Dialogue In The Philosophy Of Education

Howard Augutsine Ozmon, Jr. (born, December 11, 1929, and died, September 6, 2014, Hollywood, Florida) was a retired professor emeritus of Virginia Commonwealth University. He lived in Portsmouth, Virginia, and received an A.A. degree from St. Bernard College in Alabama, a B.A. From the University of Virginia (1954) in Philosophy, a Master of Arts in International and Comparative Education, and an Ed.D in Philosophy of Education from Teacher  College, Columbia University. He taught in the public schools of New York and New Jersey, and at several colleges and university of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University. He was also professor and chairman of the Departement of Education at Chicago State University. Dr. Ozmon is the author of many books and articles dealing with philosophy and education, including the eight edition of philosophical Foundations of Education republished by Merrill Prentice-Hall (2008 & 2012). He is also a writer of novels, short stories, plays.

Background and the purpose for writing a book

This book was written for the purpose of acquainting students with educational philosophy. Unlike long treatises on the subject, however, which often necessitate the student’s keeping a finger on one philosophy while trying to compare it with the next, the philosophies in this book are presented in dialogue from. There are many advantages to this kind approach. To begin with, it is the kind of real discussion that might take place between educational philosophers, and it enables the student to encounter rebuttals made by philosophers of different persuasions during each step of the discussion. Basically, H. Ozmon have endeavored to present the major beliefs of six different educational philosophies: perennialism, essentialism, progressivism, reconstructionism, behavioral engineering,  and existentialism. There are some similarities among these philosophies, but there are also many differences, and H. Ozmon attempted to make these differences clear through a constant on-going challenge of varying view-points.

H. Ozmon feel that use of the dialogue as a method education has been sadly neglected even though the most brilliant educational treastise ever written, Plato’s Republic, was done in this fashion. H. Ozman Think that the dialogue serves not only to present ideas, buat also action. One tends to be drawn in more as a participant than in any other style of writing.

The main points of the book

This book consists of four discussion chapters, where each discussion describes the debate each session - for one day. The initial discussion began by gathering philosophers who have their own ideological backgrounds (perennialism, essentialism, progressivism, reconstructionism, existentialism, and behavioral engineering), then directed to formulate a search for problems and solve solutions related to education. The next day, and so on, every time they met, the discussion was directed towards the education formulation in relation to the problem and the solution, and at the end of the session, it was explained that each philosopher understood each other about the various views that discussed how well the education system that must be run. Finally, the dialectical process about educational problems and solutions must become a routine moment throughout the year. For more details, here is a picture of the relationship between philosophy (which later developed into) with the philosophy of education

a.       Idealism with perennialism

Idealism. This is a philosophical system which maintains that reality is composed of ideas. Idealism emphasize maind, soul, and spirit, rather than a material world. Some important Idealists were Plato, Berkeley, and Hegel.

Perennialism. Perennialism as an educational philosophy deals with that which is lasting. It tends, therefore, to emphasize art and science that has wethered the test of time and which has become an integralpart oh human history. It promotes a literary or “Great Books” approach to human learning, and utilizes seminars and discussions as appropriate ways to deal with the best that has been thought in the world. Underlying this philosophy is the notion that we should seek to discover those laws and ideas that have proven value to the world in which we live. The function of education, therefore, is to learn those things that have already been discovered about the world and to search for new truths whenever people to become “philosophically-minded.” Some major Perennialists in education are Adler, Hutchins, and Maritain.

b.      Realism with essentialism

Realism. As a philosophy Realism is the belief that there is a reality independent of men’s minds, and that ideas and things do not necessarily depend on man’s thinking of objectivity. Some important Realists were Aristotle, St. Thomas, and Spinoza.

