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    The document argues that human flourishing, not social efficiency, should be the aim of education. It claims that social efficiency focuses only on preparing students for economic roles, while human flourishing supports lifelong learning and happiness both inside and outside the classroom. It asserts that for students to thrive and society to benefit, education must cultivate well-rounded development and foster skills for a fulfilling life, not just workforce training. The document concludes that human flourishing is a more comprehensive vision of education that can achieve long-term success for individuals and communities.

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    h205 Paper 1 1

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    The document argues that human flourishing, not social efficiency, should be the aim of education. It claims that social efficiency focuses only on preparing students for economic roles, while human flourishing supports lifelong learning and happiness both inside and outside the classroom. It asserts that for students to thrive and society to benefit, education must cultivate well-rounded development and foster skills for a fulfilling life, not just workforce training. The document concludes that human flourishing is a more comprehensive vision of education that can achieve long-term success for individuals and communities.

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    The document argues that human flourishing, not social efficiency, should be the aim of education. It claims that social efficiency focuses only on preparing students for economic roles, while human flourishing supports lifelong learning and happiness both inside and outside the classroom. It asserts that for students to thrive and society to benefit, education must cultivate well-rounded development and foster skills for a fulfilling life, not just workforce training. The document concludes that human flourishing is a more comprehensive vision of education that can achieve long-term success for individuals and communities.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    81 views4 pages

    h205 Paper 1 1

    Uploaded by

    api-534724461
    The document argues that human flourishing, not social efficiency, should be the aim of education. It claims that social efficiency focuses only on preparing students for economic roles, while human flourishing supports lifelong learning and happiness both inside and outside the classroom. It asserts that for students to thrive and society to benefit, education must cultivate well-rounded development and foster skills for a fulfilling life, not just workforce training. The document concludes that human flourishing is a more comprehensive vision of education that can achieve long-term success for individuals and communities.

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    of 4

    1

    Emma Schmidt

    H205

    9/4/2020

    Aim of Education is achievable by Human Flourishing

    I think the aim of education should be Human Flourishing, which is better than Social

    Efficiency. In order to understand why I believe that Human Flourishing is better than Social

    Efficiency, it's important to know the difference between the two. I believe that Human

    Flourishing is the aim of education based on the criteria that Brighouse has laid out. In the text

    he states that, “academic subjects themselves present opportunities that are relevant to the child’s

    long-term... flourishing and are not merely preparation for the world of work” (Brighouse, 2008

    pg 62). Students need to flourish and not just in academics. When they flourish in other aspects

    of life, that ultimately makes for a better education because students are flourishing in other

    aspects. Academic subjects for students are not enough for human flourishing, and if we only

    focus on the academics of schooling, that we have failed as a system. Education and school are

    not merely black and white, subjects learned, and discipline. It's the outside forces around us that

    make us flourish in school and ultimately lead us to a happier and better life. It's the teachers that

    make us enjoy those classes, the friendships made during group work, and lessons learned. All of

    those things are needed to make up the aim of education. We need to focus on lifelong skills and

    the other elements that make us flourish, rather than the Social Efficiency which is what Labaree

    believes.
    2

    Labaree states that Social Efficiency is when “everyone benefits from more skilled

    workers, makes education more practical by offering more practical study matters and some

    degree of stratification” (Labaree 1997 pg 6). Having the ideology that the economy is solely

    dependent on the ability to prepare students for economic roles. If you have this closed mindset

    education is meant to prepare people for economic roles, that it misses all the key elements for

    the aims of education. If you are not flourishing in life and have happiness, then you won’t be

    successful enough to hold a job to benefit the economy. A prime example of that is teaching.

    When teachers are unable to flourish in their life, it’s a direct reflection on how the students are

    able to learn. When teachers are not motivated, or unhappy they are unable to produce the best

    education they can give to their students. This leads the students into an unfair expectation set by

    Labaree that if you prepare them correctly, they will be suitable for the economy. Brighouse

    states that, “Formal learning and education are used to foster flourishing outside of the

    classroom” (Brighouse 2008 pg. 64). It’s only when students are flourishing both inside and

    outside of the classroom that the aim of education can be achieved. As a society we can not only

    rely on skills for success to use for economic roles. When this happens, oftentimes people are not

    happy or flourishing in their roles, and it causes them to have a poor job or not want to work at

    all. In reality, you need human flourishing in order to be a useful member of society. Social

    efficiency is when “everyone benefits from more skilled workers, make education more practical

    by offering more practical study matters and some degree of stratification” (Labaree 1997 pg. 5).

    While in hindsight having a good education will make skilled workers, it does not mean that they

    will have the happiness, motivation, or human flourishing to perform their tasks to become an

    active member of society. This means, they have had a good education and produce mediocre

    work into the economy because they are lacking the happiness and flourishing it takes to
    3

    properly complete a job. This is where Labaree falls short. It's only putting tape over a hole in a

    sinking ship. It may work for the time being, but it will swiftly show that it’s not what can

    suffice when dealing with the aim of education and making someone flourish in society.

    Brighouse touches on this saying, “flourishing and happiness are not merely preparation for the

    world of work” (Brighouse 2008 pg. 62).

    Overall, the aim of education only works when it's based on human flourishing. This

    allows people to flourish outside and inside of the classroom to make for a successful student and

    member of society for later in life. Social efficiency only focuses on a small part of what could

    potentially make a person successful in the economy. Which is why human flourishing is the

    better aim for education because it covers other influences, not just the obvious one.

    References:
    4

    Labaree, David F. Public Goods, Private Goods: The American Struggle over Educational
    Goals . 1997, David F. Labaree .

    Brighouse, Harry. Education for a Flourishing Life. www.sarahlawrence.edu/news-


    events/media/pdf/brighouse-education-for-a-flourishing-life.pdf.

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