Philosophy in Education

2. Realism may be defined as any
philosophical position that
asserts the objective existence
of the world and begins in it and
relations between these beings
of human knowledge and
desires.

3. Realism holds that reality, knowledge and
value exist independent of the human
mind. For the realist, matter is real.
The most important part of realism is the
thesis of independence. Sticks, stones,
trees exist whether or not there is a
human mind to perceive them.

5. Reality is the state of things as
they actually exist, rather than as they
may appear or might be imagined. In a
wider definition, reality includes
everything that is and has been, whether
or not it
is observable or comprehensible.

7. In the history of Philosophy, there are
two quite distinct traditions about the
nature of the relationship between what
we think we perceive and what is real.
They are the Idealist, or the "Inside-Out"
tradition and the Realist or "Outside-In"
tradition.

8. The "Inside-Out" tradition is best exemplified
by the famous quote from Rene Descartes -
"Cogito, ergo sum!" - "I think, therefore I
am!" Philosophers of this tradition start with
the incontestable premise that "I think", and
deduce from that the inescapable conclusion
that consciousness is the fundamental given
of metaphysics. Their argument is that to
deny the premise "I think", or that "I am
conscious" is a logical contradiction.

9. The Outside-In tradition is best exemplified by
Aristotle. Philosophers of this tradition start
with the incontestable premise that thinking
and consciousness are processes not things.
By the very nature of what a process is, in
order for a process to "exist" be in the process
of

10. processing) there must be something that is
being processed. To think is to
think about something. To be conscious is to be
conscious of something. Philosophers of this
tradition start with this premise and acknowledge
that by the nature of processes there must first
be something about which I can think or of which
I can be conscious, and deduce the inescapable
conclusion that the existence of something that I
might be conscious of or think about is the
fundamental given of metaphysics.

11. Reality" has to be such that we can repeat our
sensory perceptions of it, as long as we are
careful to repeat the conditions under which we
are making our sensory perceptions. This
means assuming, as a starting point, that
"Reality" behaves in a predictably repeatable
fashion, regardless of what our perceptions
may superficially tell us. If we repeat our
observing situation, we can accurately predict
our sensory perceptions.

12. Reality" cannot possess attributes that are
mutually contradictory. For example, "Reality"
cannot not be both black and white
simultaneously, regardless of what our
sensory perceptions may tell us. This means
that, regardless of our perceptions, our
understanding about the nature of "Reality"
must be based on an explanation (model,
theory that is also self-consistent.

15. Consistent with fact or reality.
This implies that something
which is true always has been
true, and always will be true.
Things by themselves are
neither true nor false; they just
are or are not.

16. The term “epistemology” comes from the
Greek “episteme,” meaning “knowledge,”
and “logos,” meaning, roughly, “study, or
science, of.”
Knowledge is a concept every
human mind holds.

17. First, there is the correspondence
theory, which states that truth is the
agreement between a statement of fact
and an actual state of affairs, or between
a judgment and the situation the
judgment claims to describe.

18. Second, is the coherence theory,
which states that a judgment is true
if it coheres or is consistent with
other judgments that are accepted
as true. Thus, true judgments are
those that are logically coherent with
other relevant judgments.

19. Finally, there is the pragmatic or
utility theory which states that
truth is what works out in practice,
what leads to satisfactory results.

20. Knowledge is a mental state; that is,
knowledge exists in one’s mind, and
unthinking things cannot know anything
Knowledge requires belief
Knowledge is innate
Knowledge is gained through
evidence and experiences

22. According to science, man is an
animal with a species of homosapiens
According to the Bible, man is a living
soul

23. This view gets support from the teachings
of Christianity, particularly in the doctrine
of sin as originated by St. Augustine.
According to this doctrine of very first man
and woman, Adam and Eve, have sinned.
Due to their sinfulness, every individual is
corrupt or evil because he inherited the
sinfulness of his ancestors.

24. The economists regard man as essentially
selfish since his behavior is determined largely
by the desire to gain profit and to accumulate
wealth for himself.
The biologists tend to emphasize biological
heritage of man: He “inherits a great array of
fixed instincts acquired in the struggle for
existence; hence he must be expected to exhibit
all the animal tendencies.”

25. Rousseau believes that man is born
good. It is man’s exposure to
civilization, with all its attendant
corruption and vice, which made him
what he is-selfish, arrogant,
untrustworthy and belligerent.

26. Herbert Spencer said that the course of
evolution is a change for the better. Man
should therefore stand aside and let
nature take its course, for gradually and
eventually it will bring about full
development of all man’s capacities as
well as harmonious adjustment of man to
his environment.

27. Unlike the lower animals, man has
flexible tendencies and has the capacity
to learn. Whatever becomes of him-
good or evil- is the result of the
influences of this total environment and
the workings of his mind. This view is of
the sociologist, psychologists and
educators.

