“Education without philosophy is blind and philosophy without education is invalid”
After discussing the meaning and concept of both education and philosophy, it is not very difficult to illustrate the relationship between the two. Education and philosophy, the two disciplines, are very closely related and in some areas they overlap each other. According to J.S.Ross, “philosophy and education are like the two sides of the same coin; one is implied by the other; the former is the contemplative side of life, while the latter is the active side”. Education can be called as the dynamic side of philosophy because philosophy is wisdom; education transmits that wisdom from one generation to the other. Education is the application of the fundamental principles of philosophy. Philosophy gives ideals, values and principles. Education works out those ideals, values and principles.
Education without philosophy is like a tourist who knows the name of the place where he wishes to go but does not know how to find the place. The existence of education is due to philosophy and in the same way the existence of philosophy is due to education. When we define education as the modification of behaviour, the direction in which, modification to be carried out is determined by philosophy. According to Fichte, “the art of education will never attain complete clarity in itself without philosophy”.
Philosophy determines the direction of education:
Education means the modification of the child’s native behaviour. The problem is in which direction this change should be carried out and what should be the standards and values, to strive for. This problem is solved by philosophy which points out the way to be followed by the educator in the modification of the child’s behaviour and determines the goals of life. Philosophy, thus, gives direction to education.
Education is the dynamic side of philosophy
The function of philosophy is to seek relational approach to any phenomenon. Education is the processes by which the findings made by any philosopher can be propagated to the next generation. Every philosophical thought are put into practise by education. Philosophical principles are lifeless without the help of education. Therefore education is the practical side of philosophy.
Philosophy determines various aspects of education
Education is a very important social domain that has many complex issues which have a great philosophical interest. Some of the very important problems faced by education are the relationship of education and state, curriculum construction and administration, education and economic system, discipline, etc. It is here that that philosophy plays an important role in providing direction to education on the above mentioned issues as well as providing a theory of knowledge for education to work upon. The influence of philosophy can also be seen in the conception of methods of teaching, the role of teachers, discipline, textbook, school administration, evaluation etc. The criteria of judgment everywhere are determined by philosophy.
Great philosophers are great educationists
Great philosophers have also been great educationists. The great philosophers like Gandhi, Tagore, Aurobindo, Radhakrishnan, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Locke, Comenius, Froebel, Dewey and Rousseau have been great educators. Socrates, who left no written word, became a famous philosopher with the help of his admirers and disciples like Plato and Aristophanes. He became an active educationist and one of the great teachers of all times. Socrates gave to the world the ‘method of questioning and cross-questioning’ in teaching. Rousseau suggested that education should follow nature. Gandhi propagated the scheme of Basic Education. Ross rightly said, “If further agreement is needed to establish the fundamental dependence of education on philosophy, it may be found that all great philosophers have been great educationists.”