphi
l
osophyofeducat
ion
(
2015)
.Theseappr
oachesar
eGr
eatMi
nds’appr
oach;Sy
stems’appr
oach;Compar
tment
s’
appr
oachandPr
obl
ems’
appr
oach.

I
nthef
ir
stappr
oach,at
tent
ioni
sbeamedatt
hewor
ks/
cont
ri
but
ionsofpr
ogeni
tor
sint
he
f
iel
d.Suchschol
arsl
i
keSocr
ates,
Plat
o,Ar
ist
otl
e,Rousseau,
Pest
alozzi
,Fr
oebel
,Mont
essor
i,
Comeni
us,Dewey
,Pet
ers,andot
heraut
hor
it
iesar
econsi
der
ed.A per
sonal
i
tyl
i
keJohn
Dewey
,the pr
agmat
ic phi
l
osopher
,wr
ote ext
ensi
vel
y on t
he pr
act
icaland f
unct
ional
consequenceofeducat
ionali
deasi
nvar
i keDemocr
ousbooksl
i acyandeducat
ion,School
andsoci
ety
,Mypedagogi
ccr
eed,Theschool
soft
omor
row,Thechi
l
dandt
hecur
ri
cul
um,
Mor
alpr
inci
plesi
neducat
ion,
exper
ienceandeducat
ion,
andsoon.I
fthesewor
ksar
est
udi
ed
andi
mpl
i
cat
ionsf
ort
hepr
esentpr
act
iceofeducat
ionbr
oughtout
,suchexer
cisecoul
dbe
t
akenasphi
l
osophyofeducat
ion.Thi
ski
ndofexer
cisehasl
edt
othesessuchasDewey
’s
educat
ionalphi
l
osophyand Ni
ger
ia’
seducat
ionsy
stem,I
ll
i
ch’
sphi
l
osophyand Ni
ger
ia’
s
educat
ion,
Ari
stot
le’
sni
chomacheanet
hicsandmor
aleducat
ioni
nNi
ger
ia,
etc.

The second,sy
stems’appr
oach,adopt
s an appl
i
cat
ion ofphi
l
osophyt
o educat
ion by
deduci
ng educat
ionali
mpl
i
cat
ions f
rom sy
stemat
ic phi
l
osophi
es orposi
ti
ons such as
i
deal
i
sm,
real
i
sm,
exi
stent
ial
i
sm,
pragmat
ism andot
her
swhi
chconst
it
utedi
sti
nctschool
sas
ar
esul
toft
hei
rdi
spar
it
ieswi
thr
espectt
othei
rassumpt
ionsorpr
esupposi
ti
ons.Thi
sent
ail
s
mar
shal
l
ingouthowar
eal
i
st,i
deal
i
st,exi
stent
ial
i
storapr
agmat
istwoul
dfor
mul
atehi
s/her
educat
ionalgoal
s;woul
ddesi
gnhi
s/hercur
ri
cul
a;woul
ddi
schar
get
eachi
ngandl
ear
ning
act
ivi
ti
es;woul
dmanagedi
sci
pli
nei
nthecl
ass;andhandl
eal
lot
herv
ari
abl
esast
heyr
elat
e
t
oeducat
ion.Theseki
ndsofat
tempthav
ebeenconsi
der
edandv
igor
ousl
ypur
suedbysome
exper
ts,f
ori
nst eI
ance,wehav deal
i
sm i
nEducat
ion,Exi
stent
ial
i
sm i
nEducat
ion,Real
i
sm i
n
Educat
ion,Pr
agmat
ism i
n Educat
ion,Per
enni
ali
sm i
n Educat
ion,Thomi
sm i
n Educat
ion,
amongot
her
s(Aki
nsany
a,2012)
.

Compar
tment
s’appr
oachi
sar
efl
ect
ionont
hei
mpl
i
cat
ionsoft
het
radi
ti
onalbr
anchesof
phi
l
osophyt
o educat
ion.Her
e,we consi
dert
he i
mpor
tofmet
aphy
sics,epi
stemol
ogy
,

4|
Page
axi
ologyandl
ogi
c(al
thought
her
ear
econt
ent
ionsont
hepl
aceofl
ogi
casasepar
atebr
anch
ofphi
l
osophy
)on educat
ion.As such,some schol
ars hav
e di
ssi
pat
ed ener
gies on
Met
aphy
sicsandEducat
ion,
Epi
stemol
ogyandEducat
ion,
Ethi
csandEducat
ion.

Thel
astappr
oachi
sthemostpopul
arandper
hapsmostf
easi
bleandpr
act
icabl
eint
oday
’s
educat
ion.Whi
l
eot
herappr
oachesar
efr
aughtwi
thnumer
ouschal
l
engesandweaknesses,
t
hisappr
oachof
fer
susl
esschal
l
enges,andi
tisst
rongl
yrecommendedf
orcont
empor
ary
t
hinker
swhodesi
ret
omakepr
act
icali
mpact
sont
heeducat
ionalpr
act
ice.I
tisPr
obl
ems’
appr
oach.I
nthi
sappr
oach,wesi
mpl
ytakephi
l
osophyt
oeducat
ion,t
hati
s,wephi
l
osophi
se
asweeducat
e,andeducat
easwephi
l
osophi
se.Thi
swaswhatSocr
atesdi
dint
heanci
ent
st
reetofAt
henswi
thdi
alect
ics.Wehav
esi
mil
aref
for
tsi
nDeweywhoconsi
der
edphi
l
osophy
asnot
hingbuteducat
ion,andeducat
ionasnot
hingbutphi
l
osophy
.Thepr
obl
ems’appr
oach
adopt
sthev
ari
ousmodesofphi
l
osophyt
osol
vepr
obl
emsi
neducat
ion.

ModesofPhi
l
osophyofEducat
ion
Aki
nsany
a(2013)not
est
hatphi
l
osopher
scomet
othewor
ldofeducat
i ospecul
ont ate,t
o
pr
escr
ibe,t
o concept
ual
l
ycl
ari
fyand anal
yse,t
o cr
it
ique,t
o sy
nthesi
zeand t
o pr
ovi
de
cour
ses and al
ter
nat
ive cour
ses ofact
ion.Specul
ati
on i
n educat
ion ent
ail
staki
ng t
he
educat
orf
rom t
hewor
ldofact
ual
i
tyt
opossi
bil
i
ty;f
rom whati
spr
esent
lydonet
owhati
s
doabl
e;f
rom knownt
ounknown;f
rom f
ami
l
iart
ounf
ami
l
iar
.Thi
sisawor
ldofcr
eat
ivi
tyand
i
nvent
ions;
onl
yfewi
ngeni
ouspeopl
ear
ecapabl
eoft
hiswor
ld.Fr
om t
hiswor
ld,
wehav
ehad
newor
ient
ati
onsabouteducat
ion;
newmet
hodsoft
eachi
nghav
eal
sospr i
ungup,nt
eral
i
a.

Pr
escr
ipt
ioni
neducat
ioni
sanot
herkeyf
unct
ionoft
hephi
l
osopher
.Ifi
tist
ruet
hateducat
ion
wi
thoutv
aluesi
sli
keacupoft
eagar
nishedwi
thpoi
son,
thent
hepl
aceofphi
l
osopheri
nthe
wor
ld ofeducat
ion i
s hi
ghl
yper
ti
nent
.Ar
med wi
th axi
ologi
calv
alues,t
he phi
l
osopher
pr
escr
ibest
he‘
ought
s’ascont
rast
edwi
tht
he‘
i
ss’
.Hesi
mpl
ygi
vest
hedi
rect
iont
ofol
l
ow,
andhi
scounsel
sar
eal
way
swi
se.

Cr
it
iqueofeducat
i deascum assumpt
onali ionsandanal
ysi
sofi
ssuesandconcept
susedi
n
educat
ionseem t
ooccupypr
omi
nentr
olesi
nphi
l
osopher
s’i
nvol
vementi
ntoday
’seducat
ion.
Phi
l
osopher
s ofeducat
ion ar
einv
olv
ed i
n maki
ng expl
i
citt
he i
mpl
i
citassumpt
ions i
n
educat
ionanddet
ect
ingt
hecompat
ibi
l
ity
,consi
stencyandadequacyofsuchassumpt
ionsi
n

5|
Page
 t
hel
i
ghtoft
hegr
owi
ngbodyofknowl
edge.Besi
des,t
heyar
eabl
etoconst
ruct
ivel
ycr
it
ici
ze
t
hest
andpoi
ntsi
neducat
ion,andt
hus,of
feral
ter
nat
iveappr
oachest
oeducat
ionalmodes.
Ther
ati
onal
ebehi
ndt
heseengagement
siscapt
uredi
nOt
tawaywhohadaskedt
hati
f
phi
l
osophyi
sthecl
ari
fi
cat
ionoft
hought
,canwenotusei
ttocl
ari
fyourt
hought
sabout
educat
ion?
..Orconsi
dert
hef
unct
ionofphi
l
osophyascr
it
ici
sm –canwenotexami
net
he
met
hodsofeducat
ion,andcr
it
ici
zet
hei
rpr
esupposi
ti
onsandassumpt
ions?(
Ott
away
,1962)
.
Answer
stot
hese quest
ions ar
eint
he af
fi
rmat
ive.Met
hods oft
eachi
ng and l
ear
ning;
cur
ri
cul
um pl
anni
nganddev
elopment
;or
gani
zat
ionofl
ear
ningexper
ienceswi
thsubj
ect
cont
ent
s – al
lhav
e pr
inci
ples.Chi
l
d dev
elopment
;mot
ivat
ionalst
rat
egi
es;t
est
s of
i
ntel
l
igenceand achi
evement
s– ar
eequal
l
yanchor
ed ont
heor
ies.Suchpr
inci
plesand
t
heor
iescoul
d beexami
ned,anal
ysed,cr
it
ici
sed and ev
aluat
ed t
o di
scov
ert
hei
rlogi
cal
v
ali
dit
y,r
eli
abi
l
ityandf
it
nessofpur
pose.Theonusofexami
nat
ion,anal
ysi
s,cr
it
iqueand
ev
aluat
ionofeducat
ional
met
hodsandpr
act
ices,
li
eswi
tht
hephi
l
osopherofeducat
ion.

