Justifying Philosophy and Paideia in the Modern World

I do not agree with the ideas proposed in A Nation at Risk. This document puts too much emphasis on tests and competition. Its principles establish the basis for essentialism, the “back-to-basics” approach to education. This me... ... middle of paper ... ...ipline methods dependent on each case. In sum, I am very excited about beginning my teaching career.

The university imparts information, but it imparts it imaginatively. At least, this is the function which it should perform for society. A university which fails in this respect has no reason for existence (p. 93). When Whitehead described the purpose of education in his text, The Aims of Education, he had the luxury of his assertions without the burden of proof. The Academy today, while equally as passionate about the aims of education as Whitehead, must not only describe its reason(s) for existence, it must also provide evidence that those aims which it described as important are ultimately attained by its students.

The potential positive changes to an already erroneous education and teacher training system are “dependent on a simultaneity of changes in the larger culture.” For us to “open the pedagogic imagination” , we must accept as educators that perfection is a cultural myth. It is a dangerous zeitgeist that prevents any chance of us creating an educational Utopia. We must muse on the bigger picture and examine the nature of perfection in education under the microscope. We are bound by the limitations of an imperfect world, so who are we to change the status quo? Excellence, we can achieve.

To truly become educated, one must have a desire to learn. To have a yearning passion to learn, instead of just an obligation; the modern society has made it so that we are required to stuff information into our heads to succeed in life. To make it in this world at even the slightest, one must require the all of schooling necessary. Schooling that is made to promote education, though in reality it is defined as an unfortunate hassle of obligation to reach a final goal. This goal is the degree, masters, a doctorate, or even just a high school graduate.

So this kind of philosophy seems to be a fortiori charged to give a good deal of pedagogical help for its own sake. The respective philosophical educations (paideiai) have to fight against the realist as well as the idealist tendencies of interpretation. Positively it is not enough for them to represent what is essential to transcendentalism as a genus; they must particularly transmit what is specific to Kant's "Criticism", to Descartes' "Metaphysics" or to Fichte's "Doctrine of Science". I. Rene Descartes was the first one to fully realize that reliable orientation could never passively be found in "things" or "institutions".

Enlightenment poses a threat to individuals, because through the replacement of faith, individuals also disregard intuition. Enlightenment is not bad, and it is possible for an individual to become enlightened, but there needs to be a level of care towards the influences that it comes with. Works Cited Kant, Political Writings, Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought, edited by Hans Reiss and Translated by H.B. Nisbet, 2nd Enlarged Edition, (Cambridge University Press; Cambridge) 1991 The Marx Engels Reader, Second Edition by Robert C. Tucker (W.W. Norton and Company, New York) 1978, ISBN 9780393090406 Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality, Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought, edited by Keith AnsellQPearson, (Cambridge University Press; Cambridge) 1994, ISBN 9780521691655

As a result, not only is education and preparedness for the real world improving, but society as a whole is improving too. Fundamentals provide the basis for all of society; without these functions, more advanced techniques and procedures could not be practiced in everything that is done today. This same rule applies to education because the fundamentals provide the ability to explore in more detail subjects of interest. Although the fundamentals provide the basis for education, they cannot be the only focus. Dewey states, “ The notion that the ‘essentials’ of elementary education are the three R’s mechanically treated, is based upon ignorance of the essential needed for realization of democratic ideals…” (164).

Personally, I strongly disagree. As Jon Spayed, Learning in the Key of Life, put it, there are many ways to become an educated American, as there are Americans (Spayde 63). The method in which an individual chooses to become educated, is as unique as the human individual is in itself. Education should not just be based on the traditional Books of the canon including: Dante, Shakespeare, Aristotle, Sophocles, Locke, Dickens and Faulkner, but it should strive towards making an equally balanced student, which it doesnt seem to be doing. Spayde argues in the favor of an in-the-streets education.

Then I want to test it in the context of compulsory education. Let us begin by noting that any basic social structure faithful to liberal principles of political justice will inevitably prove nonneutral in its effects on many comprehensive doctrines and ways of life. This will be true for politically unreasonable doctrines and ways of life (militantly theocratic doctrines, or ways of life centered on violating the basic rights of others). But it may also prove true for comprehensive doctrines and ways of life more or less unopposed to most liberal political values (perhaps the doctrines or ways of life of certain traditional or anti-modern religious sects). Liberalism, Rawls tells us, cannot and should not promise neutrality of effects.

Socrates defines justice as minding one’s own business, while injustice is defined as the polar opposite. While Socrates argues that the guardian’s education should mold them into a suitable ruler, he later argues that the education of a ruler should not recreate an individual. At the same time he states that more emphasis should be placed on “the good” rather than nature. This he believes makes the most suitable ruler. In my opinion, he correctly states that a ruler needs to be good, but forgets to mention that they should also be taught how to approach the political aspect of ruling.