Download Durkheim`s "Moral Education"

Durkheim's "Moral Education"
Ahmadreza Asgharpour
Abstract
The book "Moral Education" contains lectures of Durkheim in Bordeaux and
Paris about Morality, Education and Pedagogy. Morality is a social phenomenon and
has three elements: discipline, attachment to social groups and autonomy. The last
element only exists in rational morality. Education is also a social phenomenon and
consists of a systematic socialization of the young generation. Pedagogy is a practical
theory. Pedagogy is not the educational activity itself or the speculative science of
education. It is the systematic reaction of the second on the first. Moral Education is the
process of internalizing of morality in the new generation.
Keywords: Durkheim, Morality, Education, Moral Education, Pedagogy
About the book
"Both at Bordeaux and Paris, Durkheim's university appointments
were to lecture primarily on education to trainee school teachers, with
sociology as a subsidiary responsibility "(Thompson. 1982: p. 160). "Two
of most important sets of the lectures were published shortly after his
death: Education and Sociology(1922, English translation 1956), and
Moral Education (1925, English translation 1961). The third, The
Evolution of Educational Thought was published in 1938 and it is
perhaps the most neglected of his works (Thompson. 1982: p. 161).
Lukes says "The most important of the education courses was that
on moral education. Its importance lies partly in close relation to
Durkheim's central sociological concerns, and partly in his central place
within his educational thinking."(Lukes, 1973: p. 110) These lectures was
delivered fairly regularly between 1889 and 1912 at Bordeaux and Paris
(ibid). Mauss says Durkheim in these courses connects his discoveries
concerning the general nature of moral phenomena with his doctrine of
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education, itself a social phenomenon, and drives there from the
consequent percepts of pedagogy (ibid).
What is morality?
"Mores refers to moral rules or ways of behaving that most
members of a society believe are essential for maintaining standards of
decency. Mores are vigorously enforced and transgressions punished by
either group disapproval and sanction or where mores become laws, by
legal action."(Marshall, 1998: p. 431)
As Durkheim says morality is a social phenomenon and is relative
to the needs and structures of particular societies and is open to
systematic observation (Lukes, 1973: p. 111). It was an important
question in Durkheim's time that what morality is, because the France
state attempted to secularize nation's public schools. "The need was to
discover the rational substitutes for those religious notions that for a long
time have served as the vehicle for the most essential moral ideas. It was
not enough to cut out, we must replace." (Lukes, 1973: p. 112).
Durkheim distinguished three elements in morality: first the spirit
of discipline that identified the imperative quality of moral rules.
Discipline performs an important function in forming character and
personality in general (Lukes, 1973: p. 112). The second element of
morality refers to the content of morality and Durkheim calls it
"attachment to social groups". This means that "to act morally is to act on
the light of a collective interest." (Lukes, 1973: p. 112). The third element
is autonomy which concerned to the state of mind of moral agent. This
means that the moral agent should know all the reasons of his conduct,
truly and completely. In other words the third element of morality is
understanding morality. Durkheim saw autonomy the principal
differentiating characteristic element of secular morality. This element
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changes the conception of rules which are the essence of moral discipline
and changes the meaning of attachment to social groups (Bellah, 1973: p.
xli).
What is education?
Pedagogy is "the science or art of teaching." (Marshall, 1998: p.
487). Durkheim viewed Pedagogy as a practical theory (Lukes, 1973: p.
110). Pedagogy is not the educational activity itself or the speculative
science of education, it is the systematic reaction of the second on the
first, the product of thought which seeks in the findings of psychology
and sociology principles for the practice or for the reform of education
(Lukes, 1973: p. 111).
Durkheim says education is, like morality, a social phenomena and
relative to needs and structures of particular societies, and it is open to
systematic observation (Lukes, 1973: p. 111). Also education is the
means by which the society perpetually recreates the conditions of its
very existence. Education consists of a systematic socialization of the
young generation. Durkheim thought it is possible to distinguish
analytically (and not in reality) between all those mental states which are
private to the individual and a system of ideas, sentiments and practices
which express in us the groups of which we are part. These are religious
beliefs, moral beliefs and practices, national or occupational traditions
and collective opinions of every kind (ibid).
What is moral education?
One of the most important interests of Durkheim was the new
social order in modern societies which he called it "organic solidarity". In
the absence of religious morality he suggested to replace a secular and
rational morality. He thought to replace this moral system in society it is
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vital to internalize new morality in new generations. This process is
named education and is needed for remaining all societies. Durkheim
argues that the content of moral system should be adjusted for any
particular society.
References
Bellah, Robert (1973) Emile Durkheim on Morality and Society,
The University of Chicago Press.
Lukes, Steven (1973) Emile Durkheim His Life and work, Penguin
Books
Marshall, Gordon (1998) Oxford Dictionary Sociology, Oxford
University Press.
Thompson, Kenneth (1982) Emile Durkheim, Ellis Horwood Ltd.
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Bibliography
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The Rules of Sociological Method, Glencoe, Ill.: Free press, 1958. (First
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Suicide, Glencoe, Ill.: Free Press, 1951. (First French edition 1897)
The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life, New York: Free Press
paperback, 1965. (First French Edition, 1912)
"Germany above All": German Mentality and the War. Paris: Colin,
1915. (First French Edition, 1915)
Education and Sociology, Glencoe, Ill.: Free Press, 1956. (First French
Edition, 1924.)
Moral Education, New York: Free Press, 1961. (First French Edition,
1925.)
Socialism and Saint-Simon, Yellow Springs, Ohio: Antioch Press,
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L'évolution pédagogique en France. 2 vols. Paris: Félix Alcan, 1938.
Professional Ethics and Civic Morals, Glencoe, Ill.: Free Press, 1958.
(First French edition. 1950.)
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Pragmatisme et sociologie. Paris: Virin 1955. ( Partially translated in
Emile Durkheim et al., Essays on Sociology and Philosophy. New
York: Harper and Row, 1964, pp. 386-436.)
Journal Sociologique. Paris: Presses universitaires de France, 1969.
(Contain all of Durkheim's articles and most of his reviews from
L'anee sociologique.)
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