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Philosophy of Education: Education as a horizon of freedom

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September 07, 2020

Abstract

This study was conducted to analyze the concept of “Philosophy of Education: Education as a

horizon of freedom” concerning Heidegger’s discourse of thinking and to discuss the

reflection of this concept to education. Through documentation analysis method, related

literature was reviewed. This paper develops a sketch on the work of others. What is the

educational philosophy? Types and theories of philosophy, its linkage with Heidegger’ study,

and how education serves as a horizon of freedom. This paper was beginning by outlining

Heidegger’s discourse of thinking. Two elements of Heidegger’s study that might be

translated into educational practices were addressed: first, calculative thinking; second,

meditative thinking. In the former, he argued, we are fixed; from the latter, we are in flight.

These two broadly dichotomous ways of viewing the world are helpful for each of us as they

provide frames of reference for engaging others and as well as the physical world.

Calculative thinking is the more technical kind of human thought, in which people gather

information and put it together to put it to some specific use. Calculative thinking is always in

use with mankind, as it is necessary for the more practical activities and motivations of life.

Meditative thinking means to notice, observe, ponder, and awaken an awareness of what is

taking place around us and in us. Education is the process of receiving or giving systematic

instruction, especially at a school or university. It helps individuals to learn how to do things

and support them to think about what they learn. Philosophy has been defined as a type of

thinking that, like all thinking, finds its root in what is unknown in the subject of experience

that aims to find the essence of the confusion and to frame hypotheses for its explanation to

be examined in practice. It all depends on knowledge, thinking, and learning about itself,

objects, and the surrounding world. Heidegger cautions us that if we fail to open ourselves to

meditative thinking and at the same time allow ourselves to be released from calculative

thinking, then we become a defense-less and perplexed victim at the mercy of the irresistible
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superior power of technology. Heidegger’s view of ethical thought, as revealed in his

Discourse on Thinking, suggested that we can ponder our decisions in two very different

ways. This mode of thinking manifests itself in many different forms about our interaction

with humans. Discharge towards objects and exposure to the ambiguity never occurs by

itself. They don’t accidentally fall us down. Both merely thrive by constant and determined

thought. From this perspective, a thing as an object or a person as an object has no value

unless there is some functionality related to it. The Education philosophy is the study of main

philosophical thoughts that influence worldwide educational thinking and progress. The

human being is a whole consisting of both matter and sense. The only way to achieve

perfection in education is to balance the factors including body, mind, soul, feelings, and

thoughts equally. The purpose of education is freedom, to empower and transform students to

refuse the prevailing or overcoming ideologies in favor of a diversity of perspectives, to

establish their own identities, and to change society through liberating the oppressed the

groups from exploitation. Thus, Heidegger book has a close relationship with the educational

philosophy and education which serves as a horizon of freedom.

Key words: Philosophy of Education, Horizon of Freedom, Discourse of Thinking

Introduction

The book “discourse of thinking” was published in 1959 by Heidegger. The

conversation of Heidegger is a dialogue between a scientist, a scholar, and a teacher. At the

beginning of the dialogue, the scientist and the scholar appear to deal with the search

following their scientific way of thinking, which is to say thinking with the mindset proper to

their scientific role and speaking from well determined and clear positions. But gradually,

under the guidance of the teacher, the interlocutors begin to give up their standpoints and,

with that, their accustomed form of thinking. They let the dialogue itself take charge, so to

speak. As they abandon the will to dictate and lead the search, a different approach and way
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of thinking discloses itself through the dialogue. The interlocutors, as the dialogue proceeds,

no longer impose their view, but let the elements of their search emerge from their dialogue

with one another.

This book tells about the discourse of thinking. It was stated in the book that many

resisted a definite type of philosophy. They find it difficult to appreciate, subjective, and

seemingly of no great practical benefit. It sounds ambiguous and mysterious nonsense to

them. Heidegger explores the perspective of the beast fables portrayed by the calculative

thinking of scientific knowledge and its practical disciplines in modern society. Here is the

simple reality of animal life, the clear and practical view, the fast-paced unsentimental

outlook for taking advantage of situations to achieve an end. Heidegger compares with this

another form of thought which he calls meditative, and which, he states, is inherent like man.

He finds meditative thinking a challenging and elusive task, even though it is also one that

every man is capable of.

