Idealism and Education

Paleracio, Marc Ivan J.

EDFD 201
Psycho-Philosophical Foundations of Education
2nd Semester; AY 2019-2020
Prof. Abigail Thea O. Canuto

January 30, 2020

 “Knowledge acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.” – Plato

The contemporary world owes much of its current thought, principles, and motives
come from Ancient Greece and its philosophers, scientists, and many thinkers. It is
undeniable that current educational practices today are still grounded, in varying degrees,
by these enduring classical Greek practices.

 It is in the Age of Pericles, around 500 B.C., that we see the first organized effort
in a Western society for formal education.
 Textual analysis of his various dialogues reveals Plato’s views on the purpose of
education, what it is that should be taught to others and how the teacher should
impart this knowledge. Plato’s educational thought illuminates many problems
today’s educators face: Who are worthy models for children to imitate? How does
education help to shape good citizenship? How does education serve humankind’s
search for truth?
 Plato treats the subject of education in The Republic as an integral and vital part
of a wider subject of the well-being of human society. The ultimate aim of education
is to help people know the Idea of the Good, which is to be virtuous.

From Homer’s standards

-Arete

I. Plato

- Who was Plato? (Basic info, and primary teachings, origins, inspirations)

Plato is regarded as one of the most influential and celebrated Athenian

philosophers to date. He has contributed much to the Philosophical thought and practice
today. Moreover, he was a ______.

Plato, whose real name is _____, was the son of_________ in the year.
  -It is widely accepted that Plato, the Athenian philosopher, was born in 428-7 B.C.E
and died at the age of eighty or eighty-one at 348-7 B.C.E. These dates, however,
are not entirely certain, for according to Diogenes Laertius (D.L.),
 Plato came from one of the wealthiest and most politically active families in Athens.
Their political activities, however, are not seen as laudable ones by historians.
 Plato's actual given name was apparently Aristocles, after his grandfather. "Plato"
seems to have started as a nickname (for platos, or "broad"), perhaps first given
to him by his wrestling teacher for his physique, or for the breadth of his style, or
even the breadth of his forehead (all given in D.L. 3.4). (Laertius, 1979)
 Eutopian Thinker
 Aristotle eulogized his teacher by saying that Plato "clearly revealed by his own life
and by the methods of his words that to be happy is to be good."

Socrates as Plato’s teacher

Plato’s enduring thoughts were not borne out of nowhere as he was mentored by
who is deemed the father of Western Philosophy himself. Socrates was both a mentor
and friend to the author of The Republic. Central to the Socratic philosophy is the
movement of intellectual pursuits from natural observances examined by physical
sciences to examination of abstract realms of ethics and morality. In the time of Socrates,
he was known to have carried out dialogues/lectures in public with the elders during the
time and while doing so, he would challenge current established principles and question
societal dogmas. Soon enough, young men would follow him and take heed of his
teachings. A number of his pupils would then become philosophers of their own making
including, Antisthenes (founder of the Cynic school), Aristippus of the Cyrenaic school,
Xenophon (whose writings would influence Zeno of Cithium who was the founder of the
Stoic school) and, most famously, Plato among many others.

Much of the story of Socrates was told in the perspective of his students, with Plato
as the leading chronicler of his astute mentor. Socrates wasn’t fond of writing, and
preferred word of mouth and such, his life and works were all second-hand accounts
mostly from his pupils. Despite the disparity of some historical events/ claims in the life
accounts written about his life, the scribes of Socrates’ life all interpreted similar claims
on his focus which is to live a good and virtuous life. This claim attributed to him by Plato
that “an unexamined life is not worth living” (Apology, 38b) seemed to be accurate as his
followers all were inspired to think for themselves and deviate from the prescriptions of
society and follow the prevalent superstitions, godly doctrines, and expected behavior
during their time as reflected in each of their established schools of thought.

Because of his volatile opinions of society at the time, Socrates was charged with
impiety by Meletus the poet, Anytus the tanner, and Lycon the orator who declared death
to be his penalty. The accusation read: “Socrates is guilty, firstly, of denying the gods
recognized by the state and introducing new divinities, and, secondly, of corrupting the
young.” Writings on his trials suggest that the accusation was personally and politically
motivated. During his trial, Socrates rejected Athenian court protocol by denying a
defense of a speech writer and by requesting to be held in honor and be given meals in
the Prytaneum (a place for heroes of the Olympic games). Eventually, he was sentenced
to death. The last of his days are detailed in Plato's Euthyphro, Apology, Crito and
Phaedo, the latter part depicting the day of his death (by drinking hemlock). After
Socrates’ death, it was clear that Plato was deeply influenced by his mentor’s teachings
and continued to propagate the wisdom of the man he considered “…was the wisest and
justest, and the best man I have ever known" (Phaedo, 118).

