NATIONAL PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN PEDAGOGY

ACADEMIC AREA 5:

PEDAGOGICAL THEORY AND TEACHER TRAINING

PHASE I: INITIAL TRAINING

SEMESTER 1

SYLLABUS

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
HOURS: 4 CREDITS: 8

I elaborate
Prof. Diana Gloria Contreras Gallegos
(July, 2010)

Review and update of content and bibliography:

Profra. Diana Gloria Contreras Gallegos, Mtra. Jeannette
EscaleraBourillon, Mtra. Martha Gabriela Noyola Muñoz, Mtro. Gabriel
RodriguezSan
Miguel.
(June 26, 2012)

Revision
Prof. Diana Gloria Contreras GallegosMtra
. Sonia Miriam Hernandez Muñoz
(March 2015)
“A life without examination is pointless for a man to live.”
Socrates
(Plato. Apology, 38a)
I. PRESENTATION

Philosophy of Education is a subject located in Phase I Initial Training,

corresponding to the Pedagogical Field, within the Study Plan of the Bachelor's
Degree in Pedagogy, 1990. This is a subject that is part of the first semester of
the degree and that, in particular, establishes theoretical-methodological
relationships with the following subjects: Introduction to pedagogy, Pedagogical
Theory: genesis and development, Science and Society, History of education in
Mexico, Educational research I and II and Epistemology and Pedagogy.

The task of the pedagogue, directed towards the investigation of both

pedagogical knowledge and educational processes, undoubtedly requires a
constant dialogue with those contents that make up the scope of the Philosophy
of Education, a discipline whose central purpose lies in reflecting on the why
and the what of education, including the various meanings that, in principle, this
term can acquire based on the theoretical network to which it belongs.

Reflection on the very concept of 'education', as well as the questions that arise
around what purposes and in what order to educate, leads to the examination of
those concepts and ideals that, in an articulated way, underlie every educational
proposal and have given rise to it. The conception of reality, of knowledge, in
connection with the concept and ideal of man, of society and of human action
oriented on the basis of certain values, constitute some of the intrinsic
assumptions of any educational proposal. The examination of these
assumptions represents one of the central tasks of the Philosophy of Education
and, to this end, it establishes relations with other philosophical disciplines such
as Ethics, Philosophical Anthropology, Epistemology, Metaphysics or Ontology,
Political Philosophy and Aesthetics. This course will initially examine some of
these links.

This subject represents, therefore, a first approach to the field of Philosophy of

Education; it constitutes -in turn- a space in which the student of the first
semester of the Bachelor's Degree in Pedagogy is invited to begin a process of
questioning and analysis about education, based on dialogue with some of the
great philosophers and pedagogues who have reflected on this area of human
life.

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II. ARTICULATORY PURPOSE
Provide the theoretical and methodological tools necessary to conceptually
understand and reconstruct the "educational philosophy" in its various
modalities - anthropological, epistemological, axiological and teleological - from
different theoretical perspectives and considering both the conceptual and
professional practice fields (UPN, Bachelor's degree in pedagogy, Study plan,
1990)

III. METHODOLOGICAL PROPOSAL TO ADDRESS THE CONTENTS OF

THE SUBJECT

It is suggested that each of the contents be worked on through various learning

strategies aimed at creating an environment that fosters a vivid experience of
the Philosophy of Education and, at the same time, develops in students the
skills related to critical thinking and argumentative rigor. The modality of round
tables for discussion and debate constitutes an option for the social construction
of knowledge in this subject.

IV. MONITORING AND EVALUATION PROPOSAL

• 80% attendance as a prerequisite for accreditation.

• Individual preparation of thematic essays and group discussion of them.

Elements that can strengthen the final quantitative evaluation:

V Participation in learning activities for feedback purposes.

V Participation in strategies to monitor personal progress in learning the
subject.
V Participation in monitoring strategies for progress in the group construction
of knowledge.

UNIT 1

TOWARDS A PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION ON EDUCATION

PRESENTATION

This unit aims for first-semester students to begin a process of philosophical

reflection on education, based on the reading of some texts whose argumentative
framework is a sample and, at the same time, the product of a philosophical
elucidation on education in general and/or on some particular problem in
educational matters. Thus, the guiding purpose of this unit is to introduce the
student to the field of Philosophy of Education, through the reading of texts that
constitute an example of this type of reflection.

