Download History and Philosophy of Education Tutorial paper – Discuss

History and
Philosophy of
Education
Tutorial paper – Discuss empiricism and pragmatism
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
Bachelors of Education (Primary)
Catholic College of Mandeville
Group members:
Shona-Kaye Aris
Crystal Clarke
Chad Daley
Lakiesha Hutchinson
Dahima Small
We have often heard and made reference to the well celebrated quotation: “Look
before you leap.” This statement is certainly profound, for it cautions us as well as it emphasizes
the need for us as human beings to embrace the view that a complete and safe picture of
something can only begin through verification. For we can think, act or do, but there will be very
little worth unless we adequately use the methods of ascertaining, available to man. The terms
empiricism and pragmatism have come down to us from the masters of philosophical thought.
Their importance to the acquisition of knowledge can be fully grasped only through an
examination of their meaning and their application in the field of teaching and learning. In this
paper the key terms of the topic will be explicated. Underpinnings will be unraveled, examined
and evaluated especially in the context of the development and usefulness in the Jamaican
Education system. A summary and conclusion will then be done.
The term empiricism as defined philosophybasics.com is the theory that the origin of all
knowledge is sense experience. It emphasizes the role of experience and evidence,
especially sensory perception, in the formation of ideas, and argues that the only knowledge
humans can have is a posteriori i.e. based on experience. Most empiricists also discount the
notion of innate ideas or innatism which is the idea that the mind is born with ideas or knowledge
and is not a "blank slate" at birth. In order to build a more complex body of knowledge from
these direct observations, induction or inductive reasoning (making generalizations based on
individual instances) must be used. This kind of knowledge is therefore also known as indirect
empirical knowledge.
There are several variations of empiricism postulated by numerous philosophers; one of
the most prominent is John Locke who also posited that the mind is a ‘tabula rasa’ on which
experiences leave their marks, and therefore denied that humans have innate ideas or that
anything is knowable without reference to experience. He built on this concept which was first
introduced by Persian philosopher Avicenna. Irish philosopher Bishop George
Berkeley, concerned that Locke's view opened a door that could lead to eventual Atheism, put
forth a different, very extreme form of Empiricism in which things only exist either as a result of
their being perceived, or by virtue of the fact that they are an entity doing the
perceiving. Berkeley's approach to Empiricism is called Subjective Idealism. Scottish
philosopher David Hume brought to the Empiricist viewpoint an extreme Skepticism. He argued
that all of human knowledge can be divided into two categories: relations of ideas and matters of
fact and those ideas are derived from our "impressions" or sensations. David Hume, George
Berkeley along with Locke were the primary exponents of Empiricism.
When applied to the teaching and learning process, empiricism from the aspect of the
teacher takes various roles. In empiricist classroom the teacher transmits the knowledge to the
students, and learning is a one way experience as information flows in one direction. The teacher
is also the authoritarian in the classroom and therefore does all the talking. The method of
teaching employed is the lecture format and is textbook based. This is so as empiricism believes
that students are blank slate and as such have very little to contribute to the teaching and learning
process. The role of a student in the empiricist classroom is that a passive one. Learning is a
process which happens to the students where their mind is imprinted with information. Students
are not expected to ask questions in such a classroom but rather take notes. Learning takes place
through memorization and is based on correct answers. Group work and projects are seldom
done and very little interact takes place.
There are some criticisms in the empiricism approach when it is applied to the teaching
and learning process. Firstly empiricism is a skill based method that is achieved through practice
and repetition, this kind of learning limits the child in various ways. The passive manner in
which knowledge is received restricts students as it does not lead students to being able to know
when or how to apply this knowledge in context. One of such ways is the difficulty in employing
this knowledge they have acquired. Students may have the knowledge about how to carry out a
task but not why it is important or why it works. Additionally their problem solving and
reasoning skills are not developed as they have very little opportunity to utilize it.
Pragmatism is the view that considers practical consequences or real effects to be vital
components of both meaning and truth. More simply, something is true only insofar as it works.
It argues that the meaning of any concept can be equated with the conceivable operational or
practical consequences of whatever the concept portrays. Pragmatism asserts that any theory that
proves itself more successful in predicting and controlling our world than its rivals can be
considered to be nearer the truth. Thus, slow and stumbling ratiocination is not necessarily to be
automatically preferred over instinct, introspection and tradition, which are all valid methods for
philosophical investigation, even if they each have their own drawbacks. The scientific method is
generally best suited to theoretical inquiry, although the settlement of doubt can also be achieved
by tenacity and persistence, the authority of a source of ready-made beliefs or other methods.
Pragmatists believe that truth is not "ready-made", but that truth is made jointly by us and reality.
Some pragmatists also believe that that truth is mutable (beliefs can pass from being true to being
untrue and back again), and that truth is relative to a conceptual scheme.
The term pragmatism was first coined by Charles Sanders Peirce in the 19th century. It
reached its peak in the early 20th Century with philosophers William James and John Dewey.
There are various types of pragmatism some of which are humanistic pragmatism, experimental,
biological and nominalistic. These variations were posited by numerous philosophers over time
and this helped shape the basis of the concept now used today.
Pragmatists regard school as a social institution where the child gains real experiences of
actual life which develop in him social sense and a sense of duty towards society and the nation.
Group games, working in laboratories and studying in libraries with others are the various
activities and experiences which inculcate in children social qualities, social attitudes together
with a spirit of mutual help and cooperative activities. In this way, according to Pragmatism the
school is not a centre of education alone but it is also a community centre of various activities
and experiences.
Pragmatism plays an active role in the teaching and learning process and is a central
aspect of all educative process. It offers a new way to think about how students acquire
knowledge, as they are not passive individuals in the learning process. It is a philosophy of
action and interaction, where the student is inherently involved with their environment. Students
learn by interacting with what they are learning and with each other. For teachers it involves
moving beyond the traditional methods to ones which are more engaging for the students. This is
done by using interactive techniques and encouraging students to have a meaningful learning
process. It promotes students to learn the whys or how to utilize knowledge in a practical sense.
It stresses on child-centered education. Education in this view is not merely a technical venture
but rather on social and vocational efficiency and aims to promote growth in students.
Additionally the curriculum lays more stress on experience and learning by doing.
Empiricism and pragmatism are two principles on which philosophy relies heavily on.
Both helped to shape the study of philosophy in a major way. However, both present an
opposing view in the education process. Empiricism assumes students are passive individuals
while in pragmatism posits that students are active participants in the learning experience.
Teachers are authoritarians in the learning process for empiricism, while in the pragmatist view
they are more of facilitators in the process. These two opposing views not only help to shape the
education system but also how teachers interact with students.
Reference
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http://www.slideshare.net/ajtame/philosophy-of-education-5845760
Mastin, L. Pragmatism - By Movement / School - The Basics of Philosophy. Retrieved
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