Towards Excellence

(ISSN No. 0974-035X)
(An indexed refereed & peer-reviewed journal of higher education)
UGC-MALAVIYA MISSION TEACHER TRAINING CENTRE GUJARAT UNIVERSITY

EXPLORING THE IDEA OF EDUCATION FROM PHILOSOPHICAL STANDPOINT

Authors:

Jyoti Dalal

Abstract:

This paper addresses the question of education by drawing from two significant philosophical texts – Plato’s cave allegory as book VII in his Republic and Kant’s What is Auflarung? (Enlightenment). They provide us with an important vantage point to problematize the question of education in the contemporary times. These classical texts have stood the challenges of times and today they provide us with important reminders as we struggle with the direction that education is taking. In the language of Giorgio Agamben, one can locate certain untimeliness to these texts, as their significance goes beyond any temporality.

While providing the close reading of Plato’s cave allegory and Kant’s article, the paper explores three key ideas that emerge from these two texts – turning around, critique and  Auflarung (enlightenment). By developing these ideas, the paper further explores their significance in the present times. The contemporary modern, utilitarian instrumental education has become bereft of the essence of education, which was always close to internal growth and development of an individual. In that light, it has become essential to draw from the work of scholars so that movement ahead can be charted. 

Keywords:

Plato, Kant, education, turning around, critique 

Vol & Issue:

VOL.13, ISSUE No.3, September 2021