Summar
y
I
nthi
slesson,
youhav
elear
nedt
hat
:
- phi
l
osophyi
saboutt
hinki
ngdeeponi
ssuesar
oundus
- phi
l
osophyi
sal
soamov
ementf
rom act
ual
i
tyt
opossi
bil
i
ty;
from whati
sknownt
ounknown;
f
rom t
hef
ami
l
iart
ounf
ami
l
iar
.
- i
tisacr
it
iqueofi
deol
ogi
esandal
lmodesofexi
stence.
- i
tisi
nvol
vedi
nthebr
eaki
ngdownofcompl
exesi
ntheuseofl
anguage;i
thel
psusi
ntaki
ng
car
e ofsupposed pr
obl
ems whi
ch hi
ther
to appear
ed pr
obl
emat
icj
ustbecause ofour
ent
angl
ementi
nlanguagemess.
- wi
tht
hel
oveofwi
sdom,phi
l
osophyi
sabl
etopr
escr
ibe,f
ori
tdwel
l
sont
he‘
ought
s’as
di
ff
erentf
rom ‘
whati
s’
.
- phi
l
osophyofeducat
ion,l
i
keot
herappl
i
edphi
l
osophi
es,i
sanappl
i
cat
ionofphi
l
osophyt
o
i
ssuesi
neducat
ion.
- t
heappl
i
cat
ionofphi
l
osophyt
oeducat
ioncoul
dtakesomanydi
mensi
ons,someofwhi
ch
ar
egr
eatmi
nds’appr
oach,sy
stems’appr
oach,compar
tment
s’appr
oach and pr
obl
ems’
appr
oach.
- specul
ati
on,
anal
ysi
s,pr
escr
ipt
ionandcr
it
iquear
eusedt
odi
ssectt
hepr
obl
emsofeducat
ion

Ev
aluat
ion:

6|
Page
 1.At
temptadef
ini
ti
onofphi
l
osophyi
nyourownway

2.I
dent
if
yanddi
scussanyt
wocommonmodesofphi
l
osophy

3.At
temptadef
ini
ti
onofphi
l
osophyofeducat
ioni
nyourownway

4.I
dent
if
yanddi
scussi
nbr
iefanyt
hreecommonmodesofphi
l
osophyofeducat
ion

Ref
erences
Aki
nsany
a,P.O.( .Phi
2015) l
osophi
singabouteducat
ion:Apr
olegomenon.Lagos:Uni
ver
sit
y
ofLagosPr
ess.

Aki
nsany
a,P.
O.( .Phi
2013) l
osophyaseducat
ion.I
jebu-
Ode:
Pat
tPubl
i
cat
ions

Aki
nsanya,P.
O.( .Dewey
2012) ’spragmati
sm andNi
ger
ia’
seducat
ionpol
i
cy.Unpubl
i
shed
doctor
althesi
s,Uni
ver
sit
yofIbadan,
Ibadan.

Aki
nsanya,P.O.(2010).Philosophicalanal
ysi
sofsomeconcept susedineducati
oninW.
Adunfe & P.O.Aki nsanya( )I
eds. ntr
oduct
ion t
o sociol
ogicaland phi
l
osophi
cal
foundat
ionsofeducation.I
jebu-Ode:HomeofGracePubl
icat
ions.

Ror
ty,
R.( .Phi
1979) l
osophyandt
hemi
rr
orofnat
ure.NewJer
sey
:Pr
incet
onUni
ver
sit
yPr
ess

Ot
taway
,AKC.( .Educat
1962) ionandsoci
ety
:ani
ntr
oduct
iont
osoci
ologyofeducat
ion.
London:
Rout
ledge&KeganPaul

LESSONTWO
Br
anchesofPhi
l
osophy(
andRel
ati
onshi
pWi
thEducat
ion)

Lear
ningObj
ect
ives:
Att
heendofthelesson,l
earner
sshouldbeableto:
1.Ident
if
ythev ar
ioustr
adit
ional
branchesofphi
losophy

2.Di
scusst
her
elat
ionshi
pbet
weenmet
aphy
sicsandeducat
ion

3.Est
abl
i
sht
her
elat
ionshi
pbet
weenepi
stemol
ogyandeducat
ion

4.Di
scusst
her
elat
ionshi
pbet
weenaxi
ologyandeducat
ion

Br
anchesofPhi
l
osophy
Phi
l
osophyi
str
adi
ti
onal
l
ydi
vi
dedi
ntof
ourmaj
orbr
anches,v
iz;Met
aphy
sics,Epi
stemol
ogy

7|
Page
(
Gnoseol
ogy
),Axi
ology(
Ethi
cs & Aest
het
ics)and Logi
c.Thi
slesson shal
ldi
scuss t
he
br
anchesi
nrel
ati
onwi
theducat
ion.

Met
aphy
sics
Met
aphy
sicsi
susual
l
ydef
inedast
hebr
anchofphi
l
osophywhi
chconsi
der
sthef
undament
al
nat
ureofr
eal
i
ty.Thet
erm“
real
i
ty”si
mpl
ymeans‘
al
lthati
sinexi
stence’
.Itmeanswhati
s
r
eal
asopposedt
owhati
sunr
eal
orwhatonl
yappear
stober
eal
.Thepr
obl
em ofappear
ance
andr
eal
i
tyhasal
way
sbeenconsi
der
edoneoft
hemai
npr
obl
emsofphi
l
osophy
.

Thewor
d‘met
aphy
sics’
hasaGr
eekor
igi
ntr
aceabl
etoAndr
oni
cusofRhodeswhoedi
tedt
he
l
aterwor
ksofAr
ist
otl
e. Af
terAndr
oni
cushadcar
eful
l
yedi
tedt
hewor
ksofAr
ist
otl
eon
nat
uralt
hingsandt
hust
aggedt
hem ‘
phy
sics’
,hewentaheadt
olabelt
heot
herwor
ks‘
aft
er
t
het
hingsofnat
ure’(
subsequentt
ophy
sics)-met
aphy
sics.Thet
woGr
eekwor
dswhi
ch
f
ormt
hewor
d‘met
aphy
sics’ar
e‘met
a’(
aft
erorbey
ond)and‘
phy
sikos’(
phy
sicsornat
ure)
.
Thecombi
nat
ionoft
het
woGr
eekwor
dst
huspr
oduces‘
met
aphy
sikos’whi
chsi
mpl
ymean
‘
aft
erphy
sicsorbey
ondnat
ure’
.

Essent
ial
l
y,met
aphy
sicsasksquest
ionssuchaswhati
sexi
stence?
;whati
sthepur
poseof
exi
stence?
;whyshoul
dany
thi
ngexi
st?
;whydeat
h?;whati
sthenat
ureofbei
ng?
;doesGod
exi
st?
;andot
hersupr
asensi
blequest
ionswhi
chsenseexper
iencemaynotunr
avel
.Because
ofman’
sinqui
si
ti
venat
ure,hehasnoopt
iont
hant
oref
lectont
heabov
equest
ions,andt
his
i
swhyGi
l
sonasser
tst
hat‘
byhi
sver
ynat
ure,mani
samet
aphy
sicalani
mal
’(Udi
gwomen,
2011)
Rel
ati
onshi
pwi
thEducat
ion
Met
aphy
sicsi
sver
ycent
ralt
oeducat
ion.At
eacherneedst
heknowl
edgeofmet
aphy
sicsi
n
or
dert
ohel
pthehumanper
sonat
tai
nrealandwhol
i
sti
ceducat
ion.Suchknowl
edgehel
ps
t
het
eachert
ogai
ninsi
ghti
ntot
hecomposi
ti
onoft
hehumanper
son-bodyandsoul
.Whi
l
ea
t
eachermaynotunder
stand t
he phy
siol
ogyoft
he human per
son,he musthav
eful
l
under
standi
ngoft
hespi
ri
tualpar
tofmanbecauset
hati
swher
eal
leducat
ionbegi
ns(
Isi
chei
andOl
ufowobi
,2005)
.

A met
aphy
sicalpr
obl
em whi
ch has ser
ious i
mpl
i
cat
ion f
ort
he t
heor
yand pr
act
ice of
educat
ion i
sthe pr
obl
em off
reedom and det
ermi
nism (
Far
ayol
a,2002)
.Fr
eedom/
free

8|
Page
af
fi
rmst
hatmani
sfr
ee,whi
l
edet
ermi
nism asser
tst
hatmanhasnopowerofchoi
ceand
cr
eat
ivi
ty.I
famani
sdet
ermi
ned,
thenhecannotbebl
amedf
orhi
sact
ions,
thusdi
sci
pli
nei
s
i
mpai
red.Expect
ati
onofcr
eat
ivi
tyf
rom achi
l
dimpl
i
est
hatt
hechi
l
disf
ree.How dowe
r
esol
vet
heseseemi
ngcompl
exi
tyandappar
entcont
radi
cti
onsi
nthecl
assr
oom?
.Thi
sis
wher
ethei
nvol
vementofmet
aphy
sicsbecomesr
elev
ant
.Met
aphy
sicshel
pseducat
orst
o
r
esol
vet
hespi
ri
tual
andphy
sical
dual
i
sm.I
thel
pst
ounder
standt
henat
ureofmanwhoi
sthe
maj
orandcent
ral
focusofeducat
ion.

