3. philosophy and education

8/6/2019 3. Philosophy and Education

1/15

Philosophy and Education

Philosophy and education have a firm relation.Fichte affirms this relation in the essays hewrote to the German. He said, Without thebenefit of philosophy, education cannot attain astate of perfect clarity.

There is an interrelation between the two anyof which will be imperfect and ineffectual withoutthe other. John Dewey exceeds this point. Hesays, The classical philosophy would not havebeen existent without the pressure of the

educational questions on the intellectualities.Hobart Spencer says, The accurate education

can be practical through the accuratephilosophy only.


2/15

The Islamic Philosophy of Education

Three important elements that are necessary ingredients in theformulation of a philosophy of Islamic education - namely, learner,knowledge, and means of instruction.

The learner, being human, is made up of a dual nature of spiritand body. The spiritual faculty is known as: the ruh (soul), aql(mind or intellect), qalb (emotion), ornafs (self) according to the

function that is ascribed to it.

Aql (the faculty of reason), unique to human beings, elevatesthem above the rest of creation.

The soul could be elevated to the noblest of positions but it couldalso be debased to the lowest of the low. The body consists ofseveral faculties corresponding to the physical senses. The natureof the learner with regards to learning has been the subject of

study in psychology.


3/15

It is common knowledge that the learner is inquisitive and flexibleand can be molded especially at a tender age. The learner hasphysical needs for food, activity, and sex; social needs foraffection, belonging, and status within a social group; and spiritual

needs relating to something larger and beyond ones self, that is,the need to reach for God.

Islam believes in the possibility of obtaining knowledge of Truthand Reality. In Islam there has not been much debate on thismatter. Unlike in the Western philosophical tradition where therehas been constant debate since Greek philosophy, asdemonstrated by Platos Theatetus. We know that man isequipped with a soul and physical senses and prepared by Allah toacquire knowledge.

According to Al-Attas, ilm (knowledge) is the arrival of the mana(meaning) of an object in the soul or the arrival of the soul at themeaning of an object of knowledge. Thus the soul is not merely

passive but active too.


4/15

Wahy(revelation) and intuition are received by the soul. The fivephysical senses are the windows of the mind, particularly for obtainingempirical and the rational knowledge.

In the Islamic worldview, there exists a hierarchical structure to

knowledge, and, just as there exists a dual nature in mankind, there existstwo categories of knowledge, the ilm alnaqliyah (revealed)some ofwhich is fardayn, individual dutyand the ilm alnaqliyahwhich is fardkifayah, which is a communal duty. These correspond to the differentdegrees of certainty of knowledge and the means of procuring it.

Fardayn knowledge is finite, certain, and obligatory for every individualMuslim to acquire. It includes the knowledge about the pillars of the

religion, the articles of faith, and the Shariah.On the other hand, fard kifayah knowledge is obligatory upon the

community. Each community should ensure that there are some peoplewho are knowledgeable in the acquired or intellectual knowledgesessential for the survival of the society, such as medicine, mathematics,natural and applied sciences, and social sciences. In this manner, Islamensures that every individual is anchored to his faith while exploring newhorizon


5/15

The analogy of flying a kite can be used to describe therelationship between faith and reason, where faith is the stringand reason is the kite itself. There is always tension between

faith and reason just as there is between the kite and thestring; if for some reason the string is broken, the kite will fly offin any direction. Similarly, if reason is not grounded in faith,then it will wander in all directions without knowing its limit.

Knowledge is integral or holistic as suggested by the"tawhidic" worldview. There is no compartmentalization of

knowledge into religious and secular spheres. Both fardaynand fard kifayah knowledge have the purpose of strengtheningfaith, the former through careful study of the words of Allah inthe Holy Quran and the latter through a meticulous,systematic study of the world of man and nature.

Knowledge is integral to action, spirituality, and ethics. Thenature of the knowledge that provides the content of educationis the major concern of the curriculum, and these views of manand knowledge have a great bearing upon Islamic education.


6/15

Education (tadib, disciplining; some still prefertarbiyah, upbringing) isadab (proper way or virtue), progressively instilled in man.Adab refers tothe discipline of body, mind, and spirit. It endows the possessor with theknowledge of the proper places of things or objects (hikmah) in the

scheme of Creation and subsequently to act in a just manner(`adl).Al Attas defines education as the progressive instilling of the

recognition and acknowledgment of the proper place of things in the orderof creation, such that it leads to the recognition and acknowledgment ofthe proper place of God in the order of being and existence of mankind.

Therefore the primary goal of education is to lead man to recognize andacknowledge his Creator. This acknowledgment is manifested inobedience and adherence to His commandments.

In other words, the primary goal of Islamic education is to produce thegood being, who, by developing all his/her potentials accordingly, ensureshim or her to be the servant (`abd) and the vicegerent (khalifah) of Allahwho has undertaken the amanah (trust) of maintaining prosperity on earth.


7/15

To this effect education is designed to produce the God-fearing (taqwa) servant of Allah who is aware of hisindividual vertical relations with Allah (hablun min Allah) and

his social horizontal relations with his fellow man (hablunmin al-nas). Thus, in effect the primary goals of educationinclude spiritual, moral, social, intellectual, and physicaldevelopment with specific goals. There is no conflictbetween societal and individual aims because there is unityof purpose.

Just as knowledge is a reflection of man, ideally thecurricular framework of an Islamic educational institution,particularly at the tertiary level, should reflect knowledge.The figure below illustrates the relationship between man,knowledge, and curriculum. Just as man is of a dual nature -

having a body and a spirit - so also the curriculum shouldpossess a center or a core consisting of revealed knowledge(ilm alnaqliyah), which fulfills the spiritual needs of theindividual, and acquired knowledge (ilm alnaqliyah), whichfulfills the physical and intellectual needs necessary forsocietal development radiating from it.