He also makes it clear to us that thought in this way involves two uncommon

qualities, two positions that can be assumed by man, and which he calls for discharge to

objects and accessibility to the unknown. Heidegger alleviates somewhat the enigmatic

character of these qualities by showing their importance to human life by showing that such

thought depends on the dignity of man, his autochthonous self. Through this emphasis he also

stresses the relevance of such thought to the very being of man, arguing that even the ultimate

sense of modern science’s calculative thinking and its humanly important implications are

observed in and through meditative thinking. But Heidegger urges his listeners and readers to

a kind of transference of themselves, a dedication that will encourage them to go beyond their

dependence on that which is obvious but superficial, to that which is absolute.

Meditative or reflective thinking, from which Heidegger argues we are ‘in-flight’, is

not focused on utility but rather on meaning. To be open to embrace the meaning behind our

decisions and actions, we must be able to release ourselves from our calculative,

technological, and scientific mindset. Heidegger believes that our grasp on calculative

thinking or rather its hold over us creates a situation in which our meditative or reflective

capacities are dulled and meaning hides itself. They promise us a new ground and foundation

upon which we can stand and endure in the world of technology without being imperiled by

it. So, the connection of this book is revealed through the explanation of educational

philosophy and its types. To understand the foundation of educational philosophy, it’s

necessary to first examine its types and theories.

Philosophies of Education

The meaning of Philosophy is “love of wisdom”. Education philosophy is the study of

main philosophical thoughts that influence worldwide educational thinking and progress

(Siegel, Phillips & Callan, 2008; Siegel, 2009; Tan, 2012). Philosophies of education were

described as follow;

Idealism

Idealism believes that the only fact is concepts, facts and values and these are pure

and universal. Idealists believe that educational intent is to enhance the capability of students’

intellect by assisting them to recognize large and permanent thoughts and principles (Ornstein

& Levine, 2003).

Realism

Realists argue that reality is found through rationale and practice in the physical world

in which life is present, and that wisdom is achieved. Understanding gained from scientific

research and discovery is particularly helpful, and that kind of understanding is integral to our
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survival and success in life. Schools are perceived as academic institutions for developing the

ability of the students to reason, observe, and experiment. Schools have the feature of training

and preparing specialists and technicians in a community in which excellence and technical

abilities are highly valued (Ozmon & Craver, 2003).

Pragmatism

Pragmatists make the argument that truth is altering continuously, and depends on

what we view and understand. The assumptions to knowledge and still the standards are not

long-lasting and ultimate but are vague and reviewable. Instead of looking for general

thoughts, focusing on the usage of knowledge to assist us in achieving our preferred results is

more pragmatic. Schools must assist the students to grow in the context of education.

Through practices, challenges, problem-solving, and a network of social relations, students

can develop by learning more reliable, significant, and satisfactory ways of coping with a

changing world and directing their own lives (Gutek, 2004).

Existentialism

Existentialists resist general and fundamental ideas and assume that the reality of the

individual construct. The knowledge to learn is the comprehension of human experience and

the personal choices you make. To this point, schools must recognize that all students with

personal interests, expectations, and goals are free, unique, and individual. Instead of

insulting them, schools can offer a diverse curriculum with multiple opportunities for

students to discover, express, and convey their values. Existentialists have no fixed

curriculum; the content and pedagogy are dictated by the needs and desires of the students

(Ozmon & Craver, 2003).

Postmodernism

Postmodernism opposes to the statements of enlightenment of logic, impartiality, and

subjectivity. The revolution that occurred in the 18 th century and that began the age of science

adopted the idea that empirical and basic world understanding could be obtained through

scientific means (Gutek, 2004).

Five Main Theories of Education

Educational theories are unique and rooted in the aspects of education like

curriculum, and the teaching and learning process. Educational theories are based on one or

more than one philosophy of education (Siegel, Phillips & Callan, 2008; Siegel, 2009; Tan,

2012). The education theories were described as follow;

Perennialism

Perennialism is rooted in Idealism and Realism. The emphasis is on knowledge which

has endured timeless ideas across time and space. Its practical impact may be seen in its focal

point on developing the aim for the students and increasing their forces of intellect. The work

of the schools to create an educated class society is for the perennialists. They should be

rooted in classical and cultural values and be responsible for transmitting this to a future

generation of learners (Ellis, Cogan & Howey, 1991). The perennialists also recommend a

curriculum that based on subject where the learners are gradually taught the knowledge and

instilled with the capacity to recognize the classics (Tan, 2012).

Essentialism

It underlines the value of teaching fundamental and timeless wisdom that has accrued

over the centuries and embodied in the enormous artwork, music, and literature. The role of

essentialist schools is to convey culture and heritage with the necessary skills, attitudes, and

beliefs to the students (Ellis, Cogan & Howey, 1991). Essentialists reject interdisciplinary
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studies like language arts and social sciences, as they prefer unique and distinct subjects

created by specialists and organized. The curriculum is defined not by the desires of the

students but by the beliefs and origins that the students must learn. They will also learn the

necessary skills and subjects for higher education work of the world and the successful

involvement of social and political (Gutek, 2004).