Epi
stemol
ogy
Epi
stemol
ogyi
sder
ivedf
rom t
woGr ds,epi
eekwor stemeandl
ogoswhi
chl
i
ter
all
ymeans
knowl
edgeandt
heor
y/st
udyofr
espect
ivel
y.Thecombi
nat
ionofepi
stemeandl
ogoswi
l
l
gener
ateepi
stemol
ogoswhi
chmean‘
thet
heor
yofknowl
edge’
.Epi
stemol
ogyi
sthebr
anch
ofphi
l
osophy whi
ch i
nvest
igat
es t
he meani
ng,t
he nat
ure,t
he scope and v
ali
dit
y of
knowl
edgecl
aims(
BlockerandSt
ewar
t,1982)
.Iti
sconcer
nedwi
tht
hequest
ionoft
heor
igi
n,
nat
ure,
val
i
dat
ionandt
hel
i
mit
ati
onofhumanknowl
edge.

I
nthe hi
stor
y ofphi
l
osophy
,schol
ars hav
e debat
ed t
he i
ssue ofknowl
edge. Some
phi
l
osopher
sli
kePy
rrho,t
hef
atherofskept
ici
sm,bel
i
evet
hatt
hehumanmi
ndcannotknow
t
hingsast
heyr
eal
l
yar
e,butonl
yast
heyappear
. Fort
her
eal
i
sts,knowl
edgei
sgai
ned
t
hroughsenseexper
ience.Fort
hei
deal
i
st,exceptt
her
eisami
ndt
oknow anobj
ect
,we
cannotmakeanycl
aimt
otheexi
stenceofsuchobj
ect
.Fort
hepr
agmat
ist
sknowl
edgei
sthe
pr
ocessedandr
efi
nedhumanexper
iencewhi
chi
sacqui
redt
hroughi
nter
act
ionwi
thl
i
ving
andnonl
i
vingt
hingsi
nhi
senv
ironment
.Thus,wehav
esomeschool
soft
houghtspr
ingi
ng
upf
rom t
hesedi
spar
ateopi
nionsaboutknowl
edge,suchasskept
ici
sm,i
deal
i
sm,r
eal
i
sm,
pr
agmat
ism,
etc.

Rel
ati
onshi
pwi
thEducat
ion
Thei
mpor
tanceofphi
l
osophyt
oeducat
ioni
smostnot
iceabl
eint
hear
eaofepi
stemol
ogy
.
Whi
l
eeducat
ionasapr
ocessi
sconcer
nedwi
thi
mpar
ti
ngandacqui
sit
ionofknowl
edge,
epi
stemol
ogydi
gs i
ntot
he r
oot
s ofknowl
edge,t
hati
s,t
he nat
ure,t
he f
orm and t
he
j
ust
if
icat
ionofi
mpar
ted and acqui
red knowl
edge.Thest
udyofknowl
edgeshoul
d hel
p
educat
ort
oconst
ructhi
sact
ivi
tyar
oundpar
ti
cul
arpr
obl
emswhosesol
uti
onwi
l
lleadhi
s

9|
Page
pupi
l
stoabet
terunder
standi
ngoft
hei
renv
ironment(
Ukpokol
o,2011)
,andwhati
sbei
ng
t
aught
.At
eacherneedsepi
stemol
ogyt
ohav
eat
hor
oughgr
aspoft
het
rut
hinhi
ssubj
ect
ar
easoast
obeabl
etoi
mpar
tther
ightki
ndofknowl
edget
othest
udentwhoaf
terhi
s/her
t
rai
ningwi
l
lusesuchknowl
edget
osol
veper
sonal
andsoci
etal
probl
ems.

Axi
ology
Axi
ologycomesf
rom t
heGr
eekwor
ds“
axi
a”meani
ngv
alue/
wor
th,
and“
logos”whi
chmeans
t
heor
yof
.Axi
ologyt
husmeanst
het
heor
yofv
alues.Lapi
eandHar
tnannf
ir
stusedt
het
erm
axi
ologyi
nthe12th cent
ury
.Theni
twasempl
oyedt
odealwi
thsuchconsi
der
ati
onast
he
nat
ureandt
ypesofv
alueandt
hecr
it
eri
auponwhi
chj
udgment
sar
ebased.Axi
ologyi
sthe
gener
alst
udyofv
alues.Val
uesher
emeant
hewor
thandappr
eci
ati
ongi
vent
oaper
son,
thi
ng,
i
deaandev
ent
.Basi
cal
l
y,axi
ologyi
nqui
resaboutwhet
herv
aluesar
esubj
ect
iveorobj
ect
ive,
per
sonal
ori
mper
sonal
,dy
nami
corst
ati
c,andwhet
herv
aluescanber
anked.I
tisdi
vi
dedi
nto
Et
hicsandAest
het
ics.

Et
hics
Thet
erm et
hicsi
set
ymol
ogi
cal
l
yconnect
edwi
tht
heGr
eek“
ethos”meani
ngcust
om,
habi
tor
char
act
er.I
tisequi
val
enti
nmeani
ngt
omor
alphi
l
osophy
.Iti
sthephi
l
osophi
calst
udyof
mor
alf
act
ssuchasmor
alev
aluat
ions,
commandment
s,nor
ms,
vir
tuousact
s,mani
fest
ati
ons
ofconsci
ence,et
c.Et
hicsconcer
nsi
tsel
fwi
tht
henat
ureofgoodandbad,r
ightandwr
ong,
j
ust
iceandi
njust
ice(
Sober
,1991)
.Iti
sconcer
nedwi
tht
hev
alueanddi
gni
tyoft
hehuman
per
son.I
tisal
soconcer
nedwi
tht
heev
aluat
ionofhumanconduct
s.

Et
hicsandEducat
ion
Et
hics/
Mor
alphi
l
osophyasaf
iel
dofact
ivi
tyi
sconcer
nedwi
thv
aluesort
hel
i
feofv
irt
ue.I
t
di
rect
sourat
tent
iont
ohumanmor
ali
tyandv
alues.Toacqui
ret
her
ightv
aluef
orr
ightact
ions,
weneededucat
ion.Et
hicsandEducat
ionar
ebot
hnor
mat
ivedi
sci
pli
nes. Val
uesabound
ev
ery
wher
eineducat
ion.Forexampl
e,i
tiswi
thv
aluest
hatt
eacher
sev
aluat
est
udent
sand
t
hest
udent
sont
hei
rpar
tev
aluat
eteacher
s(Agul
anna,
2011)
.

Et
hicsal
sohel
psi
nthef
ormul
ati
onofeducat
ionalai
msandv
alues.Thet
eacherneedst
he
knowl
edgeofmor
alphi
l
osophyt
oknowwher
eandwhatt
oemphasi
zei
nthecl
assr
oom,
and
t
odet
ermi
net
het
ypeoft
eachi
ngmat
eri
alsandmet
hodst
oempl
oy.Educat
orshav
eal
way
s

10|
Page
 beenconcer
nedwi
tht
hef
ormat
ionsofv
aluesi
ntheschool
.Ef
for
tar
eal
way
sbeenmadet
o
shapet
hebehav
iorofourschoolchi
l
dren.Theyhav
eal
way
sbeent
oldwhatt
odoandwhat
nott
odo.Al
ltheser
equi
resomedext
eri
tyi
nmor
alphi
l
osophy
.

Aest
het
ics
Aest
het
icsi
sfr
om t
heGr
eek“
aest
hesi
s”whi
chmeanssenseper
cept
ion.I
tist
hatbr
anchof
phi
l
osophydeal
i
ngwi
thbeaut
yespeci
all
yinar
t.I
tist
hesci
enceoft
hebeaut
if
ul,andi
ts
cent
ralf
ocusi
sthephi
l
osophi
calt
eachi
ngont
hebeaut
if
ul.Aest
het
icsconcer
nsi
tsel
fwi
tha
consi
der
ati
on ofnat
uralbeaut
yal
ong si
de wi
th ar
ti
sti
c beaut
y.I
thas t
o do wi
tht
he
appr
eci
ati
onofbeaut
yandt
hepsy
chol
ogi
calr
esponsest
oit
.Itexami
nest
henat
ure,
sour
ce
ofar
tinhumanexper
ience,
thest
andar
dofj
udgi
ngar
tandi
tsef
fecti
ntheenv
ironment
.

Aest
het
icsandEducat
ion
Ev
eryi
ndi
vi
dualhasaper
cept
ionofwhatbeaut
yimpl
i
es.Aest
het
icalv
aluesar
esubj
ect
ive
andper
sonalandi
tisnotal
way
seasyt
oev
aluat
e.Educat
ionhel
pst
obr
ingoutt
hecr
eat
ivi
ty
i
nst
udent
s,andmaket
hem j
udgewor
ksofar
tmor
eint
ell
i
gibl
y.

