- 最后登录
- 2005-7-9
- 在线时间
- 0 小时
- 寄托币
- 197
- 声望
- 0
- 注册时间
- 2004-9-21
- 阅读权限
- 15
- 帖子
- 0
- 精华
- 0
- 积分
- 72
- UID
- 179561
- 声望
- 0
- 寄托币
- 197
- 注册时间
- 2004-9-21
- 精华
- 0
- 帖子
- 0
|
issue128 "It is often asserted that the purpose of education is to free the mind and the spirit. In reality, however, formal education tends to restrain our minds and spirits rather than set them free."
观点:教育的目的-free mind
1, 正规教育的目的
2, 所谓restraining our minds的疑问源于正规教育的特点-系统化,这种restraint实际上为free minds 打下了基础
3, examining大学教育, 强调正规教育的意义
I agree with the speaker insofar as the ultimate ideal of education is to free the mind and the spirit, although sometimes formal education seems to contradict its original purposes. Closely re-examine our educational system could help us truly understand the goal of education.
The ideal of formal education, as to individuals, lies in ensuring our children to be well informed and developed intellectually and morally; as to the society at large, lies in preparing social members with certain professional skills and liberal minds which enhancing the general quality of nationality. In the process of schooling, students receive the systematic educational disciplines- a system begins from the age of 6 or 7 and lasts for really a long period in one’s life. It is this distinctiveness of formal education that ensures the efficacy of developing a populace with necessary scientific, social knowledge, and notions of humanity, upon which an integrity personality depends.
It may be from its“systematic” characteristics- from early stage that one is imparted facts and priciples to subsequent further development- that there comes the concern that formal education tends to refrain our minds. My argument is that in some cases, especially for innocent children who just begin their school times, the so-called restrain is necessary and basic for one to progress into further free thinking. Our common sense and experience inform us that history study can not be separated with historical facts; students in fine art learning can not express their creative ideas freely without knowledge of classic principles of art- principle of perspective, lighting, and dimension; and evidently, it is the theories one learnt in physical science and strict discipline in logical thinking that contribute to one’s ability to deal with practical problems. In a word, strict discipline, which may be considered hidebound indoctrination, builds the pedestal for further meaningful free thinking.
Actually, our educational system, at least in democratic nations, serves its goals mentioned above. To be more specific, no matter at personal level or societal level, the formal education reflects its goal in cultivating generations with capability of resonble and critical thinking, therefore developing one's independent perspectives. It is especially evident in our college and university education. Various academic courses are available to students- to enhance our understanding about ourselves and people around, philosophy and psychology serve these ends; to get down to in-depth evaluation or judgment of social issues, social-political sciences help us; and also literature and art facilitate our ability to appreciate aesthetically the world around us. It is through formal education that students are more likely to understand different viewpoints and formulate their own distinct perspectives. We could put it this way that education is efficient in enriching an innocent mind, in helping to develp a mind that is free to demonstrate one's attitudes, values, and beliefs.
Conclusively, a truly educated person should be the one with free mind and spirit. Although there may exist skepticism about our formal educational system or sometimes the education means may go astray, the ultimate ideal of formal education, at least in democratic society, is acknowledged, that is to cultivate generations with liberal minds rather than restricted ones. |
|