Philosophy of Humanity

Philosophy of Education

The Beginnings of Pedagogy

Pedagogy took its initial steps when the first human appeared on Earth and gave birth to the first child. It was then that the necessity arose to nurture, educate, and impart life experience. At that time, writing had not yet been invented, and pedagogical ideas were not inscribed in books, yet the practice of teaching and nurturing was already in existence, with significant attention devoted to creating a quality system of education and upbringing. Among tribal peoples, the system of upbringing was subordinated to the need to prepare the younger generation for adult life. Given that survival among other tribes, often hostile, and the constant dependence on hunting success required physically resilient individuals, each young man underwent rigorous and exhausting physical training. Elder men taught the youth to hunt, wield weapons, conduct themselves in warfare, and, most importantly, to perform religious rituals. When a young man reached adulthood, which occurred quite early among tribal societies, he underwent an initiation that had two objectives. Since a mature man needed to possess a range of physical and mental traits essential for success in war or hunting, he was required to prove his preparation and endurance through trials that sometimes bordered on torture. Thus, the first objective of initiation was to test the young man's physical and mental readiness, as well as his acquisition of survival skills. The second objective of these arduous initiation rites was to cultivate in the young man an awareness of the value of the status he was about to receive. At the moment of initiation, the young man was granted the rights of a full member of the tribe, including a voice in general assemblies, and therefore had to comprehend both the high responsibility for the common good now placed upon him and the value of the status he attained. If the adult members of the tribe admitted the young man without trials, he would not appreciate this status, and people from ancient times understood that a tribe would perish if its fate and safety depended on individuals indifferent to it. The valuable is that which is hard to attain, so membership in the circle of adult tribesmen was achieved through considerable effort. The trials for girls were generally not as severe, but they too had to receive appropriate education and skills for adult life. The main feature of tribal pedagogy was the preparation of good members of the tribe; thus, the educational system aimed not at developing individual talents but at making boys and girls useful to society.

The development of cities and states complicated the educational process. As civilization progressed, the division of professions became more complex. Whereas in tribal societies all men fought during wars and hunted in peacetime, within civilizations, social roles diversified: some were warriors, others priests, others still artisans, engaged in agriculture, or served as government officials. The educational system in these conditions took into account the division of social roles. Warriors required different skills and abilities than artisans, and thus they needed to be taught and trained differently. Individuals with similar social roles formed groups with their own rules. In the Middle Ages, such groups began to be called guilds. Although the term "guild" specifically referred to medieval associations of craftsmen of a single trade, in a broader sense it denotes any professional association. With the advancement of civilization, the significance of guild stratification grew. Entering a guild and achieving a certain status within it required prolonged education and training. A candidate for guild membership had to master not only professional skills but also adhere to the guild's code of honor. Thus, to become a warrior, one had to not only master battle tactics and weaponry but also cultivate patriotism, camaraderie, and a sense of duty, among other qualities. A warrior who could fight but would abandon his comrade in danger was of little use. The understanding that the training of guild members should include both professional skills and the cultivation of a code of honor characterized the pedagogy of ancient civilizations.

In addition to skills and traits necessary for guild membership, the pedagogy of ancient civilizations placed significant emphasis on teaching and nurturing qualities not specific to individual guilds but essential for full participation in society. Young people were taught virtues such as morality, spirituality, goodness, aesthetic taste, patriotism, respect for parents and elders, and fidelity to duty, all aimed at ensuring a happy life for the individual and the society. The level of education and upbringing became a criterion for social stratification, leading to a societal tendency to recognize the upper classes as those who had received good education and upbringing, and the lower classes as those who neglected their cultural development. Kings, aristocrats, and priests strived to provide their children with the best opportunities for education and upbringing.

Simultaneously, the topic of education and upbringing became a subject of scholarly interest. Thinkers of the time pondered how to educate and train the younger generation and what traits to instill in them. This topic was addressed in numerous works. In Ancient Egypt, a substantial "wisdom literature" emerged, comprising numerous works in which authors articulated life lessons in writing. Generally, these works were authored by pharaohs, priests, or widely recognized sages, and their intended audience included either the youth in general or specific young individuals, such as the pharaoh's son. Authors of wisdom literature aimed to cultivate noble traits in the youth. The practical advice provided in these works served as moral-pedagogical instructions, essential for the development of a civilized and morally upright individual.

