NAME: ARTURO V.

GERILLA

ACTIVITY 1 – EDUC 601

DIRECTIONS:

1. Read the Philosophy of Education pages 48-89 (posted in Moodle Dashboard).

2. Accomplish the matrix below.
3. Upload your output in PDF

a. Philosopher’s Beliefs

Name of Philosopher Philosophical Belief Contribution in Education

1. Aristotle He believed that people should be much Aristotle recognized the importance of early
involved in studying and understanding the childhood as a formative period of human
reality of all things. Being a scientist and development. He divided schooling into three
philosopher, he believed that although science stages: primary, secondary, and higher
and philosophy can be separated artificially, a education. Ages 7-14 would attend primary and
relationship exists between them in which study could consist of gymnastics, writing, reading,
of one aid’s in the study of the other. music, and drawing. Ages 14-21 would attend
secondary and would continue their primary
studies while implementing literature, poetry,
drama, choral music, and dancing. The last four
years would be spent in military drill, tactics, and
strategy. Higher studies would begin at age 21
and continue as long as the student was willing
and able. Higher education was for males only as
Aristotle believed women were not capable of
such complex studies.
2. St. Thomas Aquinas Aquinas believes that natural reason can Aquinas eventually developed one of the
demonstratively prove God’s existence. The first greatest syntheses in Western educational
step is to show that, for everything in the thought by incorporating Aristotle’s philosophy
changeable world around us, there is a first of natural realism with the doctrines of the
cause, or prime mover, in virtue of which all Christian Church. It combined the Greek and
other things have their existence, their motion, Roman classical intellectual legacy with the new
their qualities and direction. This is the result he cultural dynamic of Christianity. Built upon
gets in his much discussed “five ways” of proving
God’s existence (ST 1a 2.3c). Aquinas denies that
Anselm’s ontological argument has any force as
a proof (ST 1a 2.1 ad 2; SCG I.10–11). Instead,
the first three ways are cosmological arguments,
based on the impossibility of an infinite series of
causes. Commentators generally agree that what
Aquinas means to exclude is an infinite series of
simultaneous causes, a “vertical” series as
opposed to an infinite “horizontal” series of
causes going back in time, which he does not
think can be proved to be impossible (§3). Each
of the five brief arguments ends with a variation
on the formula “this is what everyone calls God.”
He puts his claim cautiously at this point,
because to demonstrate the existence of a
prime mover falls well short of demonstrating
the existence of a being worthy of being called
God. For all we have seen so far, for instance,
this first cause might itself be a body. But
Aquinas thinks natural reason—what we now
call natural theology—can go well beyond the
five ways. ST 1a goes on to establish that this
first cause is not a body (3.1), nor composite in
any way and hence entirely simple (3.7), perfect
in every respect (4.2), the highest good (6.2),
infinite (7.1), omnipresent (8.2), completely
unchangeable (9.1), eternal (10.2), supremely
one (11.4), and possessing the most perfect
knowledge (14.1). These results establish the
existence of something worthy of being called
God. (On Aquinas’s natural theology in general
see Kretzmann 1997; Wippel 2000 chs. 10–13;
Stump 2003 pt. I. On the five ways see Kenny
Aristotle’s ideas, Aquinas’s dualism dichotomized
life and learning into two dimensions: the
spiritual and the corporeal. It then extended the
spiritual into the intellectual dimension of
theory and the corporeal into practice. Despite
John Dewey’s later criticism, the theory-practice
distinction has remained an important
characteristic of Western education. Although
he wrote many works of philosophy and
theology throughout his life, his most influential
work is the Summa Theologica which consists of
three parts. The first part is on God. In it, he
gives five proofs for God’s existence as well as an
explication of His attributes. He argues for the
actuality and incorporeality of God as the
unmoved mover and describes how God moves
through His thinking and willing. The second
part is on Ethics. Thomas argues for a variation
of the Aristotelian Virtue Ethics. However, unlike
Aristotle, he argues for a connection between
the virtuous man and God by explaining how the
virtuous act is one towards the blessedness of
