Introduction

1. Introduction

2. Defining/Explaining philosophy • Not easy! • In one way or another, it ends up touching upon nearly every aspect of human life. • Philosophy addresses science, art, religion, politics, medicine and education. • That is why a basic grounding is important

3. What is philosophy? • The study of general and fundamental problems concerning matters such as existence, • knowledge, • truth, • beauty, • law, • justice, • validity, • mind and • language • (Teichmann & Evans, 1999).

4. As an approach… • Philosophy addresses these questions/ideas through a systematic approach and reliance on reasoned argument. • It is rationally thinking about the general nature of the world • Metaphysics (theory of existence) • Justification of belief • Epistemology or theory of knowledge • Conduct of life or ethics (Qunton, 1995)

5. Everyone has some general conception of the nature of the world in which they live and their place in it – metaphysics replaces the un-argued assumptions with a rational body of beliefs about the world as a whole. • Everyone has sometimes doubted/questioned their beliefs (of those of others) without any theory of what they are doing. Epistemology seeks by argument to make explicit the rules of correct belief formation. • Everyone governs their conduct toward a personal valued end – Ethics seeks to articulate that in a relationally systematic form.

6. Philosophy focuses on abstract questions • Does God exist? • Is the world really as it appears to us? • How should we live? • What is art? • Do we have genuine freedom of choice? • What is the mind?

7. Philosophy is the construction • Criticism • And analysis of arguments

8. Why should teachers care about philosophy? • Academic pursuit, never amounting to anything of practical value. • Didn’t the ancient Greek philosophers ask the same questions which modern philosophers ask today? • Doesn’t’ this mean that philosophy never gets anywhere and never accomplishes anything?

9. Philosophy is • A. A doctrine – a belief or system of beliefs accepted as authoritative by group/school • B. The rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and ethics • C. Any personal belief about how to live or how to deal with a station • D. An academic discipline that is divided in 5 major branches: • Logic, metaphysics; epistemology, ethics, aesthetics

10. A philosophy is a system of beliefs about reality. • An integrated view of the world • It is the foundation of knowledge. • It is the necessary product of man’s rational mind. • For instance, to gain knowledge of an objects, man must recognize that objects have identity; recognize that conclusions are possible because the world does exist; and exists in a particular way.

11. A Framework • Philosophy provides the framework for which man can understand the world. • Provides the premises by which man can discover truth • Every person has an understanding of the world. • Every person must have a philosophy, even if it is never made explicit.

12. Hierarchical relationship between branches • Root is metaphysics – the study of existence and the nature of existence • Epistemology – study of knowledge and how we know about reality and existence • Ethics – study of how man should act (dependent on epistemology because it is impossible to make choices without knowledge. • Aesthetics – study of art and since of life depends on all of the above

13. What is the meaning of education and philosophy of education? • Enlighten the understanding – to give light to, to give clearer views, to illuminate, to instruct, to enable to see or comprehend truth, to enlighten the mind. • To instill good character, behavior, communication skills • Form good habits, encourage good work habits, industriousness, truthfulness, honest, responsibility, patience, resourcefulness, gentleness, and carefulness. • Train for future roles

14. Education is the knowledge of putting one’s potentials to maximum use. • Assists in decision making • Enables us to receive information from the external work, acquaint with past history, receive all necessary information regard the present. • Without education, man is as though in a closed room – education provides the windows.

15. Philosophy of Education • The study of education and its problems. • The application of philosophical methods to the theory and practice of education. • Nature of learning • Purpose of education • Goal of education (imparting knowledge, developing intellectual independence, instilling moral or political values) • What is educational authority What is the relationship between education and society? • Plato, Rousseau, Dewey

16. Educational philosophy deals with • How children should be educated • What they should be educated in • What the ultimate purpose of education should be for a society • How to be an effective teacher • Curriculum • Administration • Aims and goals of education