- The Republic

 34 dialogues, with The Republic in the middle

 Politicians should become philosophers


- Summarize each of the books (chapters); main assumptions

-reason can guide people’s lives

-Justice in the individual and the city (society)

-ideal society—

- recon politics and philosophy; indi to be just

-technocracy --- epistemology and ethics

- The Academy

-origin story

 Plato founded The Academy in 387 BC, the first institution of higher learning in
Greece. It became the intellectual center in Greece and the equivalent of the first
university in the history of Europe. It continued for over 900 years until it was
dissolved by Justin in 529 A.D. along with other Pagan institutions.
 The ultimate object of all activities at The Academy was to achieve final philosophic
truth
 question and answer, argument, and discussion

-nature of the academy—selection/ inclusion/ who’s involved?

-teachings/ goals/ motives/ direction

 philosophy,mathematics, astronomy, and geometry.

- closure

-legacy

II. Plato’s Idealism

> Plato’s Metaphysics: The World of Ideas/Forms vs. The World of Matter,

>Theory of Reminiscence

> Plato’s Epistemology: The Allegory of the Cave

 accepting examples in place of real definitions is no better than regarding shadows

as real objects
 The allegory of the cave places on display the eternal conflict (enantía) between
appearance and reality.
- Idealism’s implications to education

 In idealism, the aim of education is to discover and develop each individual's

abilities and full moral excellence in order to better serve society. The curricular
emphasis is subject matter of mind: literature, history, philosophy, and religion.
Teaching methods focus on handling ideas through lecture, discussion, and
Socratic dialogue (a method of teaching that uses questioning to help students
discover and clarify knowledge). Introspection, intuition, insight, and whole-part
logic are used to bring to consciousness the forms or concepts which are latent in
the mind. Character is developed through imitating examples and heroes.
 who the student is to be educated-- in other words what is Plato’s philosophy of
the human person? Plato explains his philosophy of the person in several
dialogues, the Republic, Timeaus, the Laws.
 In the Laws x. 892 he states: the soul is one of the first existences, and prior to all
bodies, and it …governs all the changes and modifications of bodies. In The
Republic, book IV.. he proposes a tripartite nature to the soul; the soul consists of
three “parts” – the rational part, the courageous or spirited part and the appetitive
part 441d. In Timaeus 70a Plato locates the rational part of the soul in the head,
the spirited part in the breast and the appetitive part in the stomach. The soul,
especially the rational soul, is immortal according to Plato and in some way has
pre-existent knowledge which must be ‘drawn out’ by the process of education
 The teacher’s role is to be both a master and a mentor for the student. Plato feels
that learning will take place more easily when the learned and the teacher have a
great love for one another, for thus, the young students will be willing to listen to
the master and try to emulate him because he loves him.
 Plato's curriculum is careful chosen to include training for the spirit (music) and
training for the body (gymnastics), with more difficult academic subjects added
when the child is developmentally ready

-bridging the gaps

- Does the DepEd curriculum reflect the ideology/movement that you are reporting about?
How and to what extent? In your opinion, should or should it not reflect this
ideology/movement?
Explain why. (1-2 paragraphs)
 “The quality of the State depends on the kind of education that the members
(groups) of the state receive"
 Common core debate
III. Analyses & Conclusions (most essential)

- CRITIQUE: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the philosophy?

 Strength
 The good teacher must become a dialectician who does not permit students to
accept the appearances of things, but makes them use the eyes of the soul to
perceive their real meaning.
 The teacher thus brings out the truth which is in the mind of the student, taking him
out of the realm of sense experience. This dialectical method forces the student to
leave the realm of sense knowledge with practical applications to life and soar to
the heights of pure reason.
 Plato’s method support the ‘deep thinking and close reading methods’ proposed
as important to the common core curriculum.

- What is your theory, or idea, of reality?

- What do you think are the main goals of education?

Points to ponder:

 Pose a minimum of 3 discussion questions for the class.

What beliefs and assumptions (shadows) currently shape your reality?

Reference List:

https://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/republic/summary/

Laertius, D. (1979). Lives of the eminent philosophers. (D. Hicks, Trans. Vol. 1 and 2).
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.