Summar
y
I
nthi
sst
udysessi
on,
youhav
elear
nedt
hat
:
- Met
aphy
sicsdeal
swi
thr
eal
i
tybey
ondt
hephy
sical
,thati
s,i
ttr
eat
sissuest
hatar
ebey
ondt
he
scopeofsci
ence.Met
aphy
sicshel
pst
het
eachert
ohav
einsi
ght
sint
othecomposi
ti
onof
humanper
sonandal
sot
oreconci
l
ethespi
ri
tual
wit
hthephy
sical
int
hepr
ocessofeducat
ing
t
hechi
l
d.
- Epi
stemol
ogyi
sthest
udyofknowl
edge.I
tconcer
nsi
tsel
fwi
tht
hequest
ionoft
heor
igi
n,
nat
ure,
val
i
dit
yandt
hel
i
mit
sofhumanknowl
edge.I
nthef
iel
dofeducat
ion,
ateacherneeds
t
he knowl
edge ofepi
stemol
ogy t
o gr
asp t
he r
ightknowl
edge needed t
o unr
avelt
he
i
ncr
easi
ngsoci
etal
probl
emsandcr
isesi
ntheschool
.
- Et
hicsi
sthet
heor
yofv
alues.I
tconsi
der
shumanconduct
sint
hesoci
ety
.Bot
het
hicsand
educat
ionar
enor
mat
ivedi
sci
pli
nes,andassuch,t
hei
rsepar
ati
oni
ssui
cidal
.Aest
het
icsi
s
t
hest
udyofv
aluesi
nrel
ati
ont
obeaut
yandappr
eci
ati
on.Aest
het
icsi
snecessar
yint
hef
iel
d
ofeducat
iont
obr
ingoutt
hecr
eat
ivi
tyi
ntheeducand,andal
so,t
odev
elopaest
het
ical
sensi
bil
i
tywhi
chwi
l
lhav
ebenef
ici
alef
fectont
hei
ntel
l
ect
ual
,mor
al,r
eli
gious,soci
aland
ot
heraspect
sofl
i
fe.

11|
Page
Ev
aluat
ion
1.Whatar
ethet
radi
ti
onal
branchesofphi
l
osophy
?

2.Di
scusst
her
elat
ionshi
pbet
weenmet
aphy
sicsandeducat
ion

3.Est
abl
i
sht
her
elat
ionshi
pbet
weenepi
stemol
ogyandeducat
ion

4.Whatr
elat
ionshi
pexi
stsbet
weenaxi
ologyandeducat
ion?

Ref
erences
Aki
nsanya,P.
O.(2015).Phi
l
osophi
singabouteducat
ion:Apr
olegomenon.Lagos:Uni
ver
sit
y
ofLagosPress.

Agunlanna,C.(2011)Ethi
csandeducat i
oni nA.F.Udui gwomenandK.Ogbi
naka(
eds)
.
Phi
losophyofeducati
on:Ananal
yti
calapproach.Lagos:Joj
aPressLt
d

Bl
ocker,H.
G & St
ewar
t,D.( .Fundament
1982) alsofphi
l
osophy
.New Yor
k:Macmi
l
li
an
Publ
i
shi
ngCo.

Far
ayol
aJ. A(2002).Phil
osophyofeducat
ioni
nC.
O.Dar
amol
a( .Phi
ed) l
osophyofeducat
ion.
Lagos:
Ray t
el Communicati
on

I
sichei
,O.
PandOl uf
owobi(
2005).Ani
ntr
oduct
iont
ophi
l
osophi
calf
oundat
ionsofeducat
ion.
Lagos:
Vir
tuosoVent
ures

Sober
,E.( .Cor
1991) equest
ionsi
nphi
l
osophy
.NewYor
k:Macmi
l
li
anPubl
i
sherCo.I
nc

Ukpokolo,I
.E.(
2011).Epi
stemologyandeducati
oninA.F.Udui gwomen andK.Ogbi
naka
( )Phi
eds. l
osophyofeducati
on:Ananal
yti
calappr
oach.Lagos:Joj
aPr
essLi
mit
ed

12|
Page
 LESSONTHREE
School
sofThoughti
nPhi
l
osophyofEducat
ion

Lear
ningout
comes
Att
heendofthel
esson,
lear
ner
sshouldbeabl
eto:
1.Highl
i
ghtsomecontri
but
ionsofi
deal
i
sm toeducat
ion

2.Li
stsomecont
ri
but
ionsofr
eal
i
sm t
oeducat
ion

3.Ment
ionsomecont
ri
but
ionsofnat
ural
i
sm t
oeducat
ion

4.I
dent
if
ysomecont
ri
but
ionsofexi
stent
ial
i
sm t
oeducat
ion

5.I
temi
sesomecont
ri
but
ionsofpr
agmat
ism t
oeducat
ion

School
soft
hought
School
soft
houghti
mpl
ythedi
ff
erentposi
ti
onsorper
cept
ionsoni
ssuesi
nphi
l
osophy
.
Educat
ionalpr
act
icesal
lov
ert
hewor
ldhav
ebeeni
nfl
uencedbyi
deasoft
heseschool
s.I
n
t
hisl
esson,y
ouwi
l
lbebr
ief
lyi
ntr
oducedt
othr
eemaj
orschool
sandt
hei
rvar
iousposi
ti
ons
oneducat
ion.

I
deal
i
sm
I
deal
i
sm i
soneoft
heol
destschool
soft
houghti
nphi
l
osophy
.Itdat
esbackt
oPl
ato’
sday
s.I
t
l
aysmuchemphasi
sont
hespi
ri
tual
/i
mmat
eri
alaspectofman.Thei
deal
i
stdoesnotdeny
t
heexi
stenceoft
hemat
eri
alwor
ld,buthehol
dst
hatsuchwor
ldonl
yappear
srealbutnot
act
ual
l
yreal
.Themat
eri
alwor
ldandal
lthatweper
cei
veofi
tbyoursenses,f
ort
hei
deal
i
st,
ar
emer
emani
fest
ati
onsofanunder
lyi
ngspi
ri
tual
real
i
ty(
Bur
nsandBr
auner
,1962)
.Pl
ato,
for
i
nst
ance,opi
nedt
heexi
stenceoft
wowor
lds–t
hewor
ldofshadowsandt
hei
dealwor
ld.I
n
t
hel
att
erwor
ld(
alsocal
l
edwor
ldoff
orms)
,realt
hingsexi
st;butt
hef
ormerwor
ldhar
bour
s
mani
fest
ati
onsoft
her
eal
thi
ngsast
heyappeari
nthei
deal
wor
ld.

Thei
deal
i
stconsi
der
sev
ery
thi
ngi
ntheuni
ver
seasanexpr
essi
onoft
hemi
nd.Fort
hem,
t
hingsexi
stasi
deasi
nthemi
ndandt
hei
rexi
stencecannotbeknownunl
esst
her
eisami
nd
t
ogr
aspi
t.Not
abl
eideal
i
stsar
ePl
ato,
ReneDescar
tesandI
mmanuel
Kant
.

13|
Page
I
deal
i
sm andEducat
ion
Basi
cal
l
y,t
heai
m ofeducat
ion,f
ori
deal
i
sm,i
stoat
tai
nspi
ri
tualexcel
l
ence.Consequent
ly,
t
hecur
ri
cul
um shoul
dbest
ruct
uredi
nawayt
oimpr
ovet
hel
ear
ner
’si
ntel
l
igenceandspi
ri
tual
mat
uri
ty.Subj
ect
sshoul
dfocusondev
elopi
ngt
heent
ir
eper
sonal
i
tyoft
hel
ear
nerwhi
chi
s
mor
espi
ri
tualt
han phy
sical
.Int
hiscase,t
het
eachershoul
dfocusmor
eat
tent
ion on
dev
elopi
ngt
hemi
nd–t
hespi
ri
tualpar
toft
hechi
l
d.Thi
smeanst
hatf
oref
fect
ivel
ear
ningt
o
t
akepl
ace,achi
l
dmustbephy
sical
l
ypr
esentandmor
eimpor
tant
ly,spi
ri
tual
l
yal
ert
.The
schoolasaneducat
ionali
nst
it
uti
onshoul
dpr
ovi
det
her
ightat
mospher
eandt
hepr
oper
di
rect
ionf
ort
hegr
owt
hoft
hemi
nd.Thecur
ri
cul
um accor
dingt
othei
deal
i
stsshoul
dbe
st
ruct
ured t
o emphasi
ze subj
ect
sthat wi
l
limpr
ovet
he l
ear
ner
’si
ntel
l
igence and
under
standi
ngt
oenabl
ehi
mreal
i
zehi
sspi
ri
tualpot
ent
ial
i
ties.Themet
hodsoft
eachi
ng
pr
oposedbysomeoft
hei
deal
i
stsar
esocr
ati
c/di
alect
icalmet
hod,pr
obl
em/
proj
ectmet
hod
andi
mit
ati
onofi
deal
model
s.

Real
i
sm
Real
i
sm cameupasar
eact
iont
oideal
i
sm.I
twaschampi
onedbyPl
ato’
sfor
emostdi
sci
ple–
Ar
ist
otl
e.Ar
ist
otl
econsi
der
sthewor
ldofmat
ter
,whi
chhi
smat
terhadhi
ther
tot
akent
obe
wor
ldofshadows,asr
eal
.Forhi
m andot
herr
eal
i
sts,t
hewor
ldandev
ery
thi
ngasi
tis,exi
st
byi
tsel
fabsol
utel
yandconcr
etel
y.Thewor
ldaccor
dingt
othem i
snotaconst
ructoft
he
mi
nd,r
atheri
tisqui
tei
ndependentofwhet
hert
her
ear
ehumanbei
ngst
oknow i
tornot
(
Isi
chei
andOl
ufowobi
,2005)
.Real
i
stsmai
ntai
nedt
hatt
hewor
ldcoul
dbeknowndi
rect
lyasi
t
i
s,i
nit
srealchar
act
er.Thewor
ld,accor
dingt
othem,canbeunder
stoodt
hroughsense
exper
ience.Not
abl
ereal
i
stsar
eAr
ist
otl
e,JohnLockeandThomasAqui
nas.