Progressivism

Its focus is on the training of students for active involvement in a system of liberal

democracy. Progressives sought to present an alternative strategy to education when they felt

that the prevalent curriculum at the time was teacher-centered and hierarchical, with students

having to learn the standardized subjects in which they were not interested in an oppressive

regime. They argue that there is no universal and fixed knowledge and values to be passed

down across ages, while information and standards depends on the subjective human

experience. The influence of Pragmatism is seen by the belief that the reality is always

changing, and that facts and values are subjective. Students can increase the skills of

communication, analytical procedures, and empirical procedures of inquiry instead of

learning from fixed curriculum (Ellis, Cogan & Howey, 1991). The curriculum should be

multidisciplinary, while issues are multifaceted by nature and need answers from subjects’

wide range (Ornstein & Levine, 2003).

Reconstructionism

The Pragmatist root is seen in its description of schools as government institutions

instead of as mere academic structures. They are essential for traditional education with

prearranged curriculum and directions which strengthen the rank. Rather, socialists and

reconstructionists are unified in agreeing that students must be motivated to address the

challenges related to personal and social. But the rebuilder’s desire schools to do more to

address the issues plaguing today's world. A reconstructionist educational program addresses
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divisive subjects critically, nurtures a strategic mentality in teachers and students, and joins

them as a tool for full cultural transformation of social, academic, economic, and political

development (Ornstein & Levine, 2003; Sarbah, 2020).

Critical Theory

Critical theory is "important" in the context that it seeks to examine social and

educational circumstances in schools and communities to expose unethical relationships of

power and bring about changes that promote equity, justice, and equality (Gutek, 2004).

Critical theory is based on the Marxist belief that the history of people was a fight for the

influence of economic and social, and that powerful groups use institute of education to

manipulate those who lack control (Ornstein & Levine, 2003). They promote a versatile and

multidimensional curriculum based on the experiences of the students themselves (Gutek,

2004).

Conclusion

The study was designed to review the Heidegger book “Discourse of Thinking”, in

terms of educational philosophy and education as a horizon of freedom. Overall, this was a

very good book that introduced the discourse of thinking. To develop linkage between the

terms discourse of thinking, educational philosophies, and education a horizon of freedom;

Heidegger book, educational philosophies, and theories were discussed. After reviewing the

literature Philosophy was described as the generalized theory of education. Philosophy has

been defined as a type of thinking that, like all thinking, finds its root in what is unknown in

the subject of experience that aims to find the essence of the confusion and to frame

hypotheses for its explanation to be examined in practice. Philosophical thinking discerned

the fact that the complexities it deals with are contained in common social circumstances and

objectives, comprised of a clash of organized interests and institutional demands. In

Heidegger book, scholar represents an academic who learned in the history of philosophical

thought, thinks from within a metaphysical perspective. The teacher, through whom

Heidegger speaks, we may consider to represent the Heidegger an idea of ‘thinker’. The

examination of the philosophical fundamentals of education is necessary for teachers to be

transparent about their educational philosophy. The purpose of education, school roles,

teachers, and students’ role, the intent of teaching-learning, and the essence of teacher-

student communication depend on the teacher's philosophy of education and thinking. One

great activity for the teacher is to think about and note down his or her educational

philosophy rooted in one or a mixture of given philosophies of education. This will assist to

understand the belief, principles, and direction of the educator in the teaching profession and

thus maintain his/her passion for teaching and leading. Awareness of the different

philosophies and theories of education will also assist educators to examine and address

educational concerns, and issues. The system of education is also heavily segmented, with the

higher-level students flowing into a science and liberal arts curriculum, and poorer students’

channeling to vocational education. The purpose of education is freedom, empower and

transform students to refuse the prevailing or overcoming ideologies in favor of a diversity of

perspectives, to establish their own identities, and to change society through liberating the

oppressed the groups from exploitation. It was found that Heidegger book based on the

thinking and practice, therefore, it has linkage with the philosophy which is a type of thinking

and learning; an education which is a process to learn through thinking, and serve as freedom

of horizon and empower the individuals.

References

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education (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Retrieved from
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voices-in-education/oclc/606992486
Heidegger, M. (1959). Discourse on Thinking: A Gr. of Gelassenheit. Harper & Row.
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