MODULE ONE
SHORT HISTORY ABOUT THREE GREAT PHILOSOPHERS
Who Was Socrates?
Socrates was a scholar, teacher and philosopher born in Ancient Greece. His Socratic method laid the groundwork for Western systems of logic and philosophy. When the political climate of Greece turned against him, Socrates was sentenced to death by hemlock poisoning in 399 B.C. considered as father of western philosophy.
Who Was Plato?
Born circa 428 B.C.E., ancient Greek philosopher Plato was a student of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle. His writings explored justice, beauty and equality, and also contained discussions in aesthetics, political philosophy, theology, cosmology, epistemology and the philosophy of language. Plato founded the Academy in Athens, one of the first institutions of higher learning in the Western world. He died in Athens circa 348 B.C.E.
Who Was Aristotle?
Aristotle (c. 384 B.C. to 322 B.C.) was an Ancient Greek philosopher and scientist who is still considered one of the greatest thinkers in politics, psychology and ethics. When Aristotle turned 17, he enrolled in Plato’s Academy. In 338, he began tutoring Alexander the Great. In 335, Aristotle founded his own school, the Lyceum, in Athens, where he spent most of the rest of his life studying, teaching and writing. Some of his most notable works include Nichomachean Ethics, Politics, Metaphysics, Poetics and Prior Analytics.
Introduction to Philosophy
Philosophy is made up from two Greek words, philo meaning love, and sophos meaning wisdom. Philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline, also Philosophy means "love of wisdom". It helps teachers to reflect on key issues and concepts in education, usually through questions such as: What is being educated? What is knowledge? What is the nature of learning? What should be learned? What is adolescence? set up raging debates that can have major implications. For example, what happens if an adolescent commits a serious crime? One interpretation may hide another. If such a young person is treated as an adult criminal, what does it say about justice, childhood, and the like? Or if the adolescent is treated as a child, what does it say about society's views on crime?
Your educational philosophy is your beliefs about why, what and how you teach, whom you teach, and about the nature of learning. It is a set of principles that guides professional action through the events and issues teachers face daily. Sources for your educational philosophy are your life experiences, your values, the environment in which you live, interactions with others and awareness of philosophical approaches. Learning about the branches of philosophy, philosophical world views, and different educational philosophies and theories will help you to determine and shape your own educational philosophy, combined with these other aspects.
When you examine a philosophy different from your own, it helps you to "wrestle" with your own thinking. Sometimes this means you may change your mind. Other times, it may strengthen your viewpoint; or, you may be eclectic, selecting what seems best from different philosophies. But in eclecticism, there is a danger of sloppy and inconsistent thinking, especially if you borrow a bit of one philosophy and stir in some of another. If serious thought has gone into selection of strategies, theories, or philosophies, this is less problematic. For example, you may determine that you have to vary your approach depending on the particular learning needs and styles of a given student. At various time periods, one philosophical framework may become favored over another. For example, the Progressive movement led to quite different approaches in education in the 1930s. But there is always danger in one "best or only" philosophy. In a pluralistic society, a variety of views are needed.Branches of Philosophy
There are three major branches of philosophy which are:-
i. Epistemology is the study of “knowledge.” Epistemology deals with the process by which we can know that something is true. It addresses questions such as: What can I know? How is knowledge acquired? Can we be certain about anything?
ii. Metaphysics is the study of “reality.” More specifically it is the study of reality that is beyond the scientific or mathematical realms. (the term “metaphysics” itself literally means “beyond the physical.”) The metaphysical issues most discussed are the existence of god, the soul, and the afterlife. It addresses questions such as: Do you think human beings are basically good or evil? What are conservative or liberal beliefs?
iii. Ethics or Axiology is the study of moral value, right and wrong. Ethics is involved with placing value to personal actions, decisions, and relations. Important ethical issues today include abortion, sexual morality, the death penalty, euthanasia, pornography, and the environment. It addresses questions such as: Is morality defined by our actions, or by what is in our hearts? What values should be taught in character education?
Other branches of philosophy includes:-
i. Logic is the study of right reasoning. It is the tool philosophers use to study other philosophical categories. Good logic includes the use of good thinking skills and the avoidance of logic fallacies.
ii. Aesthetics is the study of art and beauty. It attempts to address such issues as: “What is art?” “What is the relationship between beauty and art?” “Are there objective standards by which art can be judged?” “Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?”