Real
i
sm andEducat
ion
Ther
eal
i
stsai
m atat
ypeofeducat
iont
hatwi
l
lhel
pthechi
l
dfor
m habi
ts,di
sposi
ti
onsand
t
endenci
est
owar
dspr
act
ical
/empi
ri
calknowl
edgewhi
chwi
l
lbeusef
ult
oev
eryaspectoft
he
chi
l
d’sl
i
feandhi
simmedi
ateenv
ironment
.Thi
sisbecausef
ort
her
eal
i
sts,t
hepr
imar
y
pur
poseofeducat
ioni
stoenabl
eachi
l
dtof
iti
ntohi
senv
ironment
,andsubsequent
ly
domi
nat
e/conquert
hel
att
er.Theschool
,accor
ding t
oreal
i
sts,shoul
d beor
gani
zed t
o
pr
omot
eval
uest
hatar
ewel
ldef
ined;i
tshoul
dal
sober
uni
nsuchawayast
oimposesel
f
di
sci
pli
neont
hel
ear
nerwhi
chwi
l
lul
ti
mat
elyhel
ptodev
elopsel
fst
udyhabi
tint
hem.The
cur
ri
cul
um,accor
ding t
othem,mustbe seen and dev
eloped essent
ial
l
yas t
he whol
e

14|
Page
spect
rum oft
hecul
tur
eoft
hesoci
ety
,reduced t
othesi
zeand expr
essed i
ndi
ff
erent
di
sci
pli
neandsubj
ectmat
ter
s.Theyr
ecommendabasi
ccor
ecur
ri
cul
um whi
chcont
ainst
he
essent
ialt
rut
hst
owhi
chev
erychi
l
dshoul
dbeexposedi
nthecour
seofhi
sschooleducat
ion
(
Isi
chei
andOl
ufowobi
,2005)
.Theyal
sor
ecommendl
ect
uremet
hodoft
eachi
ng.I
nthi
scase,
t
het
eacheri
sthesol
erepr
esent
ati
veoft
hecul
tur
eoft
hesoci
etyandt
hel
ear
nerapassi
ve
componentofl
ear
ningpr
ocesswhoi
stoabsor
bthet
rut
hpr
esent
edbyt
het
eacher
.

Nat
ural
i
sm
Nat
ural
i
sm hol
dst
hatt
hatt
heuni
ver
ser
equi
resnosuper
nat
uralcauseandgov
ernment
.The
uni
ver
se,
accor
dingt
othem i
ssel
fexi
stent
,sel
fexpl
anat
ory
,sel
foper
ati
ngandsel
fdi
rect
ing.
(
Aladej
ana,2009)Nat
ural
i
sm i
saschooloft
houghtwhi
chexpl
ainsev
ery
thi
ng t
hrough
nat
uralcausesandl
aws.I
temphasi
zest
henat
uralaspectofman.Thenat
ural
i
stsar
e
i
nter
est
edi dashei
nachi
l s,nat
ural
l
yconst
it
uted,
inst
eadofwhathewi
l
lbewheneducat
ion
hasdonei
tswor
k.Theyemphasi
zedt
hei
mpor
tanceoft
henat
uralenv
ironmentoft
hechi
l
d
andper
cei
vet
hespi
ri
tual
wor
ldasbei
ngsubor
dinat
edt
othenat
ural
wor
ld.Tot
hem,
nat
urei
s
t
hebestt
eacher
.A chi
l
dtot
hem i
sgoodandi
nnocent
,iti
sonl
ytheenv
ironmentt
hat
changeshi
m.Not
abl
enat
ural
i
stsar
eJ.
JRousseau,
Pest
alozzi
,andFr
oebel
.

Nat
ural
i
sm andEducat
ion
Theai
m ofeducat
ionf
ort
henat
ural
i
stsshoul
dbet
hedev
elopmentoft
hechi
l
daccor
dingt
o
hi
snat
ure.I
tal
soi
ncl
udessel
freal
i
zat
ionandt
hedev
elopmentoft
heuni
quenessoft
he
i
ndi
vi
dualwhi
chmustbei
nhar
monywi
thhi
senv
ironment
.Educat
ionalcur
ri
cul
um,
accor
ding
t
othem,
shoul
dcompr
iseofpr
act
icalor
ient
edsubj
ect
swhi
chwi
l
lrequi
ret
hatt
hechi
l
dhasa
di
rectcont
actwi
thhi
senv
ironment
.Educat
ion,accor
dingt
othem,shoul
dconf
ormt
othe
l
ear
ner
’sment
alandphy
sicaldev
elopmentaswel
lasl
ear
ner
’sr
eadi
nesst
olear
n;i
tshoul
d
sat
isf
ythel
eaner
’sneeds.

Nat
ural
i
sm seest
hechi
l
dasi
nher
ent
lygoodandconst
ruest
het
askofeducat
ionast
hatof
r
etur
ninghi
mtoi
tsor
igi
nalst
ateofi
nnocence.Theyadv
ocat
edmet
hodsoft
eachi
ngl
i
kepl
ay
-
wayandpr
ojectmet
hodwhi
chwi
l
lmot
ivat
ethechi
l
dtomakeuseofhi
sini
ti
ati
vesand
expl
orehi
spot
ent
ial
i
ties.

15|
Page
Pr
agmat
ism
Pr
agmat
ism i
sawayofl
i
femeantt
obr
ingaboutpr
act
icalappl
i
cat
ionofr
ecei
vedknowl
edge.
Thepr
agmat
istaccept
sani
deabasedont
hepr
act
icalef
fect
sgener
atedbyt
hei
deai
nthe
wayofexper
ienceandact
ion,andheev
enr
egar
dst
heseef
fect
sasconst
it
uti
ngt
hei
dea
i
tsel
f.Pr
agmat
ism basesi
tsv
iewsont
hepr
inci
plet
hatt
het
rut
hofani
deacanbej
udged
onl
ybyi
tspr
act
icalr
esul
ts.Not
abl
epr
agmat
ist
sar
eChar
lesPi
erce,Wi
l
li
amsJamesand
JohnDewey

Pr
agmat
ism andEducat
ion
Theai
m ofeducat
ionf
ort
hepr
agmat
isti
sthedev
elopmentoft
hel
ear
ner
’si
ntel
l
ect
ualabi
l
ity
t
odealwi
thf
utur
epr
obl
ems.Themor
evar
iedandt
hemor
ecompl
ext
hepr
obl
em hesol
ves,
t
hegr
eat
ert
hegr
owt
hofhi
sint
ell
i
gence.Pr
agmat
ist
srecommendcur
ri
cul
um whi
chi
nvol
ves
t
hechi
l
dinexpl
ori
nganddi
scov
eri
ngknowl
edgebyhi
msel
f,wi
tht
heassi
stanceoft
he
t
eacherasaf
aci
l
itat
or.Thepr
agmat
ist
srecommendt
eachi
ngmet
hodst
hatcanbeusedi
n
sol
vi
ngpr
obl
ems.Theyar
einf
avourofgr
oupmet
hodoft
eachi
ng,i
nduct
ivemet
hodand
pr
obl
em sol
vi
ng/
proj
ectmet
hod.

Exi
stent
ial
i
sm
Exi
stent
ial
i
sm i
sthephi
l
osophyofexi
stence.I
tisconcer
nedwi
tht
heconcr
eteexi
stenceand
exper
iencesoft
hei
ndi
vi
dual
.Theexi
stent
ial
i
stsar
econcer
nedwi
tht
heexami
nat
ionof
humanl
i
feandt
hesi
gni
fi
canceat
tachedt
oourbei
ngi
nthewor
l hem,exi
d.Fort stence
pr
ecedesessence,whi
chmeanst
hatf
ir
stofal
l
,manexi
sts,andonl
yaf
ter
war
ds,def
ines
hi
msel
f.The exi
stent
ial
i
stmostf
undament
alpr
inci
plei
sthatman i
saf
ree and sel
f
det
ermi
ningi
ndi
vi
dual
.Not
abl
eexi
stent
ial
i
stsar
eSar
tre,
Wit
tgenst
einandKi
erkegaar
d.

Exi
stent
ial
i
sm andEducat
ion
Theai
m ofeducat
ion,f
ort
heexi
stent
ial
i
st,i
stocr
eat
einani
ndi
vi
dual
,adesi
ref
orf
ree
choi
ceanddev
elopmentofsel
f-
knowl
edge,andal
sot
opr
omot
eint
hei
ndi
vi
dual
,asenseof
sel
fcommi
tmentandsel
frel
i
ance.Theai
mist
oenhancet
heabi
l
ityofachi
l
dforsel
f-
di
scov
eryandsel
fdeci
si
on.Educat
ion,accor
dingt
othem,shoul
dinst
il
lthesenseofsel
f
commi
tmentandsel
frel
i
ancei
nthechi
l
d.I
tshoul
dal
socr
eat
eini
ndi
vi
dual
stheoppor
tuni
ty
t
oexer
ciset
hei
rfr
eechoi
ceandenhancet
hedev
elopmentofsel
fknowl
edge.Themet
hods

16|
Page
 oft
eachi
ngr
ecommendedar
edi
alect
ics,
rol
epl
ayi
nganddr
ama.

