Philosophical Foundation of Education

A philosophy is often defined as the foundation upon which knowledge is based.

However, when you break apart the actual word, a much different meaning emerges.
Derived from the Greek “philos,” which means love, and “sophos,” which means
“wisdom,” the actual meaning of the word philosophy is “love of wisdom” (Johnson et.
al., 2011).
There are four broad schools of thought that reflect the key philosophies of education
that we know today. These schools of thought are: Idealism, Realism, Pragmatism, and
Existentialism.
It is important to note that idealism and realism, otherwise known as general or world
philosophies, have their roots in the work of the ancient Greek philosophers: Plato and
Aristotle. Whereas pragmatism and existentialism are much more contemporary schools
of thought.
Idealism is a school of philosophy that emphasizes that “ideas or concepts are the
essence of all that is worth know- ing” (Johnson et. al., 2011, p. 87). Based on the
writings of Plato, this school of philosophy encourages conscious reason- ing in the
mind. Furthermore, idealists look for, and value, universal or absolute truths and ideas.
Consequently, idealists believe that ideas should remain constant throughout the
centuries.
Plato believed that truth was the central reality. However, Plato did not believe that
people created knowledge, instead they “discovered it” (Johnson et. al., 2011). In his
book, The Republic, Plato talked about two worlds: the spiritual or mental world and the
world of appearance. Reacting against what he perceived as too much of a fo- cus on
the physical and sensory world, Plato called for education to “develop in the body and
the soul of the pupil all the beauty and all the perfection he is capable of.” (Cohen, 1999,
p. 1). In addition, to understand truth, Plato believed you must first understand
knowledge.
Socrates (ca. 470 – ca. 399 BCE):
Socrates’ work is only known through the works of Plato. Plato observed Socrates
questioning a slave boy to help him understand what he knew about a specific concept.
This questioning technique became known as the Socratic Method and was explored
in-depth in chapter one. When applied in classrooms, the Socratic method actively
engages students in the learning process, improves understanding, and promotes
higher-order thinking.
mmanuel Kant was a German philosopher who believed in “freedom, the immortality of
the soul, and the existence of God” (Johnson et. al., 2011, p. 88). He added valuable
information about the important role of reason and its’ contributions to knowledge.
According to his research, it is only through reason that we gain knowledge of and
understand the world in which we live.
Educational Implications of Idealism
Within an idealist educational philosophy, the curricular focus is on ideas rather than the
student or specific content areas. Learning is also intrinsically motivated. Teaching
methods used within idealism include: lecture, discussion, and Socratic dialogue.
Essential to these teaching methods is posing questions that generate thoughts and
spark connections. Paul (n/d) suggests the following six types of Socratic questions:
 Questions for clarification
o How does this relate to our discussion?
 Questions that probe assumptions
o What could we assume instead?
 Questions that probe reasons and evidence
o What would be an example?
 Questions about viewpoints and perspectives
o What is another way to look at it?
 Questions that probe implications and consequences
o What are the consequences of that assumption?
 Questions about the question
o What was the point of this question?
REALISM
Realism is a school of philosophy with origins in the work of Aristotle. This philosophy
emphasizes that “reality, knowledge, and value exist independent of the human mind”
(Johnson, 2011, p. 89). Realists argue for the use of the senses and scientific
investigation in order to discover truth. The application of the scientific method also
allows individuals to classify things into different groups based on their essential
differences.
ristotle is known as the father of realism and the Scientific Method. His pragmatic
approach to understanding an object, by understanding is form, is an example of how
he investigated matter. To understand this concept, consider the following example: A
plant can exist without being physically present, but it still shares properties with all
other plants (form). Finally, Aristotle was the “first to teach logic as a discipline in order
to be able to reason about physical events and aspects” (Cohen, 1999, p. 1).

Locke (1632 – 1704):

John Locke believed in the tabula rosa, or blank tablet, view of the mind. According to
this view, a child’s mind is a blank slate when they are born. All the sensory experiences
they have after birth fill up the slate through the impressions that are made upon the
mind.
Educational Implications of Realism
Within a realist educational philosophy, the curricular focus is on scientific research and
development. Outcomes of this thinking in classrooms today include the appearance of
standardized tests, serialized textbooks, and specialized curriculum (Johnson et. al.,
2011). Teaching methods used in realism include:
 Demonstration
 Recitation
 Critical thinking
 Observation
 Experimentation

RAGMATISM
Pragmatism is “a process philosophy that stresses evolving and change rather than
being” (Johnson et. al., 2011, p. 91). In other words, pragmatists believe that reality is
constantly changing so we learn best through experience.
Key Philosophers
Peirce (1839 – 1914):
Charles Sanders Peirce is one of the first pragmatic thinkers. He introduced the
pragmatic method in which students are supplied a procedure for constructing and
clarifying meanings. In addition, this system helps to facilitate communication among
students.

Dewey (1859 – 1952):

John Dewey linked pragmatism to evolution by explaining that “human beings
are creatures who have to adapt to one another and to their environment” (Johnson et.
al., 2011, p. 93). Therefore, learners within the classroom need to adapt to one another
and their learning community.

Educational Implications of Pragmatism

A pragmatist educational philosophy calls for teachers who can support students
learning by promoting questioning and problem-solving during the natural course of
lesson delivery. The curriculum is also interdisciplinary. Teaching methods used in
pragmatism include:
 Hands-on problem solving
 Experimenting
 Projects
 Cooperative Learning
EXISTENT
Existentialism is a school of philosophy that “focuses on the importance of the individual rather
than on external standards” (Johnson et. al., 2011, p. 93). Existentialists believe that our reality
is made up of nothing more than our lived experiences, therefore our final realities reside within
each of us as individuals. As such, the physical world has no real meaning outside our human
experience.

Key Philosophers
Kierkegaard (1813-1855):
Soren Kierkegaard was a Danish minister and philosopher.
He is considered to be the founder of existentialism.

Nietzsche (1844-1900):
Friedrich Nietzcshe stressed the importance of the individuality of each person.
According to Johnson et. al. (2011), his work provided a “strategy to liberate people
from the oppression of feeling inferior within themselves, and a teaching of how not to
judge what one is in relation to what one should be” (p. 95).

Educational Implications of Existentialism

Within an existentialist classroom, the subject matter should be a matter of personal
choice as each student is viewed as an individual by the teacher. Furthermore, answers
come from within the individual in an existential classroom, not from the teacher.
By examining students lives through authentic thinking, students are actively involved in
the learning experience. Existentialists are opposed to thinking about students as
objects to be measured, tracked, or standardized. “Such educators want the educational
experience to focus on creating opportunities for self-direction and self-actualization”
(Cohen, 1999, p. 1). Therefore, they start with the student, rather than the curriculum.