GREEK PHILOSOPHERS' PERSPECTIVE ON EDUCATION

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN
UNIVERSITY, Islamabad
Online workshop - Jul / Aug. 2020
Philosophy of Education
CC 8609 - B.Ed.
GREEK PHILOSOPHERS'
PERSPECTIVE ON EDUCATION
Presented by:
Ch. Muhammad Ashraf
m.ashraf0919@gmail.com
https://www.slideshare.net/RizwanDuhdra
Telegram: https://t.me/duhdra

GREEK PHILOSOPHERS'

GREEK PHILOSOPHERS’
1- Socrates 2 - Plato 3 - Aristotle
By: Ch. M.Ashraf
3

Objectives
After listening this lecture the trainees can be
able to
• Explain dialectual method of Socrates
• Critically evaluate Plato's ideas of education
according to different classes.
• Evaluate Plato's theory of education.
• Discuss Aristotle's aim of education.
• Analyze Aristotle's curriculum of education
4
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Introduction
Ancient Greek philosophy arose in 6th century BC
and continued up to the age of Roman empire. It
discussed the various subjects which includes
political philosophy, ethics, metaphysics , logic,
esthetics etc. Philosophy is in fact a Greek creation.
In the Western tradition, ancient philosophy was
developed primarily by Socrates, Plato and
Aristotle.
5
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Socrates
Socrates was born in 469 BC in Athens. He
was the son of poor parents. He noticed that the
people of society were indulged into evil ways. The
rulers of that time became cruel and tyrant to their
people. He started to preach virtue-based
knowledge very soon he became popular.
Ultimately, he was put to deaths due to interfering
into the affairs of the state.
7
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

The Socratic method
• Socrates’ method was systematic and founded on
general principles. Inductive reasoning was his
method of arriving at a definition.
• First task of Socrates was to lead the people to
self-evaluation.
8
Socrates
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

The Dialectical Method
• Socrates did not wish to convince the people about
validity and concreteness of his views. Rather he
wanted others to be critical thinkers. He did not
want to convert others to his views. He only wanted
to inculcate in them a love for philosophy, love of
wisdom and rational thought.
conti……
9
Socrates
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

The Dialectical Method
• Socrates believes that "knowledge is virtue" to
discover this virtue or Truth he used dialectual
method.
• He used to go to the marketplace and discuss the
concepts like friendships, love, courage, virtue etc
10
Socrates
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Salient Features of Dialectual Method
Methodological doubt:
• Socrates pretended to be ignorant and put
questions to others to enable them to think
independently leading them towards critical
attitude.
Conversational:
• Socrates used the method of dialogue or
conversation for the development of ideas and
expressions of various aspects of a problem.
conti……
11
Socrates
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Way of intellectual midwifery:
conversation usually helps to bring the ideas in
the minds of men as the midwife does.
Conceptual and semantic:
Socrates tried to find precise meaning of the
concepts like friendship, love, virtue, justice etc.
Empirical or inductive:
enquiry of Socrates was both empirical and
inductive.
Deductive
12
Socrates
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Summary:
1. Methodological doubt
2. Intellectual dialogue
3. Semantic precision
4. Inductive and deductive determination of truth
13
Socrates
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Fundamental Principles of Socratic
Education
Knowledge is the goal of life:
There are various views regarding goal of
human life. To some happiness is the ultimate goal
of life as well as of education.
But Socrates considered knowledge to be the
highest good and therefore, the true aim of life.
Socrates used to say that "knowledge is virtue".
Every man seeks happiness and happiness results
from good deeds. So one must have the knowledge
of the good.
14
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Socrates firmly believed that no one could do
any bad knowing it to be bad nor could any body do
some good unconsciously. Therefore for him will
was subject to reason and was moulded by
knowledge. No good and no virtue without
knowledge.
15
Education
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

According to Socrates, a wrong committed in
full knowledge is superior to a wrong committed
unwillingly. To him a man of knowledge is a man of
self-controle.
The idea of knowledge, for Socrates, pre-
supposes government of reason over will and
desire. Socrates moral theory, therefore, is a blend
of reason and will in a harmony.
16
Education
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Virtue can be Taught:
To Socrates virtue was knowledge and since
knowledge was a system and a science, it could be
taught. we give up many bad practices on learning
their true nature. It is to be discussed that virtues
a matter of practice or a matter of knowledge.
17
Education
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Virtue is one:
Traditional Greek moral theory hold that
there are four virtues- wisdom, courage,
temperance and Justice. Socrates, however,
believed in a single virtue i.e. knowledge and other
virtues come under knowledge.
18
Education
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Virtue is bliss:
According to Socrates there can be no
happiness without virtue. Therefore, virtue is a
bliss.
19
Education
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