Ecl
ect
ici
sm
Ecl
ect
ism i
mpl
i
est
hepul
l
ingt
oget
herofv
iewpoi
ntsf
rom di
ff
erentphi
l
osophi
esi
ntoone
compr
ehensi
vewhol
e.I
tsi
mpl
ymeansnotadher
ingt
oanyspeci
fi
cschoolofphi
l
osophy–
i
deal
i
sm,nat
ural
i
sm,r
eal
i
sm,exi
stent
ial
i
sm,et
c.Ecl
ect
ici
sm enabl
esi
ndi
vi
dual
sornat
ions
t
oadj
usti
nthemi
dstofcompet
ingi
deol
ogi
es.I
thast
odowi
tht
hecar
efulf
usi
onofwhati
s
usef
ulf
rom v
ari
oust
hought
s.Themodeofoper
ati
onofecl
ect
ici
sm i
stor
ecei
vei
nspi
rat
ion
f
rom t
hecumul
ati
veexper
iencesofaspect
rum ofi
deol
ogi
esandnotf
rom onepar
ti
cul
ar
i
deol
ogy
.(Tanej
a,1990)

Ecl
ect
ici
sm andEducat
ion
Themaj
orpoi
nti
necl
ect
ici
sm i
sthatnoschooloft
houghtcanst
andoni
tsown,andnone
cananchoranat
ion’
ssy
stem ofeducat
ionsi
ngl
e-handedl
ywi
thoutsomecompl
i
ment
ary
suppor
tfr
om ot
herschool
s.Thi
smeanst
hatal
ltheexi
sti
ngsy
stemsoft
houghtper
for
m
compl
ement
aryr
olesr
athert
hanacont
radi
ctor
yone.Thedomi
nantchar
act
eri
sti
csofeach
oft
hephi
l
osophi
esar
enotbet
akensepar
atel
ybutr
athercombi
ned t
o gi
ver
iset
oa
f
unct
ional
,vi
abl
e,pr
act
icalandwor
kabl
etheor
yofeducat
ionwhi
chwi
l
limpr
ovenat
ions’
educat
ionsy
stem.

Summar
y
I
nst
udysessi
onf
ive,
youhav
elear
nedt
hat
:
- I
deal
i
sm i
stheschooloft
houghtwhi
chhol
dst
hatonl
yideasexi
st;
thatal
lphy
sicalt
hingsar
e
mani
fest
ati
onsofi
deasi
nthemi
nd/
brai
n.Thus,t
heai
m ofeducat
ioni
stodev
elopt
he
spi
ri
tual
/ment
alaspectoft
hei
ndi
vi
dual
.
- Real
i
sm seest
heexi
stenceofphy
sicalormat
eri
alobj
ect
sasr
ealandi
ndependentofmi
nd’
s
per
cept
ion.Theai
m ofeducat
ioni
stohel
pindi
vi
dualsear
chf
ort
rut
handusei
ttot
hebenef
it
ofhi
msel
fandhi
simmedi
ateenv
ironment
.
- Nat
ural
i
sm emphasi
zest
henat
ural
sideofman.I
texpl
ainsev
ery
thi
ngt
hroughnat
ural
causes
andl
aws.Educat
ionshoul
dfocusont
hedev
elopmentoft
hechi
l
daccor
dingt
ohi
snat
ure.
- Pr
agmat
ism i
samet
hodofsol
vi
ngpr
obl
ems.I
tisi
nter
est
edmor
eint
hepr
act
icalusef
ulness
ofanyact
ivi
ty.Educat
ionshoul
dequi
pthel
ear
nerwi
thpr
obl
em sol
vi
ngski
l
ls.
▪ Exi
stent
ial
i
sm i
sthephi
l
osophyofexi
stence.I
tisconcer
nedwi
tht
heexami
nat
ionofhuman

17|
Page
 l
i
feandt
hesi
gni
fi
canceat
tachedt
oourbei
ng-
in-t
he-wor
ld.Theai
m ofeducat
ioni
sto
pr
omot
easenseoff
reechoi
ce,sel
fknowl
edge,sel
fcommi
tmentandsel
frel
i
ancei
nthe
chi
l
d.
- Ecl
ect
ici
sm i
sthepul
l
ingt
oget
herofv
iewpoi
ntsf
rom ot
herexi
sti
ngphi
l
osophi
esi
ntoa
compl
i
ment
arycamp.I
tinsi
stst
hatt
ohav
eaneducat
ionsy
stem t
hati
sanchor
edbyonl
yone
schooloft
hought
,ist
oengagei
nanar
ti
fi
cialorsuper
fi
cialact
ivi
ty.I
ngi
vi
ngar
obust
educat
iont
othechi
l
d,al
lsy
stemsoft
houghthav
esomet
hingt
ocont
ri
but
e.

Ev
aluat
ion
1.Whati
sther
elev
anceofi
deal
i
sm t
oeducat
ion?

2.Li
stsomecont
ri
but
ionsofr
eal
i
sm t
oeducat
ion

3.I
temi
zesomecont
ri
but
ionsofnat
ural
i
sm t
oeducat
ion

4.Whati
sther
elev
anceofexi
stent
ial
i
sm t
oeducat
ion?

5.Pr
agmat
ism i
neducat
ion.Anyconnect
ion?

REFERENCES
Aki
nsanya,P.O.( .Phi
2015) l
osophi
singabouteducat
ion:Apr
olegomenon.Lagos:Uni
ver
sit
y
ofLagosPress.

Al
adej
ana,
T.I
.( .Phi
2009) l
osophi
calf
oundat
ionsofeducat
ion.I
le-
If
e:Yomi
taPr
int
s

Isi
chei
,O.
PandOlufowobi( .Ani
2005) ntr
oduct
iont
ophi
l
osophi
calf
oundat
ionsofeducat
ion.
Lagos:Vi
rt
uosoVentur
es

Tanej
a,V.
R.( .Educat
1990) ionalt
houghtandpr
act
ice.NewDel
hi:
Ster
li
ngPubl
i
sher
s.

18|
Page
 LESSONFOUR
Educat
ional
IdeasofSomePhi
l
osopher
sofEducat
ion

Lear
ningObj
ect
ives:
Att
heendofthelesson,
learnersshouldbeableto:
1.Me nt
ionthespecifi
ccont ri
butionsofPestalozzi,Fr
oebelandMont essor
ito
educati
on
2.Li
nksomei deasandpr act
icesincontemporar
yeducat i
ontotheini
ti
ator
s
3.Mention t
he specifi
c cont r
ibuti
ons of Nyerere,Solar
in and Awolowo to
educati
on

4.Li
nksomei
deasand pr
act
icesi
n cont
empor
aryNi
ger
ian educat
ion t
othe
i
nit
iat
ors

I
ntr
oduct
ion

19|
Page
 Cont
ri
but
ionst
oeducat
ionhav
ecomef
rom manyr
enownedt
hinker
s.Thi
slessoni
sdev
oted
t
oaf
ewoft
hem.

Pest
alozzi
Pest
alozzi
wasbor
ninZur
ich,
Swi
tzer
land.Hehi
ghl
ymot
ivat
edbyJeanJacquesRousseau’
s
phi
l
osophyofnat
ural
i
sm,whi
chhel
aterpushedt
oamor
elogi
calend. Thenat
ural
i
sti
c
t
radi
ti
onadv
ocat
edt
hatt
heeducat
ionoft
hechi
l
dshoul
dbei
naccor
dancewi
thnat
ure.

Pest
alozzi
’
sCont
ri
but
ions
- Pest
alozzir
ecommended a pedagogi
calr
efor
m wher
ethe mosti
mpor
tantt
hings ar
e
obser
vat
ionandl
ear
ningt
othi
nk.
- Forhi
m,t
hechi
l
dshoul
dbet
aughtwi
thr
eal
obj
ect
sormodel
sandnotbymer
ememor
izat
ion.
Thi
s was t
he begi
nni
ng ofi
nst
ruct
ionalai
ds/
mat
eri
alsi
nthe cl
assr
oom.Pest
alozzi
emphasi
zedont
hei
mmedi
ateexper
ienceoft
hechi
l
d,hence,hepushedf
ort
hthecaset
hat
abst
ractconcept
smustf
ir
stber
epr
esent
edi
nconcr
etef
orm andi
l
lust
rat
edwi
thi
nst
ances.
- Heal
sor
ecommendedt
hatal
lchi
l
drenshoul
dbegi
venequal
oppor
tuni
tyt
oat
tendschool
.
- Pest
alozzibel
i
evedt
hatt
hehomewast
hemostv
italf
oundat
ionofal
leducat
ionandal
l
humandev
elopmentasi
thasagr
eati
nfl
uenceont
heper
sonal
i
tydev
elopmentoft
hechi
l
d.
Thus,
hepr
oposedagr
eatsy
ner
gybet
weenhomeandschool
educat
ion.
- Her
egar
dedmor
alandphy
sicaleducat
ionasv
eryi
mpor
tantf
ort
hechi
l
d’st
otaleducat
ion.I
n
mostschool
s,phy
sicaleducat
ioni
snowdoneasasubj
ect
.Chi
l
drenar
eal
soi
ntr
oducedt
o
mor
aleducat
ionr
ightf
rom nur
ser
yschool
.

Fr
oebel
Fr
eder
ickFr
oebelwasbor
ninSout
hGer
many
.Hedev
elopedhi
sownt
heor
iesofeducat
ion
f
rom t
heobser
vat
ionandst
udyoft
hei
deasofot
hereducat
ors,mostespeci
all
yhi
smast
er
andempl
oyer
,Pest
alozzi
.