the Beatific Vision (beata visio). The last part of
the Summa is on Christ and was unfinished
when Thomas died. In it, he shows how Christ
not only offers salvation, but represents and
protects humanity on Earth and in Heaven. This
part also briefly discusses the sacraments and
eschatology. The Summa remains the most
influential of Thomas’s works and is mostly what
will be discussed in this overview of his
philosophy.
 1969; MacDonald 1991a; Martin 1997; Pawl
2012; Cohoe 2013.)
3. Francis Bacon Some people do not believe that Francis Bacon If man focuses on the content, they will gain a
is influential. Bacon has many people who doubt better knowledge because there is no bias
his actual contribution to learning. Anderson toward authorship. Anderson also says, “the
comments that, “Bacons rights to be called a second part of the instauration is given over to a
significant thinker has been a subject of an new method. This method differs from the old
intermittent controversy which is perhaps logic in the end, order of new demonstration,
without parallel in the history of learned and point of departure. Its aim is the invention
discussion and the one into which, it must be not of arguments, but of arts, not bringing of
admitted, both national and racial prejudices two things into agreement with principles and
have entered. Admirers would make him-what definitions already assumed by the inquirer but
no man could possibly be-the founder of the discovery of axioms which conform to
modern science and the inventor of nature’s operations” (Anderson 1962). Bacon is
experimental induction, Detractors would have all about people learning dynamically. Pushing
called him an exponent of feeble thoughts and the boundaries and not accepting what is said to
the declaimer in resourceful language of be true, but physically finding out for themselves
philosophical commonplaces” (Anderson, 1975). if what is said is true. Bacon outlines a process
As seen, Bacon talks of a new method on how to to create a dynamic learning system. People
change learning into discovering through have to follow his methods to increase
experimentation. To call him the father of knowledge and learning. His work is incredibly
modern science may be a stretch, but to call him influential, because without it, experimentation
an exponent of feeble thoughts would be just as and planned experiences would have never
much a stretch. been brought into a university or school system.
Bacon’s influence in the educational society,
however, is controversial.
4. John Locke His investigations were to the extent and Locke’s views on education, as expressed in
certainty of human knowledge. He traced the Some thoughts Concerning Education, are not as
origin of ideas to the object of thought, or theoretical as his speculations on epistemology.
whatever the mind entertains. For him, there is They are practical ideas about conduct, laziness,
no such thins as innate ideas because at birth, rewards and punishments and other generalities
the mind according to him is like a blank sheet of in the educational process. Locke’s ideas led to
paper “Tabula rasa”. On which ideas are the kind of “gentlemanly” education for which
imprinted. Thus, knowledge is acquired from English education is noted. One might argue that
 sources independent from the mind or as a
result of reflection on data from independent
sources. In other words, all ideas are derived
from experience by way of sensation and
reflection.
5. Alfred North Whitehead Believed in Platonic views in his search for
universal patterns. Went on mathematical
quantification and verification as the basis of
philosophical generalization.
Process is central to Whitehead’s philosophy
because he held that reality is process. A person
encounters in this process actual entities or
occasions.
He rejected a bifurcated reality yet recognized
the individuality of a thing in itself and the
relational or universal aspects of things. He
objected to going too far in one direction to the
detriment of the other direction. He rejected the
separation of the mental into a realm by itself
because mental activity had to viewed in the
contexts of experience. He preferred realism as a
philosophy because he thought it helped people
correct the excesses of subjective thought.
6. Bertrand Russell Russell premised the believed of Whitehead’s
and concluded that the universe is characterized
by patterns but these patterns can be verified
with precision and be analyzed mathematically.
There is a need to merge the logical and
