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Critical appraisal of Herbert Spencer's educational ideas
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Type
Thesis
Author
Pang, Ah-kaw
Supervisor
Tan, Tai Wei
Abstract
Herbert Spencer interprets the doctrine of evolution to encompass all phenomena including society and man. His idea of social evolution puts faith in a scientific and evolutionary explanation of existence. His pedagogical principles follow the evolutionary principles : from simple to complex, the indefinite to the definite and the empirical to the rational. The development of mind also follows evolutionary principles. To train and develop children's faculties in a socially advanced environment, is to follow the order of evolution ; then there would be unrestrained development.
His evolutionism led him to believe in pedagogical liberalism without which educational ideas cannot evolve. He had an aversion to undue authority of any form, parental, state or traditional. The proper role of government is to ensure non-interference. State education has its evils : there is an unwanted uniformity; teachers' stimulus and individuality are removed; state education could become corrupt; the state dictates to future ages what to learn and state education could be used as a means of blinding people.
His answer to "what knowledge is of most worth?" is science. He wanted to replace a one-sided literary and humanistic bias with a one-sided scientific education for science is more utilitarian to man's struggle for evolutionary survival. His advocacy of a science-based education is an application of his evolution theory, for the main theme of evolution theory is survival also.
His educational aims: the preparation for complete living, are also an outcome of his evolutionary theory. Complete living is (1) direct self-preservation, (2) indirect self-preservation, (3) rearing and disciplining of off-spring, (4) maintenance of social and political relations and (5) the gratification of tastes and feelings. Proper preparation in these activities ensures better survival chances; these are precisely the point of the Darwinian evolutionary theory which Spencer accepted as one among his evolutionary principles: that only the fittest would survive. And the content of education which provides the best preparation for complete living and for one's functions as a citizen is science.
The attempt to apply the theory of evolution to education reveals serious conceptual difficulties. Evolutionary education does not make much sense and because of this, Spencer's evolutionism in education is undermined. However, his ideas on pedagogical liberalism, the preference for science and the preparation for complete living as the overall aim in education, can, for their own reasons, still stand without appealing to evolution.
His evolutionism led him to believe in pedagogical liberalism without which educational ideas cannot evolve. He had an aversion to undue authority of any form, parental, state or traditional. The proper role of government is to ensure non-interference. State education has its evils : there is an unwanted uniformity; teachers' stimulus and individuality are removed; state education could become corrupt; the state dictates to future ages what to learn and state education could be used as a means of blinding people.
His answer to "what knowledge is of most worth?" is science. He wanted to replace a one-sided literary and humanistic bias with a one-sided scientific education for science is more utilitarian to man's struggle for evolutionary survival. His advocacy of a science-based education is an application of his evolution theory, for the main theme of evolution theory is survival also.
His educational aims: the preparation for complete living, are also an outcome of his evolutionary theory. Complete living is (1) direct self-preservation, (2) indirect self-preservation, (3) rearing and disciplining of off-spring, (4) maintenance of social and political relations and (5) the gratification of tastes and feelings. Proper preparation in these activities ensures better survival chances; these are precisely the point of the Darwinian evolutionary theory which Spencer accepted as one among his evolutionary principles: that only the fittest would survive. And the content of education which provides the best preparation for complete living and for one's functions as a citizen is science.
The attempt to apply the theory of evolution to education reveals serious conceptual difficulties. Evolutionary education does not make much sense and because of this, Spencer's evolutionism in education is undermined. However, his ideas on pedagogical liberalism, the preference for science and the preparation for complete living as the overall aim in education, can, for their own reasons, still stand without appealing to evolution.
Date Issued
1980
Call Number
LB675.S7 Pan
Date Submitted
1980