EXISTENTIALISM

BACKGROUND AND MEANING

BASIC ASSUMPTIONS

EXISTENTIALISM AND EDUCATION

Background

• This philosophy had more French and German influence but it has its root in Denmark developed by Soren Kierkgaard (1813-1855)

Questions posed by Kierkgaard : What is the point of Mans’ life? What sense can he make out of human existence? What is the purpose of human events?

• He concluded that human existence is meaningless and absurd.

Other philosophers

• Paul Sartre (1905-1980): French

• Albert Camus (1913-1960): French

• Friedrich Nietche (1844-1900): German

• Franz Kafka (1883-1924) Czech Jew

MeaningA system of thought that holds that neither God

nor value exists except human consciousness that creates the world.

• The basic principle of existentialism is that ‘existence precedes essence’ (Paul Sartre).

• Existence of man came first then defines himself by his consciousness, choices, decisions and characteristics.

• Human beings are trapped in existence without a way out, freedom of choice, independence and hope in life.

• All that happen to us can not be avoided or controlled.

Assumptions

• There is no God or supernatural power that determines our life, or helps us when we face problems. He has no effect to our life. If there is God, He could help us.

• Individual is on top of everything, morality, choice and actions.

• Faith is irrational, a mere blind choice of belief. It is only the result of our failure to deal with life problems, trying to escape from reality.

• Believing in God is only an escape from life of doubt as man can not escape existence and the consequences of choices, decisions and actions.

• Universe is disorderly and has no purpose at all.

• There is no eternal life, and everybody does whatever he wishes.

• Every person is unique and free to choose what he likes.

• Every individual is responsible for his actions which are derived from his own choice and determination.

• Individual’s choice and determination are different from one person to another.

• Knowledge is not absolute, not eternal or collective. It is rather subjective, personal and provisional, changing according to circumstances.

• Every individual is a creator of knowledge, creates his own knowledge as a result of his awareness of the world and his response to it and his experience.

• Anything that we know could be false. Truth changes.

• Human values and morals are personal. The ultimate reality is freedom to create our own values.

Existentialism and Education

Goal of education:

• Help the learner to grow, mature and self-actualize so that he can be able to assess himself and understand his own capacity, can attain the highest level of attainment and determine his own life and how to improve it.

• Serve the needs of the learner

Existentialism and Education

Students must:• Construct meaning by themselves• Interpret the material on their own based

on their feelings, values, cognitive structure, talents and situations.

• Develop and devise their own way of learning

• Solve their own problems successfully and meet life challenges

Existentialism and Education

Emphasizes:

• Free learning environment

• Unique interpretation of material

Existentialism and Education

Teacher’s role:• Propose and create learning environment for

learning• Help learners develop attitudes and skills of self

assessment• Help learners understand their responsibility in

learning • Avoid authoritarianship of knowledge and

imposition of values and ideas on the students.

Existentialism and Education

• Curriculum must contain normative (history, literature, arts, philosophy and religion) and cognitive (Math and science) subjects.

• Normative subjects for stimulating creative expression and examining ethical values.

• Cognitive subjects for giving factual subject matter and developing intelligence.

Existentialism and Education

Emphasizes Student’s:• personal interest• Uniqueness, individuality and differences;

experience and interpretation of things• Originality of ideas and construction of

knowledge based on thinking, feeling, interest, commitment and choice

• Awareness of their commitments, potentialities, importance of personal will, self dependence and effort in learning

Existentialism and Education

• Prefers individual learning to group learning because group learning:Suppresses individual’s determination and

choice.Imposes and sometimes forces to support

something defined in others’ perspectivesForces group consensus and conform to

group values and understanding which may be different from child values.

References

• Akinpelu, J (1981): An Introduction to Philosophy of Education. McMillan: Oxford

• Halverson, W (1981): Concise Readings in Philosophy. Random House: New York.

• Moore & Bruder (1990): Philosophy: The Power of Ideas. Mayfield Publishing Com.

• Nyirenda, S & Ishumi (2000): Introduction to Philosophical Concepts, Principles and Practice. Dar-es-Salaam University Press: Dar-es-Salaam.

• Thompson, M (): Philosophy. Hodder Headline: London