mathematical so that pattern can be discerned
verbally (or semantically) and mathematically.
He held that the role of philosophy is analytic
and synthetic, that is, it should be critical in its
analytic phase by showing logical fallacies and
errors in past systems and it should be
despite Locke’s philosophical penchant for
democracy, his educational ideas lend
themselves to an aristocratic elitism.
Co-authored a work entitled Principia
Mathematica. One of his outstanding
philosophical treatises is Science and the
Modern World, ad some of his major statements
on education can be found in The Aims of
Education and Other Essays.
To him the important things to be learned are
ideas. He was adamant in urging that education
be concerned with “living ideas”, but ideas
connected with experiences of learners-ideas
that are useful and capable of being articulated.
He warned against learning inert ideas simply
because it was done in the past. This shows his
organic orientation that education should enable
people to get into the flow of existence and the
process- patterns of reality.
Written the following books:
1. Our Knowledge of the External World
2. Religion and Science and;
3. Principia Mathematica (co-authored with
Whiteheads.
He wrote Education and the Social Order and
Education of the Modern World.
 constructive in its synthetic phase by offering
hypotheses about the nature of the universe
that science has not yet determined. He
believed that philosophy should be mainly
analytic and that it should base itself on science
because only science has any genuine claim to
knowledge. From the standpoint of science , one
can see Russell’s adherence to realism and what
has been called the thesis of independence. IT
was not so much the results of science as the
methods that he accepted. By using these
methods, he hoped to arrive at valid
philosophical constructions- not constructions of
large generalizations but rather piecemeal,
detailed, verifiable constructions.
7. Hilary Putnam According to Putnam, what came out of such In “The Many Faces of Realism, Putnam argues
failures in modern philosophy is the view that if that by conceptual relativity, he does not mean
people cannot take the God’s-eye view, then two that anything goes, a vulgar relativism that sinks
important traditional branches of philosophical into solipsism and absolute subjectivity. Putnam
study are dead: Metaphysics (theory of ultimate maintains that, indeed, some facts in the world
reality (and epistemology (theory of knowledge). are not invented by language or mental
Putnam himself is critical of metaphysical representations; rather when talking about facts,
realism, and he rejects the claims that (1) the people need to understand the conceptual
world consists of a fixed totality of objects scheme. Meaning the language people use to
independent of the human mind, (2) there is describe them.
one true description of that independent world,
and (3) truth involves correspondence of what
we say about that world with the ways the world
really is. He viewed that people’s notions of
object depends on the circumstances of the
situation and what we mean by the world, our
“conceptual scheme” so to speak. According to
him the error of metaphysical realism,
particularly scientific realism has been to
 assume that a single systems of organisms and
their physical environment as determined or
discovered by science contain all the objects to
which anyone could refer.
8. John R. Seari He accepts the traditional realist view that an Social reality is anchored in the natural or
external world exists independent of human physical world, but it also has mental or
consciousness and that the truth of statement conscious dimension. The greater convenience
about that world is dependent on how well of using money renewed and even strengthened
those statements correspond to the external the economic institution of money. The school
world. His interests have drawn to him to explain institution is renewed with use when each use
social reality on how an objective reality of fulfills conscious intentions, and this renews
marriage, money, government, sports, cocktail human commitment to the institution.
parties, and universities can exist in a world
made up entirely of physical particles and fields
of force. He argues (In the Construction of social
reality) against the modern tendency to
interpret reality claims as nothing more than
human creations in which there are no “Brute
Facts” but only constructions of the human
mind.
Reality can be approached from at least two
angles: Brute facts and social facts.