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CONTENTS

1.1 Characteristics of the Philosophy of Education. Problems it addresses.

1.2 Link between the Philosophy of Education and other philosophical areas or
disciplines such as: Politics, Ethics, Aesthetics, Philosophical Anthropology,
Epistemology, Philosophy of Science, Metaphysics or Ontology.
1.3 Relationships between the Philosophy of Education and Pedagogy.
Differences between one discipline and another. Possible similarities.

LITERATURE

Abbahnano, N. already. Visalberghi. History of pedagogy. Tr. Jorge Hernandez

Campos. Mexico, FCE, 1980. pp. 8-16.

Fullat, Octavi. Philosophies of education. Paideia. Barcelona, CEAC, 1992. pp.

88-93.

Peters, R. S. Philosophy of education. Tr. Francisco Gonzalez Aramburu. Mexico,

FCE, 1977. pp. 9-19.

Plato. “Protagoras” in: Dialogues I. Madrid, Gredos, 1997. pp. 524-527.

Moore, T.W. Philosophy of Education. Tr. Francisco Cabrer Ramos. Mexico,

Trillas, 2006.

UNIT 2

BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY

PRESENTATION

Since the Philosophy of Education is, in principle, a philosophical task, the

purpose of this unit is to encourage students to approach the field of Philosophy
as a systematic and rational task that constantly seeks answers to those
problems that have been and are pressing for human beings, including the why
and wherefore of the formation of man.

CONTENTS

2.1 Characterization of Philosophy.

2.2 Problems it addresses.
2.3 Type of knowledge it produces.
2.4 Differences between philosophical knowledge and scientific knowledge.

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LITERATURE

Garcia Morente, Manuel. Preliminary lessons in philosophy. Mexico, United

Mexican Publishers, 1992. pp. 9-20.

Ferber, Rafael. Fundamental concepts of philosophy. Tr. Claudio Hook.

Barcelona, Herder, 1995. pp. 9-30.

Russell, Bertrand. The problems of philosophy. Tr. Joaquín Xirau, Mexico,

National Editor, 1977. pp. 178-187.

Berlin, Isaiah. Concepts and categories. Philosophical essays. Tr. Francisco

Gonzalez Aramburu. Mexico, FCE, 2002. pp. 27-42.

UNIT 3

SOME CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHICAL-EDUCATIONAL POSITIONS.

AN APPROACH.

PRESENTATION

This unit pursues a dual articulated purpose:

1) To provide students with an initial approach to some of the most

representative philosophical-educational positions on the contemporary scene.

2) Provide some conceptual tools for students to build a frame of reference in

which they can include several of the philosophical-educational proposals that
they will review throughout their professional training in the field of Pedagogy.
Since one of the central questions about the philosophical-educational aspect
refers to the possibilities of human knowledge regarding reality, the controversy
between an idealist position and a realist one will be reviewed in broad strokes,
and on the other hand, the discussion about the origin and justification of
knowledge between an empiricist position and a rationalist one will be addressed.

CONTENTS

3.1 Idealism and realism; differentiation from a point of view

predominantly metaphysical or ontological.
3.2 Rationalism and empiricism; differentiation from a perspective
epistemological.
3.3 Some contemporary philosophical-educational positions: hermeneutic,
phenomenological, analytical, postmodern, critical.

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RECOMMENDED BIBLIOGRAPHYI

Abbagnano, Nicola and A. Visalberghi. History of pedagogy. Tr. Jorge Hernandez

Campos. Mexico, FCE, 1987.

Descartes, René. “First meditation. “Of the things that can be put in doubt” in:
Metaphysical meditations and other texts. Tr. AND. Lopez and M. Cochineal.
Madrid, Gredos, 1997. pp. 15-21.

Geymonat, Ludovico. History of philosophical and scientific thought. 20th century.

Spanish edition and prologue by Eugenio Trías. Barcelona, Ariel, 1984. (20th
Century, volumes I, II and III).

Hume, David. “First section. “On the Origin of Our Ideas” in, Treatise on Human
Nature. Mexico, Gernika, 1992. pp. 11-18.

Palacios, Jesus. The school issue. Criticisms and alternatives. 6th. ed.,
Barcelona, Laida, 1984.

