Philosophy of education, a survey of fundamentals, topics, questions, references and bibliographies for group-discussion

Front matter

L45 Copy 1

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

A Survey of Fundamentals

Preface

This course in the Philosophy of Education is intended to follow out the educational leads which were simply touched upon in the Syllabus of Sociology. The latter course considered the nature, evolution and problems of society in a more general and less detailed sense than is the purpose of the present outline. It is here intended ,to analyze more thoroughly and fundamentally the present nature, the process of growth and the problems of society in their relation to the educational process considered as the basic element in the whole situation.

The word 'Fundamentals' in the sub-title, is meant to indicate that considerable emphasis has been placed, throughout, on the presuppositions of an educational theory. Much space has", therefore, been devoted to an analysis of experience, a consideration of its various organized forms, original human nature and its significance, the nature and evolution of society, and the meaning of the concept 'progress' as applied to society and human activity. Section E, on the school, sums up these matters for concrete situations.

In this preliminary study of the field direct positive statement of conclusions has not been made and, from the nature of the method used and its purpose, such was impossible. It is the intention of the outline to offer the student material for successively larger and broader generalizations about society, the individual and education, each Topic being based, in the main, on the preceding, the whole leading to a final summary of facts and theory, consistent with the nature of experience considered as a significant unity.

A word about the hibliographies may not be out of place here. In compiling both the larger Bibliography at the end of the Syllabus, as well as the shorter lists of selected references preceding each section, my intention has been to include not only those books which are, in a sense, standard and immediately germane to the subject, but also certain more general and less specifically educational readings, the significance of which consists not only in their contact with the subject at a given point but also in their value as introductions to closely allied and fundamentally important fields of thought.

No text-book is called for; instead, references to diverse points of view and conflicting evidence are assigned for each Topic, and the class-hour will be given over to a discussion intended to sift from the evidence in question that which is pertinent to the subject and the point of view involved. The student's "recitation" will consist in his active participation in this class discussion, and every student will be expected to contribute his share.

I am glad to express my sincere obligation to Professor William Heard Kilpatrick of Teachers' College, Columbia University, to whom I owe much for both method and inspiration, and it has been my effort to approach, in some measure, both the clarity of his thought and the significance of his teaching.

DANIEL BELL LEARY.