28. Plato and Aristotle believed that
man is an animal who knows, feels,
acts and makes new things.

29. As a social being, man’s life is intimately
interwoven with that of his fellowmen. (Titus
and Smith, Bierman)
Man is a relational being in that he is related not
only to other human beings but also to other living
things, to nonliving ones, events and to a
Supreme Being.
Man is also related to the past and to history.
Whatever he is now, personally and socially, is
the result of the thinking, ways and
achievements of the past generation.

31. Definition of Values
and Morality
Values are the priorities of individual
and society attached to certain
beliefs, experiences, and objects in
deciding how they shall live and
what they shall treasure (Hill, 2004)

32. Principles and fundamental
convictions which act as general
guides to behavior, the standard
to which particular actions are
judged as good and desirable (
Halstead, Taylor and Taylor, 2000)

33. Values are cherished ideals.
Values are spiritual and moral
(ethical) standards acceptable to
a group. It should be noted that
whenever we speak values, the
concept of right and wrong is
always present

34. Morality (from
the Latin moralitas "manner,
character, proper behavior") is the
differentiation of intentions,
decisions, and actions between
those that are "good" (or right) and
those that are "bad" (or wrong)

35. Spiritual Values Human Value
SIMILARITIES
Spiritual values always
occur in paired
opposites like loving-not
loving.
Human values always
occur in paired opposites
like honesty-dishonesty.
Spiritual values are
essences or qualities,
and hence abstract.
Humility and meekness
are example, they are
abstract.
Human values are
essences or qualities, and
hence abstract. Honesty and
truthfulness are examples.
They are abstract.

36. DIFFERENCES
Spiritual values are
God given.
Human values are
evolved by men.
Spiritual values are
eternal. They do not
change and they
remain till the end of
time.
Human values change
over time and sometimes
disappear altogether.
Spiritual values are
universal, applied to
all people.
Human values are
localized. A value in one
locality may not be a value
in another. Kissing the
hands of elders is not
practiced in Japan.

37. Violation of a spiritual
value is always punished
by God.
Not practicing a human value
is not always punishable.
Kissing the hands of elders is
a value but one who does not
merits no punishment.
Spiritual values are
absolute. Stealing one
hundred pesos is as
serious as stealing one
million pesos.
Human values are relative.
Stealing one million is more
serious than stealing a hundred
pesos.
Spiritual values are
objective. A spiritual value
is equally important to all.
Human values are subjective. A
human value may be important to
some but it may not be important
to others.

39. Morality is subjective- Right and
wrong is determined by what you -- the
subject -- just happens to think (or 'feel')
is right or wrong.
Morality is relative- Right and
wrong is determined by the
particular set of principles or rules
the relevant culture just happens to
hold at the time.

40. Morality is egoism- Right and
wrong is determined by what is in
your self-interest. Or, it is immoral
to act contrary to your self-
interest.
Morality is based on values-
Right and wrong is characterized in
terms of acting in accordance with
the traditional virtues -- making the
good person.

41. Morality is based in goodness.
Utilitarianism Right and wrong is
determined by the overall
goodness (utility) of the
consequences of action.
Morality is based in reason.
(Kantian Theory) Right and
wrong is determined by
rationality, giving universal duties.

43. Theme: The Principle of
Independence

44. AIM
The aim of realist education is to provide the
students with the essential knowledge that he
will need to survive in the natural world.
A study of science and scientific method
The aim of education should be to teach
truth rather than beauty, to understand the
present practical life.

45. CURRICULUM
The curriculum is called the subject-
matter approach, which is composed of
two basic components, the body of
knowledge, and the appropriate
pedagogy to fit the readiness of the
learner. The liberal arts curriculum and
the math science disciplines consist of a
number of related concepts that
constitute the structure of the discipline.

47. The universal elements in man make
up the elements in the education of
man. Education implies teaching,
teaching implies knowledge,
knowledge is truth, and truth is the
same everywhere. Thus, education
should be the same everywhere.

48. Realist are concerned with the
necessity of student measuring up to
the standard curriculum or external
criteria of excellence.

49. They believe that the “superior”
students should be given the arts
and sciences while the “slower”
students should be given a narrow
technical-vocational training.

50. Realism favors a fact-based
approach to knowledge. This had led
to the tradition and problem of
“testing” including the IQ as a
passport to a college education, the
teachers’ heads should be filled with
“factual truth” so that they o not come
to a “bad end”.

52.  Theory and principle comes first in the
learning experience; application or
practice follows
 Give priority to young people in
developing their thinking abilities
 Teaching is interactive and subject
matter relates to student’s experience
 Students should be given positive
reward

53. Weaknesses
• Classrooms would be highly ordered and
discipline, like nature and the students
would be a passive participants in the
study of things.
 Intellectually gifted students is a precious
resource (Danger of Elitism)
 Should use the great books of the
Western World.
 School’s task is primarily an intellectual
one.
 No place to imagination ,pure
thoughts and sentiments.