Relation Between Philosophy and Education
Meaning of Education
The word Education' is derived from the Latin word as under:
- Educatum: To train, Act of teaching or training
- Educere: To lead out, To draw out
- Educare: To bring up, To raise, To educate
The Latin word 'Educatum' means to train. 'E' means from inside the 'Duco' means to draw out, to lead, to bring up. To combine the two we come to mean as to draw from within. Developing this concept further we come to mean that education is a process which draws from within.
Meaning of Philosophy
The word philosophy is derived from two Greek words- 'Philos' and 'Sophia'. 'Philos' mean love and 'Sophia' means wisdom. Thus, philosophy means love of wisdom. In this way, search of wisdom or truth is called philosophy, and the man who engages himself in this search is called a philosopher.
Relation between Philosophy and Education
Education is not a dead process. It is lively dynamic bipolar process of transformation. According to this view, there must be two poles for its operation- the one is the teacher and the other is the child as student. The teacher possesses some beliefs, ideals and values and the child is influenced by these.
In other words, we can say that the teacher is a philosopher, who tries to mould and develop the child according to his philosophy to attain a desirable type of individual.Adams has rightly remarked-"Education is the dynamic side of philosophy. It is the active aspect of philosophical belief."
Interpreting philosophy and education separately, it is clear that both aim to impart knowledge of the truths and realities of life and develop the child accordingly. Both philosophy and education are integrally and interdependently related to each other.
Education is dependent on Philosophy due to following reasons-
(1). Philosophy determines the real destination towards which education has to go:- Education is a conscious dynamic process which needs proper guidance and supervision. Without proper guidance and supervision, it cannot achieve its goal. Philosophy determines the goal of life and also provides suitable and effective guidance and supervision for education to achieve that goal. Without the help of philosophy, education cannot be a successful process of development and achievement.
(2). Philosophy determines the various aspects of education:- Both philosophy and education are intimately and integrally connected with each other. Separation between the two is not possible on any account. It is the philosophy, we must know, that has been influencing all aspects of education since the very beginning and will go on influencing education for all time to come. Once again it will be better to recollect the saying of Ross that-Philosophy and education are like the sides of the same coin, present different views of the same thing, and that one is implied by the other."
(3). Great philosophers have been great educationists also:- History bears eloquent testimony to the fact that great philosophes have been great educationists also of their times. Plato, Socrates, Lucke, Commenius, Rousseau, Froebel, Dewey, Gandhi, Tagore, Aurobindo Ghosh and others who were great philosophers of their times have also talked about education. Their philosophical treatises have been important guide books for educational planning and determination of educational aims for children of the world.
Philosophy is dependent on education due to following reasons-
(1) Education is the dynamic side of philosophy:- Two things are essential for al for completing any task- (1) Thought or plan and (2) Application or practicability. Philosophy the application or is the thought or plan side and education is practical side. Philosophy determines the aim of life and by analysis lays down the principles to be followed for achieving the set aims. Education translates these principles and ideas practice, into because the purpose of education is to mould human behaviour.
(2) Education is a means to achieve the Goal:- Education contributes to new thinking and new philosophy may born out of his thinking and analysing. So close are these two, the philosophy and the education, that it well be better to discuss this relation in greater details as Philosophy and aims of education, Philosophy and Curriculum, Philosophy and methods of teaching, philosophy and discipline, philosophy and Text-books and so on.