Xirau, Ramon. Introduction to the history of philosophy 13th. ed., Mexico, UNAM,
1981.

I Due to the wide range of sources that address the different perspectives on contemporary
philosophical-educational issues, the choice of any of these sources is left to the teacher's
judgment in relation to the characteristics of the group; likewise, it is possible that the teacher
chooses only one of these positions to dedicate the space of this unit to its review, which would
also contribute to fulfilling one of the two objectives of this unit.

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 UNIT 4

PROPOSALS ON THE FORMATION OF THE HUMAN BEING.

IMPLICIT PHILOSOPHICAL ASSUMPTIONS

PRESENTATION

This unit has a theoretical-practical purpose: to contribute to the development of

those skills that are necessary for the analysis of the philosophical commitments
that underlie any proposal on the formation of the human being. In this way, the
work dynamic focuses on the review of some proposals of a philosophical-
educational nature suggested by the students and the teacher, according to the
needs, expectations and interests shared by the group. The analysis of each
proposal will be centered on the presuppositions of a metaphysical order
(concept of reality), epistemological (concept of knowledge), anthropological
(concept of man) and ethical (reflection on the moral character of human
actions), in principle; however, this does not exclude the possibility of a reflection
on the commitments of a philosophical-political nature and those that correspond
to an aesthetic perspective or any other of a philosophical nature.

CONTENTS

4.1 Epistemological, metaphysical, ethical, anthropological, political-

philosophical and, where appropriate, aesthetic assumptions that implicitly
underlie every educational proposal.

4.2 The development of reflective skills applied to philosophical-educational

aspects in the training of future teachers. Group analysis and commentary,
closing of the course.

LITERATURE

Given the theoretical and practical characteristics of this unit, the range of
possibilities for the analysis of the philosophical and educational proposals that
will be reviewed is open; this, based on the suggestions of the students and the
teacher. However, the following two texts are proposed with the purpose of
allowing the student to glimpse that reflection on the formation of man implies, in
itself, assuming a position regarding the meaning of human life in intimate
connection with his belonging to the sphere of the community.

Mèlich, Joan-Carles. Philosophy of finitude. Barcelona, Herder, 2002. pp. 29-58.

Plato. “Apology of Socrates” in: Dialogues I. Madrid, Gredos, 1981. (Gredos

Classical Library). pp. 148-186.

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ADDITIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR THE COURSE:

Abbagnano, Nicola and A. Visalberghi. History of pedagogy. Tr. Jorge

Hernandez Campos. Mexico, FCE, 1987.

Abbagnano, Nicola. Dictionary of philosophy. Updated and expanded by

Giovanni Fornero. Mexico, FCE, 2004.

Bowen, James. History of Western Education. Tr. Juan Estruch. 3rd. Ed.,
Barcelona, Herder, 1990.

Copleston, Frederick. History of philosophy. 10 vol. Mexico, Ariel, 1983.

Craig, Edward. A very brief introduction to Philosophy. Mexico, Ocean, 2006.

Ferrater Mora, José. Dictionary of philosophy. Barcelona, Ariel, 2004.

Garder. Jostein. Sofia's world. Novel about the history of philosophy. Tr.
Kirsti Baggethun and Asuncion Lorenzo. Mexico, Patria, 1995.

Galino, Maria of the Angels. History of Education. Ancient and Middle Ages. 2nd.
ed., Madrid, Gredos, 1973. (Hispanic Library of Philosophy. No. 26).

Jaeger, Werner. Paideia: the ideals of Greek culture. Tr. Joaquin Xirau and
Wenceslao Roces. Mexico, FCE, 2000.

Marrou, Henri-Irenee. History of education in antiquity. Tr. Yago Barja de

Quiroga. 2nd. ed., Mexico, FCE, 1998. (Section of Works on Education and
Pedagogy).

Radhakrishnan, S. and P. T. Raju (Compilers). The concept of man. Study of

comparative philosophy. 3rd. ed., Mexico, FCE, 1976. (Cabbage. Breviaries,
176).

Stevenson, Leslie. Seven theories of human nature. Plato, Christianity, Marx,

Freud, Sartre, Skinner, Lorenz. Madrid, Cátedra, 1994.

Xirau, Ramon. Introduction to the history of philosophy 13th. ed., Mexico,

UNAM, 1981.