Fr
oebelbel
i
evedt
hateducat
ionshoul
dbecent
eredonl
i
fear
oundt
hechi
l
dinst
eadofbeen
di
rect
edt
owar
dspr
epar
inghi
mforf
utur
eli
fe. Accor
dingt
ohi
m,achi
l
d’sspont
aneous
act
ivi
tyandi
nter
estshoul
ddi
ctat
ewhathel
ear
nsandwhatshoul
dbet
aught
.Hebel
i
eved
t
hatmet
hodoft
eachi
ngshoul
dal
way
sbet
hatofsel
fdi
scov
ery
. Hef
avour
edpl
ay-
way
met
hodoft
eachi
ng.Pl
ay,accor
dingt
ohi
m,wast
hemostnat
uralandf
rui
tf
ulmeansf
ora

20|
Page
 chi
l
dtol
ear
n.

Cont
ri
but
ionsofFr
oebel
- He i
sthe or
igi
nat
orofki
nder
gar
ten.He est
abl
i
shed t
he f
ir
stki
nder
gar
ten i
n 1839.
Ki
nder
gar
teni
saGer
manwor
dforchi
l
dren’
sgar
den.I
tisaf
orm ofpr
e-schooleducat
ionf
or
chi
l
drenbet
ween3-7y
ear
s.
- Her
e-i
ntr
oducedpl
ay-
waymet
hodoft
eachi
ng.Thi
smet
hodi
sst
il
lbei
ngusedi
nnur
ser
yand
pr
imar
yschool
sinmostcount
ri
es.

Mont
essor
i
Mar
iaMont
essor
iwasbor
ninI
tal
y.Shest
udi
edmedi
cineandwast
hef
ir
stf
emal
einI
tal
yto
obt
aint
hecov
eteddegr
eeofmedi
cine.Shecamet
oeducat
iont
hroughheri
nter
esti
nphy
sics,
wi
thherconcer
nfort
hephy
sical
l
ychal
l
engedandunderpr
ivi
l
eged.Youmi
ghtwonderhowa
womanofpur
esci
ent
if
icbackgr
oundcoul
dcomei
ntot
hef
iel
dofeducat
ionwi
thouthi
tches.
Mar
ia,howev
er,gotqual
i
fiedi
ncar
ryi
ngoutexper
iment
sint
eachi
ngwi
thhersev
eny
ear
s
uni
ver
sit
ycour
sei
nexper
iment
alpsy
chol
ogyandant
hropol
ogi
calpedagogy
.Thesegai
ned
hert
hequal
i
ficat
ionswhi
chl
aterear
nedhert
hepostofor
gani
zerofi
nfantschool
sinRome.
Mar
ia’
sexper
iencemadehert
odi
scour
aget
heuseofcol
l
ect
ivemet
hodoft
eachi
ngwhi
ch
cr
ushedi
ndi
vi
dual
i
ty.Educat
ionoft
hechi
l
d,accor
dingt
oher
,shoul
dbef
rom wi
thi
nand
t
her
eshoul
dbenoext
ernal
hindr
ancewi
thi
nthechi
l
d’sgr
owt
handdev
elopment
.Sheopened
aschoolnamedChi
l
dren’
sHousei
n1907wher
esheusedt
hepr
ocessofsenset
rai
ningand
sel
feducat
iont
oteacht
hechi
l
d.

Cont
ri
but
ionsofMont
essor
i
- Heri
deasaboutt
hei
mpor
tanceoft
hef
ir
stsi
xyear
sofl
i
feandt
heboundl
esspot
ent
ialof
chi
l
drenr
egar
dlessofr
acegenderorsoci
alcl
assar
eingeni
ous.
- Thei
mpor
tanceofconcr
etel
ear
ningandr
ecogni
ti
onofmul
ti
plepat
hway
stol
ear
ning.Her
r
ecogni
ti
onoft
hel
i
nkbet
weenchi
l
dren’
semot
ionaldev
elopmentandt
hei
rabi
l
ityt
olear
nat
anopt
imal
rat
e.
- Shemadeust
oknow t
hatl
ear
ningexper
ienceshoul
doccurnat
ural
l
yandj
oyf
ull
yatt
he
pr
opermomentf
oreachi
ndi
vi
dual
chi
l
d.
- Resear
cheshav
eshownt
hatt
heMont
essor
ianmet
hodhasenabl
edchi
l
drent
olear
ntor
ead
ont
hei
rown,andwr
it
emuchmor
efast
erwi
thgr
eat
eref
fi
cacyt
hanhashi
ther
tobeen

21|
Page
 possi
ble.Shewasabl
etor
einf
orcet
hechi
l
d-cent
rednessofev
erycur
ri
cul
um package.
- TheMont
essor
ianmet
hodhasal
somadeust
oreal
i
zet
hatt
hephy
sical
l
ychal
l
enged,
thel
ess
pr
ivi
l
egedi
nthesoci
ety
,coul
dbecomesel
f/
suppor
ti
ve/
sel
f-
rel
i
anti
ftheydesi
ret
o,r
ather
t
hanbei
ngdependent
,pr
edat
orsorbur
denst
othesoci
ety
.

Sol
ari
n
TaiSol
ari
nwasasoci
alact
ivi
standaNi
ger
ianhumani
st.Hewasoneoft
hemostpr
omi
nent
educat
ioni
stsi
nthehi
stor
yoft
hecount
ry.Hewasagr
aduat
eofManchest
erandLondon
Uni
ver
sit
ieswhol
aterbecamet
hef
ounderandpr
inci
palofMay
flowerSecondar
ySchool
,
I
kenne.

TaiSol
ari
ncr
it
ici
zedt
hecur
ri
cul
um oft
het
radi
ti
onalGr
ammarSchool
swhosef
ocuswas
onl
yonacademi
cwor
k.Hebel
i
evedt
hatacademi
cwor
kcanbecombi
nedef
fect
ivel
ywi
th
pr
oduct
ivewor
kint
heschool
.Inhi
sschool
,ther
ewer
etwent
yfi
vedi
ff
erentsoci
eti
eswhi
ch
wer
ePi
gger
ySoci
ety
,Gar
riMaki
ngSoci
ety
,Oi
lPal
m Soci
ety
,Juni
orEngi
neer
sandsoon.He
bel
i
evedt
hatt
hei
ncul
cat
ionoft
heseski
l
lswoul
dmakeay
oungmansel
f-
dependentand
usef
ult
ohi
simmedi
atesoci
ety
.Taial
sobel
i
evedt
hati
tist
hedut
yoft
heSt
atet
oeducat
e
t
hechi
l
doft
heSt
ate. Hebel
i
evedt
hatnoci
vi
li
zedsoci
etycoul
daf
for
dtol
eav
ethe
educat
ionofi
tsy
out
hint
hehandsofanyi
ndi
vi
dualnomat
terhow al
tr
uist
icheseems
(
Okanl
awon& Fasanmi
,2000)

Hei
dent
if
iedt
hepr
obl
emsconf
ront
ingNi
ger
ia’
seducat
ionalsy
stem,
promi
nentamongt
hem
wer
eindol
ence,emphasi
sonpaperqual
i
ficat
ionandensl
avementoft
hemi
nd.Educat
ioni
n
hi
sownv
iewshoul
dmakei
ndi
vi
dual
shar
dwor
kingandsel
f-
rel
i
ant
,ther
ebycont
ri
but
inghi
s
orherownquot
atot
hegr
owt
hoft
hesoci
etyr
athert
hanbei
ngpar
asi
ti
c.Accor
dingt
oSol
ari
n,
t
hef
ir
stai
m orgoal
ofeducat
ioni
stobui
l
dnewcommuni
tybypr
oduci
ngi
ndi
vi
dual
swhocan
st
andont
hei
rfeet
,menandwomenwhoar
ement
all
yfr
eeandi
ndependent
.Thesecondai
m
ofeducat
ion,f
orSol
ari
n,i
sment
alf
reedom.Aneducat
edmani
nhi
sownv
iew,shoul
dbe
r
efl
ect
ive,
freeandcapabl
eofmaki
ngchoi
ceswi
thoutundueext
ernal
inf
luences.

Cont
ri
but
ionsofSol
ari
n
- Hi
svi
ewt
hatt
hecur
ri
cul
um shoul
dber
elev
antt
olocal
needsi
sst
il
li
nli
newi
thwhatwehav
e
i
noursy
stem ofeducat
ion.St
udent
sar
etaughtwhatt
heycanseear
oundt
hem i
nthei
r

22|
Page
 communi
ty. Thecur
ri
cul
um nowaday
shasl
ocalcont
ent
,whi
chf
aci
l
itat
esqui
ckr
ecal
lof
t
opi
cst
aught
.
- Hi
sideaofsel
f-
rel
i
ancei
sgi
venpr
omi
nencei
noursoci
etyt
oday
.Mostgr
aduat
est
hatar
e
unempl
oyednowexpl
oreot
herv
ocat
ionalar
east
hatt
heyhav
eint
eresti
n.Mostoft
hem now
managet
hei
rpr
ivat
ebusi
nesseswhi
chr
angef
rom f
ashi
ondesi
gni
ngt
ocat
eri
ng,
bri
ck-
lay
ing,
et
c.

