Educational Philosophy

2. As a result of the Persian War, there was
a great expansion of all aspects of
human life throughout Greece.
Athens became the center of trade and
commerce taking full advantage of
acquiring wealth and prestige
A new class of teachers arose called the
SOPHISTS

3. The Sophists
 Very learned, well- traveled men,
usually non- citizens of Athens
 Offered a totally new perspective in
learning
 Emphasized the art of speaking,
taught declamation and oration,
developed grammar and rhetorics as
well as critical and reflective thinking

4.  PROTAGORAS- chief of the Sophists believed
that “MAN ISTHE MEASURE OF ALLTHINGS”
and stressed individual development
 Based their philosophy on the doctrine of
relativity of the truth- emphasizing individualism
 Knowledge and truth are both dependent on
judgements by the individual
 The Pythagorean concept of unchanging
mathematical relationship s as the essence of
reality and the Eleatic principle that nature obeys
laws of permanent being , that the laws of
physics are permanent

5.  They inquired whether or not such unchanging
laws of nature could be accepted as the basis for
laws governing man.
 Assert that moral principles and legal codes are
relative – shook the foundations of society
 Turned their concern to the art of debate,
techniques for convincing and or converting
one’s opponent because of unavailability of
absolute truth
 The deep interest in grammar was motivated by
the desire to manipulate to serve personal ends-
interest was in winning the argument rather than
prevailing the truth

6. Why was this disliked?
1. Collection of fees for anything that a student
might learn from them
2. They were aliens in Athens- posing threat
leading the students to deviate from the
moral, ethical, social, political and religious
traditions of the Athenians
3. The strong emphasis on individualism-
might lead for self- aggrandizement and
personal glory leading to the downfall of the
foundation of Athenian society

7. The Greek Educational Thinkers
Dilemma ?????????

8. Socrates (469- 399 BC)
 Accepted the fundamental principle of
Protagoras
 Postulated the concept Gnothi Seauton or
know thyself, for knowledge is a virtue and
all virtuous actions are based on one’s
knowledge.
 Known for his Socratic Method a.k.a.
Dialectic Method

9. Socratic
Dialectic
IRONIC
Destructive
Element
MAIEUTIC
Constructive
Element

10. - He was fond of asking thought provoking and
at times unanswerable questions
- IRONIC ELEMENT- asking series of questions
to contradict an original statement
- MAEIUTIC ELEMENT- asking series of
questions conceiving the correct idea
concerning the argument
unconscious
ignorance
clear and
reasoned truth

11. 1. Show that knowledge is the basis of all right
actions, including the art of living
2. Develop the power of correct thinking upon
the individual

12.  Taught the dialogues of Socrates
 Advocate a government which he considered as
aristocratic socialism- State must control
everything and has the right and authority to
determine who should be married
 With handicaps and disabilities should not be
permitted to procreate
 Family life should be abolished deciding whether
the child should live or not
 Educational system was designed to
accommodate both sexes and was the
determiner of the social classes of the people

13. 3 Distinct Classes of Society
1. PHILOSOPHICALCLASS
( Guardian of the Society)
- devoted to the pursuit of knowledge,
whose virtue was wisdom and whose duty
was to rule the people
2.WARRIOR CLASS
- devoted to warfare, whose virtue was
honor, whose duty was to protect and
defend the people according to the direction
of their rulers

14. 3. ARTISAN or INDUSTRIAL CLASS
- devoted to trade and crafts, whose virtue
was money- making, whose duty was to obey
and support the other two classes
This may eventually lead to social justice
Membership in the class should be determined
by intelligence, virtues and abilities

16. Plato’s Educational System
Age Bracket Educational
Training
Corresponding
Social Class
0-7 Physical, Moral,
Religious Artisan
7-16 Literature, Music,
Gymnastics Artisan
16-20 MilitaryTraining Warrior
20-30 ScientificTraining Philosophical

17.  At the age of 30- those who failed to show
extraordinary talents remained given
subordinate positions, those who excelled
were given the highest level of education- “
PhilosophicalTraining” ( Philosophy, Law,
Logic, Dialectic and Leadership)
 At the age of 35- they enter public service as
administrators
 At the age of 50- they retire from active
service

18. Aristotle ( 384- 322 B.C.)
 Denied the basic tenet of Socrates and Plato
that knowledge is virtue- insisted that virtue
is brought about by doing and not by
knowing
 Man is a social animal- he must use his reason
and live according to his reason to attain his
ultimate end SUMMUM BONUM- “ supreme
good”
 Stressed that reason functions when it
controls conduct

19. Educational Ideals
 All outlined in his scientific treatises called
Ethics and Politics
 Advocated that democracy is the
government that would lead to the
promotion and protection of the general
welfare of the citizens
 The responsibility of the state is the provision
for quality education for her citizenry- in turn
will secure the welfare of the state
 Family should be strengthened providing the
first educational experience of the individual

20. Educational System
MAN
BODY SOUL
FORMMATTER

21.  body and soul are not two separate elements
but are one thing.
 Aristotle does not allow for the possibility of
the immortality of the soul.The soul is simply
the form of the body, and is not capable of
existing without the body.The soul is that
which makes a person a person rather than
just a lump of meat!Without the body the
soul cannot exist.The soul dies along with the
body.

22. Age Bracket Educational
Training
Birth- 7 Basic education at home in
preparation for formal schooling
7-20
Formal schooling
Physical development- not only
physical strength but also self
restraint and control of passion
and desire
21 and above Scientific and philosophical
training