Essentialism. Essentialism deals with essentials or basic thing that people should know not only to be fully aware of the world in which they live, but that are also necessary for human survival. Primarily, the educational philosophy emphasizes fact-data such as the three “R’s” in one’s early learning experiences, followed by concentrated studies in mathematics, history, and science. Essentialists are greatly concerned that education be rigorous and efficient, and they are greatly disturbed by fact and frills that they feel that mental dicipline should be utilized to learn basic information about the wprld in which we live, and, primarily, they are interested in turning out specialist who can deal with and advance the kind of tehnical society in which we live. Some important essentialists in education are Koerner, Rafferty, and Rickover.

c.       Pragmatism with progressivism and reconstructionism

Pragmatism. This philosophy maintains that mind are to be used for solving problems and that te practical consequences of ideas can determine their value and meaning. Pragmatists attempt to apply the scientific method humanistically to philosophical thinking. Some important Pragmatists were William James and John Dewey.

Progressivism. Progressivists would like to see people become good problem-solves. The progressivist is opposed to any search for absolute truth wether it be in philosophy or science, and is more interested that people take a pragmatic attitude toward life by discovering things that work and are useful. Education for the progressivist is not product but process. He is trying to turn out people who can face current or future problems and solve them with a great deal of skill. Progressivists promote a synoptic approach toward education with a corresponding effort to unite school and society in ways to better educate and humaze educators to motivate students toward learning by provising meaningful tasks that they can solve in an atmosphere that is both pleasurable and democratic. Progressivism is experimental by nature and seeks to promote useful changes in man and society. Some important Progressivists in education include Dewey, Klipatrick, Bde, and Childs.

Reconstructionism. Rcontructionists promote the use of problem-solving, but feel that any problem-solving ability that is developed should be geared toward solving significant social problems. They are critical of what they consider too much “life adjustment” in the approach of many Progressivists, and feel that we need to think of education in term of both short – and long – range goals. Reconstructionists feel that a utopian approach toward education is useful as a way of simulating people to think about a better wprld that they can hel to create. Reconstructionists deemphasize to become change-asgents by participating directly in the affairs of life. Important Reconstructionists in education include Counts and Brameld.

d.      Existentialism with existentialism.

Existentialism. This is a philosophy devoted to describing and evaluating “the human condition.” Existential philosophy is primaryly concered with man’s existence. The two major kinds of existentialism are: Christian existentialism as represented by Kierkegaard, Jaspers, and Marcel; and atheistic existentialism as represented by Sartre, Camus, Nietzche, and Heidegger.

Existentialism. Existensialism, as a educational philosophy, places its emphasis upon the individual. Existentialists are primarily concered with life as it is not with its abstract qualities. They feel that we should use education as a way of encouraging peope to become more involved in life as well as committed to action. They feel that the individual should seek for self-improvement in an everchanging world. Existentialists emphasize an “I-Thou” approach to education in which everyone is involved the educatioanl process as both teacher and learner. They promote a humanistic “innerdirected” approach to education such as that suggested by Carl Rogers that allows students freedom of choice in terms of curriculu, and educational outcome. Some modern educational exitentalists are Buber, Neill, Kneller, and Morris.

e.       Behaviorism with behavioral engineering

Behaviorism. Behaviorism represents an attempt to control human behavior through a system of rewards and punishments referred to. Respectively, as positive and aversive reinforcement. Although some behaviorists do not utilize punishment, this is by no means universal among all behaviorist. Some important Behavoirits are Pavloc, Waston, and Skinner.

Behavioral engineering. Behavioral engineering is an educational philosophy that utilizes the methods of conditiong as a way of directing human behavior. Behavioral engineers feel that much of human behavior reflects attitudes and actions already conditioned by the enviroment, and that these attitudes and actions should be engineered along paths that are more useful and productive. They would like to see educators develop the kind of enviroment in schools whereby individuals are encouraged through rewards and punishments toward those things that will help best to benefit themselves and other. Promoters of the use of behaviaoral engineering in education include Skinner, Watson, Bereiter, and Engleman.