8/15

Both knowledges, fardayn and fard kifayah, are essential for

happiness in this world and the next. The balance between them

must be preserved. Being the core of the curriculum, fardayn

(revealed knowledge) will be required of all students. To fulfill the

requirement offard kifayah (acquired knowledge), however,

students will choose to specialize in at least one field of study.


9/15

The Educational Goals

The Educational GoalsEducation enjoys serious goals and big

social responsibilities. The specialists haveexerted great efforts for explicating such goalsand responsibilities. Yet, they have haddifferent viewpoints regarding the question ofdefining those responsibilities. Some worked inthe frame of the spiritual goals while othersworked in the material. A third group looked

upon the social goals, and a fourth sought theindividual growth and the personal composition.


10/15

Spiritual Goals:

Some Islamic educationists have affirmed that the basicpurposes of education and learning are self-purity, self-chastity,

and the constructing of relations with God. This is the mostelevated purpose and the noblest intendment. Al-Ghezali says, Oyoungster! Many are the nights that you have passed with seekingknowledge and scanning books, and you abstained from sleep. Ido not know your intendment. If it has been obtaining the concernsof this world, collecting its wreckages, holding its positions, andostentation before the others, then woe is you! If your intendment

is enlivening the Prophets practices, refining your ethics, andviolating the bad-tending soul, then many happy returns will beyours!

A number of Islamic educationists specify self-purity as theprovisory of receiving knowledge. On that account, teachers usedto check ones moralities before being accepted as a student. Themorally wrong ones were dismissed from classes so that they

would not use their knowledge in evildoings.Froble says that education is supposed to make the

individuals feel their internal souls, realize nature, and confide inGods oneness. Likewise, it must lead the individuals to the sacredpure life that is originated by the cognition of God, nature, and thehuman spirit. He also affirms that the purpose of education shouldbe the presentation of a sacred pure life of sincerity and goodness.


11/15

Master educationists have agreed upon the ideaof dismissing any edification, which does notlead to perfection and self-discipline, out of thecircle of education. Willula says, The purpose ofeducation is improving what our fatherscorrupted. We can achieve so by adopting theaccurate cognition of the Lord, cherishing Him,and committing ourselves to His path throughvirtues.

As he asserts the moral aspect of education,John Luke says, Virtues are the leadingpurposes of education. The previous opinions

have focused lights on the moral and spiritualaspects of education, ignoring the other aspects.


12/15

Material Goals:A group of educationists believes that the

organization of the youth for obtaining their earnings

should be the main goal of education. Some Englisheducationists have named this goal as bread andbutter goal. This opinion, however, owns a value.Human beings, as they tend to live persistently, arerequired to gain the earnings and seek its means thatare actually the most imperative for awarding thesurvival of the individuals and the dependants. It hasbeen said, The learning of a profession is a securityagainst poverty.

The wealthy should not rely upon their fortunesand neglect professions and career. God has made the

lands usable, and instructed us to seek the variousways and have from His sustenance; so, we shouldshow our sons how to seek their earnings..

This opinion is interested in the material aspectsexclusively.


13/15

Social Goals:Some educationists have looked upon the matter from a

social aspect. Jean Beige says, The most significant goal ofeducation is the attainment of the perfect boons of personalities,

and supporting the respect of others rights as well as the basicrights. Education is responsible for substantiating the spirit ofconformity and familiarity among people, including the racial andreligious groups. It is also given the mission of developing theactivities that are practiced by the UN Organization for keepingpeace.

Kondrsie says, First of all, education should act for

enabling every individual to master the personal skills, and fulfillthe required social tasks completely, and develop the makings asmuch as possible. In addition, it should share out the spirits ofequality among people. Otherwise, it will not achieve the politicalequality that the law declares. The social goal of education is themanagement of learning in a way that produces the industrialdevelopment for achieving peoples contentment and enabling

them to act the necessary social duties.Islam has declared most of these goals as the basic principals ofthe educational domains.


14/15

Individual Development:Some educationists believe that the main goal of the

educational processes is the achievement of the individualsperfect growth according to their predispositions and capabilities.The cultural heritage is regarded as one of the educational means.Such a heritage should be organized psychologically for fitting thevarious stages of development.

Other educationists added the estimation of the ethics, thegood behavior, and the activities in labor to the educationalprocesses. They also added self-will, self-reliance, and therectification of desires, respecting peoples rights, good relation

with the society, forbidding evil, presenting the environmentalfactors, and working for developing the human societies, to thegoals of the educational processes.

Plato supposes that one of the educational goals shouldbe releasing the ignorant individuals from the bonds ofunawareness, and taking them from the world of gloom to that ofillumination and freedom. The highest mental natures should be

elevated to the ranks of practicing good deeds in this world.


15/15

More Goals

Philosophers of education state more goals thatachieve the individual development and self-assertion.

They are the well being, the emotional and socialduties, and the recognition of the natural world.Other philosophers expose ten goals as the

most important in the education.1. The development of the accurate ways of thinking.2. The founding of useful habits that are related to labor

and lessons.3. The development of the social trends.4. The providing of a set of suitable tendencies.5. The development of the artistic and aestheticaspects.6. The development of social senses.7. The development of individual-social concurrence.8. The presentation of the principal information.9. The development of physical conditions.10. The development of a steady philosophy of life.

3. philosophy and education

Documents