Ny
erer
e
Jul
i
usNy
erer
ewasbor
ninTanzani
a.Hewast
hePr
esi
dentofTanzani
abet
ween1964and
1988whi
chaf
for
dedhi
m agol
denoppor
tuni
tyt
olaunchhi
s‘educat
ionf
orsel
f-
rel
i
ance’
pol
i
cy.Ny
erer
ebel
i
evedt
hatt
hedev
elopmentofamanandhi
snat
ionr
estont
hepol
i
cyof
sel
f-
rel
i
ancewhi
chcent
eredar
oundeconomi
candpol
i
ticall
i
fe.Hecont
endedt
hatt
hef
ormal
educat
ionalsy
stem shoul
dber
est
ruct
uredi
nor
dert
oachi
evedev
elopmentofsel
f-
rel
i
ance.
Hewasoft
henot
iont
hateducat
ionmusti
ncul
cat
eandr
einf
orcet
het
radi
ti
onalAf
ri
can
soci
ali
stv
aluesofequal
i
ty,cooper
ati
onandsel
f-
rel
i
ance. Educat
ion,accor
dingt
ohi
m,
shoul
dfost
ert
hesoci
algoal
sofuni
tyandi
nvol
vet
hey
oungi
nthedev
elopmentoft
hei
r
soci
ety
.

Cont
ri
but
ionsofNy
erer
e
▪ Ny
erer
e’sv
iew abouteducat
ionf
orsel
f-
rel
i
ancehast
remendousi
mpor
tancei
nTanzani
a’
s
educat
ionalsy
stem andev
eni
nNi
ger
ia.Att
hepr
imar
yandsecondar
ylev
elofeducat
ion,
the
Ni
ger
iangov
ernmenthasputi
npl
aceav
ocat
ionalsubj
ectwhi
chexposest
hest
udent
sto
ski
l
lst
hatwi
l
lmaket
hem sel
f-
rel
i
antl
i
kehomeeconomi
cs,
sewi
ng,
cakebaki
ngandsoon.
▪ Thegov
ernmenthasal
soest
abl
i
shedv
ocat
ionali
nst
it
uti
onswher
epeopl
eir
respect
iveof
t
hei
rlev
elofeducat
ioncanacqui
reski
l
lsi
ndi
ff
erentar
east
hatwi
l
lmaket
hem mor
esel
f
suf
fi
cientandi
ndependent
.
▪ Headmoni
shededucat
ionaladmi
nist
rat
orst
ocombi
newr
it
tenexami
nat
ionswi
thper
iodi
c
assessmentr
epor
tsonpr
oduct
ivewor
kinanyst
udent
’sappr
aisal
.

Awol
owo
Obaf
emi
Awol
owowasbor
ninI
kenne,
OgunSt
ate.Hewasat
eacher
,st
enogr
apher
,jour
nal
i
st,
l
awy
erandpol
i
tici
an.Awol
owobel
i
evedt
hatev
eryhumanbei
ngi
sduali
nnat
ure(
bodyand
mi
nd)
.Heconsi
der
edhumanbei
ngaspr
imemov
eri
nev
eryact
ivi
ty;asacr
eat
ive,f
reeand

23|
Page
 pur
posi
vel
ydy
nami
cbei
ngi
nnat
ure.Thi
sty
peofbei
ng,accor
dingt
ohi
m,canonl
ybe
moul
dedundercondi
ti
onst
hatar
edemocr
ati
candsoci
ali
sti
cinnat
ure.Agai
nstt
hebackdr
op
ofhi
sgener
alphi
l
osophi
cout
look,Awol
owopr
ovi
dessomeoft
hest
rongestar
gumentf
or
uni
ver
salandf
reeeducat
ioni
nNi
ger
ia.Educat
ion,accor
dingt
ohi
m,i
sasy
stemat
iccour
se
ofi
nst
ruct
ion,whi
chi
nvol
vesgi
vi
ngi
ntel
l
ect
ualandmor
alt
rai
ningt
oper
sons,andbr
ingi
ng
upt
hey
oung;hel
pingt
hey
oungt
odev
elopt
oleadoutt
hebesti
nhi
m andt
oev
olv
ean
i
ntegr
alper
sonal
i
ty(
Awol
owo,
1981)
.Awol
owocanv
assedf
orf
reeandcompul
sor
yeducat
ion
f
oral
lci
ti
zens. Hewasf
ir
mlyi
nsuppor
toft
hesocr
ati
cmet
hodoft
eachi
ngbecausei
t
enhanceshumanr
easoni
ngandcr
ossf
ert
il
izat
ionofi
deas. .

Cont
ri
but
ionsofAwol
owo
- He canv
assed f
orequal
i
tyofeducat
ionaloppor
tuni
tywhi
ch coul
d be r
eal
i
zed t
hrough
compul
sor
y f
reebasi
ceducat
ionf
oral
lci
ti
zens.Thi
sisst
il
lbei
ngpr
act
isedi
nsomest
ates
i
nNi
ger
ia.
Hepi
oneer
edf
reepr
imar
yeducat
ioni
nNi
ger
iai
nthewest
ernr
egi
oncal
l
edUPE-Uni
ver
sal
Pr
imar
yEducat
ion.Thi
sschemehasmet
amor
phosedi
ntot
hepr
esent
lyi
mpl
ement
edUBE–
Uni
ver
sal
Basi
cEducat
ionscheme.

Summar
y
I
nthi
slesson,
youhav
elear
nedt
hat
:
- Pest
alozziwas a Zur
ich t
hinkerwho bel
i
eved t
hateducat
ion ofa chi
l
d shoul
d be i
n
accor
dancewi
thnat
ure,
andachi
l
dshoul
dbet
aughtwi
thr
ealobj
ect
sormodel
srat
hert
han
memor
izat
ion.
- Fr
obelwasaGer
manschol
arwhobel
i
evedt
hateducat
ionshoul
dbecent
eredonachi
l
d’s
i
nter
estr
athert
hanbei
ngdi
rect
edt
owar
dspr
epar
inghi
mfort
hef
utur
e.Heor
igi
nat
edt
he
ki
nder
gar
tenschool
syst
em andf
avor
edapl
aywaymet
hodoft
eachi
ng.
- Mont
essor
iwasanI
tal
i
anmedi
calpr
act
it
ionerwhol
atergoti
nter
est
edi
neducat
ion.She
opi
nedt
hateducat
ionofachi
l
dshoul
dst
artf
rom wi
thi
nandt
her
eshoul
dbenoext
ernal
hi
ndr
ancewi
tht
hechi
l
d’sgr
owt
handdev
elopment
.
- Ny
erer
ewasaf
ormerpr
esi
dentofTanzani
awhor
est
ruct
uredt
heTanzani
a’
seducat
ional
sy
stem t
oachi
eveeducat
ional
dev
elopmentbysel
frel
i
ance.
- Sol
ari
nwasar
enownedNi
ger
ianhumani
standsoci
alact
ivi
stwhoasser
tedt
hatt
heai
m of
educat
ionwast
oincul
cat
eint
hei
ndi
vi
dualt
hehabi
tofwor
k,andt
oequi
pthem wi
tht
he

24|
Page
 necessar
yski
l
lst
hatwi
l
lenabl
ethem t
ocont
ri
but
ethei
rownquot
atot
hegr
owt
hoft
he
soci
ety
,rat
hert
hanbei
ngpar
asi
ti
c.
- Awol
owowasat
eacher
,jour
nal
i
st,
lawy
erandpol
i
tici
anwhocanv
assedf
orequal
educat
ional
oppor
tuni
tywhi
chcoul
dbeachi
evedt
hroughf
reeeducat
ionbyt
hest
ate.Hel
aunchedt
he
f
ir
stUni
ver
salPr
imar
yEducat
ionschemewhi
chhasmet
amor
phosedi
ntoUni
ver
salBasi
c
Educat
ionschemei
nNi
ger
ia.

Ev
aluat
ion
1.Hi
ghl
i
ghtt
heeducat
ional
cont
ri
but
ionsof
:
a.Pest
alozzi
b.Fr
oebel
c.Mont
essor
i
2.Whoi
nit
iat
edt
heki
nder
gar
tenschool
i
ng?

3.Ment
ionanyt
wophi
l
osopher
sofeducat
ioni
nAf
ri
ca.
4.Whoi
sregar
dedast
hef
atheroff
reeeducat
ioni
nNi
ger
ia?
.

REFERENCES
Aki
nsanya,P.O.( .Phi
2015) l
osophi
singabouteducat
ion:Apr
olegomenon.Lagos:Uni
ver
sit
y
ofLagosPress.

Aki
nsany
a,P.
O.( .Phi
2013) l
osophyaseducat
ion.I
jebu-
Ode:
Pat
tPubl
i
cat
ions

Awol
owo,
O.( .Voi
1981) ceofwi
sdom.Akur
e:Fagbami
gbePubl
i
sher
s.

Ny
erer
e,J.( .Educat
1967) ionf
orsel
f-
rel
i
ance.Republ
i
cofTanzani
a

Okanl
awon,A.
B.&Fasanmi,O.
T.( .TaiSol
2000) ari
n–t
hemaki
ngofahumani
st.I
jebu-
Ode:
AdmassPubli
shi
ngCo.Lt
d.

RECOMMENDEDTEXTS
Aki
npelu,J.
A.( .An i
1981) ntr
oduct
ion t
o phi
l
osophy ofeducat
ion.London:Macmi
l
lan
Publ
isher
sLtd

Aki
nsanya,P.O.( .Phi
2015) l
osophi
singabouteducat
ion:Apr
olegomenon.Lagos:Uni
ver
sit
y
ofLagosPress.

Aki
nsany
a,P.O.&Somoy
e,O.( .I
2015) nt
roduct
iont
ophi
l
osophyofeducat
ion.Uni
ver
sit
yof

25|
Page
Lagos:
Dist
anceLear
ningI
nst
it
ute.

Ol
adi
po,
O.&Aki
nsany
a,P.
O.(
eds.
)( .Phi
2006) l
osophyandl
ogi
c.I
badan:
HopePubl
i
cat
ions.

26|
Page