b. Realism Philosophy

Name of Philosophy Aims of Education Curriculum Methods of Education Roles of the Teacher Critiques of
Realism
Realism Although realists have a The secular realist One purpose of Realism has
different view’s about maintains that a proper education from the steadily gained
what subject should understanding of the earliest times has ground in
constitute the world requires an been to teach American
curriculum they agree understanding of facts students the kinds of education. To say
that studies should be and ways of ordering things that members that advance
practical and useful. and classifying of society need to began with Sputnik
Locke approved such knowledge. The know in order to and in the
practical studies as establishment of survive. In ancient accompanying
reading, writing, scientific laws for Egypt, students were claymore in 1957
drawing, geography, example, depends on expected to know and 1958 wood
astronomy, arithmetic, verification of up to the religious and not be through,
history, ethics, and law- date factual data. political demands although the event
with supplementary Secular realists believe and how to prepare not certainly
studies in dancing, that schools should for an afterlife. accelerated the
fencing, and riding. teach such fundamental Education always has movement.
Locke emphasized the facts about the been used as a way Dewey tried to
education value of universe, and a good of teaching essential counteract what
physical activity, and he school program will things to people. In he considered the
believed the children present materials in this respect, it has negative aspects of
should spent much time interesting and served as valuable both realism and
in an open air and enjoyable ways. Not function. The need idealism by
should accustom only facts but also the for knowing this showing that what
themselves to heat and method of arriving at essentials is no less we know as real
cold, shine and rain. He facts must be taught. today, argues the neither totally in
focused his attention on The realist places realists. In fact it is mind nor totally
the complete person enormous emphasis on probably greater objective and
and included not only critical reason aided by because there are external; rather, he
intellectual concerns but observation and more thing to learn argued that human
also diet, exercises, experimentation than ever before. reality consist of
recreation. He believed Realist support formal When people fail to individuality and
that instruction in ways of teaching, and teach a child how to environment.
reading should begin as although they see such read and write, they Perhaps the most
soon as a child is able to objectives as a doom the child to vocal critiques of
talk and that writing realization as valuable, difficulty in finding a realism are those
should begin soon realist maintain the self- job, in understanding with an
afterward. realization best occurs vital information, existentialist
-should include practical when students are and in developing orientation and
and speculative knowledgeable about socially. many post
knowledge. For the external world. It is possible that modernists. They
example, education Many realists support because of this attack realism
helps the individual competency, limitation, the child because it has
become self-aware so accountability, and will become a advocated the idea
that one can think about performance-based liability rather than of a fixed and
one’s actions. Through teaching. They assume an asset of society. In intelligible universe
the practical study of that education growth the same way, when capable of being
ethics, one is led to the in terms of competency, people fail to teach a perceived
higher plain of ultimate performance and child the kinds of objectively by the
reality or metaphysics. knowledge of the facts preparation and skills observing intellect.
Thomist believe that can be achieved and is needed for Today, the realists
true education is always measurable to a technological and ideal of the
in process and never considerable extent. scientific scientists and
becomes complete: it is Furthermore, Although development, they technician shows
a process of the it is difficult to measure are not using schools little recognition of
continuing development a students growth in to their fullest the unity of
of the human soul. such areas as values, capacity. Realists knowledge
ethical considerations, emphasize the role because scientist
and social relations, of a teacher in the often work on one
realists generally educational process. small component
maintain that anything The teacher should of a large entity
that exist can be present material in a without
measured in some systematic and understanding the
form. The best way to organized way and larger entity or
approach and deal with should promote the appreciating its
such problems as ethics idea that one can use implications for
is through knowledge clearly defined humanity. Thus, it
about the facts of criteria, such as the is possible for a
ethics. Perhaps for kind of brush stroke scientist to work
example, the best ethics used, and shading of on a project that
shows people how to colors, the balance has anti-social
put themselves in tune and quality of the working
with the laws of subject matter, and experience and
universe the message expensive space
conveyed. The same technology.
thing applies to the Realism displays a
activity of education; bias in favor of a
one can use certain fact-based
objective criteria in approached to
judging whether knowledge
particular activities
are worthwhile-for
example, a type of
material presented,
how it is organized,
whether it is suits
the psychological
makeup of the child,
whether the delivery
system is suitable,
and whether it
achieves the desired
results.