PLATO
Plato was the student of Socrates. He was
born in 427 BC and died in 347 BC. For ten years
he was roaming in different countries observing
their ways of life.... He was advocate of Socrates
thoughts.
21
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Aim of education
According to Plato the aim of education is the
development of intellect and body-human
perfection.
To Plato man’s mind is always active. He is
attracted towards beautiful things. So the educator
should take advantage of this very tendency of the
child i.e. To make the environment happy and
attractive.
22
PLATO
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Curriculum
According to Plato the main objective of
education is the development of mind, body and
soul. So he recommended curriculum to meet these
ends.
23
PLATO
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Bodily development
knowledge of food and nutrition, physical
activities, co curricular activities, sports etc for the
development of body.
24
PLATO
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Mental development
Mental development is based upon body
development. So besides knowledge of food and
nutrition, Plato recommended the teaching of
arithmetic, math, algebra and geometry to enhance
mental abilities of the learners.
25
PLATO
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Training in music
In order to achieve balance in education and
to produce a balanced personality Plato
recommended training in music. He suggested a
balanced curriculum for education.
26
PLATO
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Role of educator
To Plato it is the main duty of the teacher to
bring out the learner/child from the darkness of the
cave to the light of the day. To him the child is
lying in ignorance are in the ignorance or in
darkness. The child learns through imitation so the
teacher should act as a role model so that the child
can learn good habits and avoid bad habits.
conti……
27
PLATO
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Role of educator
Education according to different classes of people:
• Kings and Philosophers
• Trade and defence
• Labourers
28
PLATO
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Aristotle
Born in 384 BC in a city of Greece. He belonged
to a rich family. Aristotle was pupil of Plato. He also
looked after the education of Alexander the great.
Aristotle was master of lecture and dialogues.
He was a great observer and specialist both in
natural sciences as well as in philosophy.
His writings were not only on metaphysics and
logics but also in human sciences like psychology, ethics,
politics and natural sciences.
30
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Society as Educator
Plato and Socrates had the view that no
special teacher was needed to preach virtue, but
morals and virtue-based knowledge is
communicated by society.
No private education can hold out against the
force of public opinion and ordinary moral
standards of society. But public opinion and social
environment should be left to grow up at
haphazard.
31
Aristotle
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Value of education in the state
Aristotle assigns political importance to
education. To him education is the great tool by
which legislator can ensure that coming generation
of the state share the common beliefs.
If the state is the organization of men seeking
common good, power and political position must be
given to those who can forward this end.
conti……
32
Aristotle
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Value of education in the state
According to Aristotle the virtue of a good
citizen and good governor is the same as of a good
man.
To him first obey, then command. It is the duty
of the legislator to think how his citizen may be good
men, what education is necessary to the purpose.
33
Aristotle
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Education of the Child
The strength of the child's body greatly
depend upon the quality of its food. The people who
desire that their children should be bold, daring
and war like habits, feed them chiefly with milk.
Sometimes the motions of the children are
serviceable and those motion should be prevented
which make their limbs crooked.
34
Aristotle
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

No Education up to Five Years
The child should not be bound to any formal
education. Let him/her play to keep his/her body
active and smart-not too laborious not too lazy.
35
Aristotle
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Imitation Theory of Play
The children learn better through imitation.
The children learn also from the behavior and kind
and way of the expression of the teacher. Never let
the children to be in the company of slaves. Tell
them the tales and stories that pave the way for
their future instruction.
36
Aristotle
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Home Education
According to Aristotle, there are two periods
in which education ought to be divided-one stage
from seven years to the time of puberty; the other
form puberty till he is twenty-one.
From the age of five years to seven years the
children should be educated at home. Let them
never speak or hear which is illiberal and indecent
expressions.
37
Aristotle
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Home Education
It should also be illegal for young persons to be
present either at iambies or comedies before they
arrived at that age when they are allowed to
participate the pleasure of the table.
Indeed a good education will preserve them
from all the evils which attend on these things.
38
Aristotle
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Uniform System of education
Curriculum of child education
According to Aristotle, there is still a controversial
issue about the kind, nature and structure of
education for the children-improvement in virtue
and happy life.
conti……
39
Aristotle
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Uniform System of education
Curriculum of child education
• To Aristotle there are four things which it is
usual to teach children: reading, gymnastic
exercise, music and painting. Reading and
painting are both singular used in life, and
gymnastic exercise, as productive of courage.
Music, to some people, is for sake of pleasure as it
creates aesthetic sense.
conti……
40
Aristotle
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Uniform System of Education
Curriculum of Child Education
• Play should be introduced under proper rules/
regulations.
• It is evident that there is a certain education in
which a child may be instructed, not as a useful
nor as necessary, but as Noble and liberal.
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Aristotle
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Uniform System of Education
• Physical Education
• Learning and Playing
• Music for Harmony
42
Aristotle
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

Teaching Method
Play way, activity, Experimental method.
• Use of real things in teaching, educational
freedom, neither lazy not laborious, a matter of
pleasure but not boring.
43
Aristotle
By: Ch. M.Ashraf

By: Ch. M.Ashraf
https://www.slideshare.
net/RizwanDuhdra
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GREEK PHILOSOPHERS' PERSPECTIVE ON EDUCATION

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