The Oxford Dictionary defines education as “the process of receiving or giving systematic instructions, especially at a school or university”, “the theory and practice of teaching” and also as “information about or training in a particular subject”. The word is derived from 16th century Latin educatio (n-), from the verb educare. The education as clear in all contexts is a process of imparting information and skills through theory and practice for applying in life in general or in a specific field. Historically, the education system as we see in present times has evolved from enculturation, primitive education was more focused on acquiring and learning culture, its values and knowledge of society. The primitive education aims to help a primitive person in learning his culture, developing his behavior in the ways of adulthood, and guiding him towards eventual role in his society. the purpose was not more than to shape children for becoming good members of a tribe. This system evolved through ages improving from time to time till formal ideas about educational system were laid by Plato in his Republic and then Aristotle in his Politics. Reviewing the two greatest philosophical giants we cannot agree to one and disagree with the other, as both have laid their educational ideals on valid and firm grounds. This essay is more focused on the learnings from Plato’s educational thoughts in the Republic and Aristotle’s educational ideas from Politics.
Philosophy asks questions about the nature of things and analyzes them (TURAN, 2011). To analyze the theoretical foundation of education questions like What is knowledge? and What are the characteristics of basic education? What is the purpose of education? What are the basic principles of educating children and masses?Can be asked. When we look towards Plato, he is mostly talking about his perfect utopia with prime focus on society. Plato starts with the definition of justice in the republic. He defines the justice as “Speaking the truth and giving back what one takes” thus he is more of an idealist and perfectionist; he is ahead of Karl Marx in developing a just and perfect society that is not possible to attain in real world. Plato prefers analyzing human society rather than focusing on individual. To understand Plato’s thoughts on education one should consider the contextual understanding of ethical and political ideals, Plato is promoting. Plato’s thoughts are more philosophical, generalized and less practical. Being the founder of the first educational institute the Academy, his ideas are somewhat generalized based on development of a society. His prime motive for educating children is to capacitate them in becoming good members of a utopian society as divided in classes keeping in view their roles in the society. Plato even goes further and links education of child with his perfect society ideals, “for it is not enough to educate the child properly, he must be properly born of select and healthy ancestry” (Durant, 2006). “Education should begin before birth” (E. B. England, 1921). In the Republic Plato starts with the definition of justice as, “speaking the truth and giving back what one takes” In the pursuit of his just and perfect utopian society he proclaims to start from a clean slate without any discrimination, thus in his utopia Plato provides equal opportunity to every child of the society for education and see education to be a responsibility of the state. As his views regarding how children should be educated were based on developing a utopian society, thus he suggests that for the first ten years of life, education shall be predominantly physical, as he proposes “play and sports are to be the entire curriculum” (Durant, 2006). As the children grow, they will be much stronger and physically fit, but this will make too one-sided behavior as the nation cannot rely solely on athletes and players, therefore he suggests educating the children in music as well, to develop a balanced human being. But after sixteen he proposes to abandon music in curriculum, though it can be used to educate children with the complex content of science, mathematics and history. Plato is of the view that there should be no compulsion in education, children should be free to choose of their own will to be educated. At the age of twenty they must face scrutiny and testing that should be practical as well as theoretical. Those who fails the test shall be assigned the economic work and shall be engaged in business. Those who pass the test shall be provided with ten years of more education of body, mind and character and shall be tested again at thirties. Those who fail shall be auxiliaries, executives and military officers. Those who passed the test shall be provided with another five years advanced education in philosophy. But never does this education ends here at the age of thirty-five, as these candidates had to study another fifteen years the practical experience in dialectics. Finally, at the age of fifty, those who survived the hard and fast process of education will be the philosopher kind and thus should govern the state. Plato through continues education of children from childhood to their old age is merely focused on preparing philosopher kings. Though the process defined by Plato for education is focused and systematic, yet it is far difficult in practice; as it depends on a unified and a well-established society, where each segment is society is contributing to educate the children.
On the other side Aristotle’s thoughts are more practical. At first, he develops his lyceum that might not seem different from Plato’s academy, yet his approach to educate children is quite the opposite. Aristotle talks about the link between psychological development, music and leisure. According to him, leisure means pleasure, happiness and wellbeing. He proposes four basic practical purposes of education as first reading and writing, second physical training, third music and fourth drawing. Aristotle clarifies the goal of education and link them with social physical development of a young and ultimate outcome of education such as good citizen and good society pointed out by Aristotle. He suggests that subjects taught in school shall be useful, and content that is not useful shall be removed from the curriculum. He suggests that there should be three different stages of education. The first is from the age of seven to that puberty as primary; the children should be educated in gymnastics, writing, reading, music and drawing. The second from puberty to the age of twenty-one would attend secondary; and should continue primary studies while implementing literature, poetry, drama and dancing. The last four years will be spent in military drill, tactics and strategy. The third stage shall begin with twenty years of age being the higher education. Higher education shall be continued as long as the student is willing. He suggests that higher education is for men as women are not capable of such complex studies.
Aristotle classify the stages of education keeping in view the relationship between age and the form of education as training of the body, training of desires (the unreasonable part of the soul) and training of the mind (the reasonable part of the soul).
According to Aristotle since the state is responsible for public education thus legislators should make it the prime concerns hence regulating the curriculum and educational system. Play, physical training, music, debate, and the study of science and philosophy should be focused to develop a sharp body, mind and soul. Like Plato before him, he believes learning as life long process but with different emphases at different ages. Aristotle considers both reason and habit for educating children. By education through habit he means learning by doing. He claims that anything that needs to be learned can be easily learned by actually doing it, as such learning is complemented by reason.
Analyzing both the great thinkers and their educational theories, both differ and at the same time have greater similarity in respect of the purpose of education, scheme of education, curriculum and method of teaching.
First, to both philosophers the attainment of knowledge was necessary both for the interest of the individual and the society, hence it was virtue by itself. Aristotle has a different view, to him the aim of education was not only the attainment of knowledge but also the attainment of happiness or goodness in life. He believed that virtue lies in the attainment of happiness or goodness. Secondly, Aristotle’s scheme of education is quite similar to Plato. Like Plato he believes that the education of the early childhood period should be the responsibility of the parents. After this, further education is the responsibility of the state, but it does not mean that parents are free from the responsibility of their children. They are still responsibility for their moral education. On third note, Aristotle similar to Plato’s ideals is focused on physical education and sports but to him the purpose is not just the attainment of perfection he presumes to develop the spirit of sportsmanship and above all to develop good habits for the control of passions and appetites through physical education.
Works Cited
- Durant, W. (2006). The Story of Philosophy.New York : Simon & Schuster, Inc.
- E. B. England, L. D. (1921). The Laws of Plato Books VII – XII.Manchester: Longmans, Green & Co.
- TURAN, D. S. (2011). Plato’s Concept of Education in ‘Republic’ and Aristotle’s Concept of Education in ‘Politics’. Education and Science, 36 (162).