S
The Aims of Education
Knowledge-based (Hirch)
Philosophical Perspectives
Plato’s Allegory of the Cave：The goal of education is to guide individuals out of ignorance and into enlightenment.
Education and Moral Understanding：Plato believed that true education is not merely the accumulation of knowledge but also the understanding of “the Good” and the pursuit of moral life.
Agree
Critical mass of enabling knowledge over thrteen years of schooling (1869)
Young
knowledge of the power
powerful knowledge
pedagogy
Disagree
Technology raced ahead of educational gains - BUT Hircsh neglect that – Goldin and Kanz (cited in Husbands)
Husbands challenges Hirsch’s belief that a fixed body of knowledge is enough for education. He argues that education should go beyond memorization. Instead, it should empower students with knowledge that fosters critical thinking and problem-solving.
Knowledge is important, but it is rarely the trump card in circumstances - Councell(cited in Husbands)
Skill-enhancing (schlichler)
Learner-foucused (Dewey)
Philosophical Perspectives
Conceptual Analysis in Education：The London School of Philosophy of Education emphasizes that by analyzing fundamental concepts such as “learning” and “teaching,” we can clarify the true aims of education.
Liberal Education and Student-Centered Learning：Modern liberal education advocates giving students more autonomy, allowing them to explore knowledge freely rather than passively receiving it.
Agree
The true [focus] is not science, nor literature, nor history, nor geography, but the child's own social activities...
The whole aim of good teaching is to turn the young learner into an independent, self-propelling creature (Jacques Barzun cited in Hare, 1999)
schools cannot predict future job markets. Training for specific jobs may become useless if those jobs disappear. Instead, students need flexibility and resourcefulness to adapt. They must be able to learn new skills and see themselves in different roles.