從教育的立場看人生 更多文章

Establishing a Philosophy of Life Through Education

人有知覺能力,從而有了認識,又從而形成觀念,其中為個人所確定了的,便成了一已的信念。此後信念對一個人便有了很大的指引力量,使他本著自己的信念去知覺,去認識,去形成更多的觀念。在這些觀念之中,受「一種」心理作用的支配,常常選攔並?調和自己的信念相合的,而以為是「真」,是確切不移的;對於和自己的信念不合的,不是予以忽視,便以為是「偽」,縱然不能否定其真實性,也可解釋說:「那是出諸偶然的例外。」每個人都是自己的主宰,決定自己對生活的看法,選擇自己生活的方式。看和選擇是自己作主,可是所看見的,和據以選擇的材料卻有很多來源,其中大部分來自自然界和人?。在後者之中,由於某些人和一個人有關係,基於關係之中的情愛和關切。特別提供對他積極而有效的資料,幫助他去知覺,去認識,去建立對他「有益的」的看法,去選擇「適合於他的」生活方式。這些人和這個人之間的活動成了「教育」,所以我們盡管舉出若干教育的功能,其中最主要的一項,恐怕應該是從「看法」的形成和建立來開始,所以這裡從教育的立場,來觀察並認識人生。

The second half of twentieth century is a period of uncertainty for human life. The achievement of science and technology has been bringing efficiencies and comforts to man's life. Yet mankind is suffering in greater fear and anxiety than ever. Psychologically speaking it is because no one knows where the world is going to, and what the future will become. Man is living in the present but hoping a better tomorrow. If tomorrow is uncertain, it depresses man in today. For these reasons there are different attitudes toward life in men:one in compelled to fear;the other is enjoying today regardless tomorrow. All these attitudes signify a lack of philosophy of life. While without a philosophy of life, man cannot lead his life meaningfully, nor happily. This essay is dealing with human life based on an empirical point of view, i.e., to look at life practically;then, to try to advocate the establishment of a philosophy of life by means of education.
Empirically, the contents of life are experiences. There are various experiences in one's living time. In terms of educating processes, experiences are categories into:(1)the universe and the relations between man and matter,(2)the society and the relations between man and man, and (3)man himself and the relations between his ego and his self.
Man's experiences are characterized by complexity and relativity. Understanding of experience depends upon Man's awareness and intention. In such a process it unavoidably intervenes with personal subjectivity:the selection and acceptance of certain experiences and the ignorance of the other. Only experiences that are awared, selected, and accepted can be identificated and internalized to form One's concepts of life.
The processes of education are processes of obtaining experiences. It is the responsibility of education to help the young to establish a philosophy of life in order to enable them to recognize life, to understand each one's meaning of life, to set upon one's lifegoal, then to lead a meaningful and happy life. The suggested steps are as follows:
1. Training alertness of sensitivity to be aware of things in the surroundings then enlarging it the universe.
2. Evoking intention toward things and happenings in life.
3. Reminding and formulating deep impressions in conscious level for reflection.
4. Developing scope of life and referring old experiences from new ones.
5. Realizing the meaning and value of one's and one's meaning and value in mankind.
6. Deciding a lifegoal in terms of the welfare of mankind.
7. Looking at life through a view of microscope and a view of macroscope.
8. Endeavoring to encounter problems in life.