The criteria for education were also actively debated in Ancient India. Ancient Indian spiritual literature includes many works dedicated to the topic of education. This subject was so important to the Hindus that even legal prescriptions were dedicated to it. For centuries, Indian sages compiled laws and prescriptions regulating all aspects of life. These laws were published in collections known as Dharmashastras. The most significant and renowned of these collections is the Laws of Manu. These laws regulate all areas of human life: religious rites, moral norms, state administration, familial relations, and more. They also include prescriptions concerning education, lists of traits to be instilled in children and youth, and methods of upbringing. Texts addressing educational issues are found in all ancient cultures: Sumer, Babylon, Assyria, Elam...

In Ancient China, pedagogy was a topic of vibrant debate among the philosophical schools. Chinese philosophy emerged during a period of severe political, cultural, and economic crisis, when imperial authority was waning and feudal lords were fragmenting the state. The conditions of instability prompted the sages to ponder the root causes of the crisis and the necessary measures to overcome it. This issue was multifaceted: philosophical, political, cultural, and pedagogical, as it concerned the qualities that should be instilled in people to enable the nation to navigate crises. The discourse among the philosophical schools revolved around the question of the best form of societal organization and the cultivation of traits essential for exemplary citizenship. The Chinese philosophical schools were founded by former officials who had lost their positions amidst the crisis. Unable to serve the state with their skills, they decided to pass on their expertise to the youth to ensure that the art of governance would not be lost and that there would be individuals ready to assume responsibility for the country when the political situation improved. In this debate, the most active were the Mohists, Legalists, Confucians, and Daoists.

The Mohists contended that the ideal foundation for human relations is love. If love were to prevail in the world, then many problems would dissolve: if all people loved each other equally, issues such as loneliness, poverty, and neglect would vanish; if everyone loved all children equally, the problem of orphanhood would be resolved; if all peoples loved each other equally, wars would cease. Based on these considerations, the Mohists believed that the entire educational system should be directed towards a single goal—fostering love among people as the fundamental basis of interpersonal relationships.

Another school of Chinese philosophy that participated in the debate on educational goals was the Legalists. Followers of this school argued that only a state founded on the rule of law could be strong and stable. They proposed abandoning customs and moral principles in favor of subjecting all members of society to strict adherence to the law. Legalists believed that traditions obstructed the full dominance of the law and were thus unnecessary. The state should use force to ensure that people, fearing punishment, obey the laws without questioning their fairness or appropriateness or the decisions of the government. Such views had tragic consequences, serving as a justification for the harsh dictatorship during the reign of Qin Shi Huang.

The greatest influence on Chinese culture was exerted by the Confucians. Followers of this school believed that the foundation of human relations should be meticulous adherence to rituals. Any social institution would be successful, and people within it happy, if everyone followed the established customs. In the family, happiness was achieved when children respected and cared for their parents, parents cared for their children, and spouses respected each other. The stability of the state and the happiness of its citizens depended on respect for the emperor and the emperor's care for the people. International relations would be effective when nations treated each other with respect and fulfilled their moral obligations. These convictions formed the basis of Confucian pedagogy: Confucians advocated for cultivating respect for customs and traditions in the young, and teaching the proper performance of rituals. Much attention was devoted to the study of history, which was intended not only to impart knowledge of the past but also to provide moral examples from previous generations. The Confucian system of education received state support during the Han Dynasty and became so deeply embedded in Chinese culture that it defined it. Confucianism became a paradigm of thought and worldview for all Chinese people.

Daoism proposed yet another model of behavior and its corresponding educational system. Daoists believed that the world is governed by the Dao—an eternal and unchanging cosmic principle. Any means of regulation are expressions of the Dao: natural laws, state laws, customs, causal relationships... Any worldly processes occurring under the guidance of the Dao are good. People should allow the Dao to act in the world. However, sometimes people believe they can manage something better than the Dao. In reality, when people act excessively, trying to alter or hasten the Dao’s actions, they only bring harm. Daoists advocated for relinquishing active intervention to allow the Dao to operate unobstructedly. Their pedagogy was based on this reasoning: the goal of education and upbringing was to cultivate trust in the Dao and a renunciation of excessive activity.