Published: 2017-10-18

Primum non nocere… Remarks about the determinants of philosophical/moral education

Witold Starnawski
Pedagogical Forum
Section: Articles and essays
https://doi.org/10.21697/fp.2017.2.13

Abstract

The main question of this article is the problem of the aims, content and ways of realisation in philosophical/moral education. The author begins with two points: firstly, the formation of philosophical and moral reflexion is one of the most important indicator of mature personality; secondly, school ought to undertake upbringing duties. Practical realisation of that kind of education can bring also some troubles and risks for the right development of a young man's personality. Those troubles can be noticed on the ideological (crisis of Western civilization: the “truth question”, scepticism) or didactic (subjects which are too difficult and too abstract, terminology unsuitable for young people) level. Proposition of “school philosophy” (ethics) contain the following postulates: 1) philosophy (ethics) ought be presented as selfless cognition and activity directed to the truth and to goodness; 2) youth ought to be aware that the proposition is only an introduction to philosophy, but „real philosophy” is still ahead of them; 3) education ought to be based rather on experience than on abstract knowledge; 4) all knowledge has to be verifiable. The last considered point is the question of the teacher’s engagement in teaching. 

Keywords:

philosophical education, moral education, experience, abstract knowledge, teacher’s engagement

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Citation rules

Starnawski, W. (2017). Primum non nocere… Remarks about the determinants of philosophical/moral education. Pedagogical Forum, 7(2), 183–196. https://doi.org/10.21697/fp.2017.2.13

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