
外文翻译-教育的目的.doc
3页The Aims of Education: some areas of controversy教育的目的薛莲 重庆工商大学国际合作与交流处 4000671. IntroductionEducation is a highly complicated process which is connected with families, schools and society throughout one’s whole life. Harry Chester’s Schools for Children and Institutes for Adults (1860) says, ‘ Education is the development and training of the human being in all his capacities, spiritual, intellectual and physical; and in National Education we ought to have no less grand an object than to develop to the greatest possible extent, and to direct to the best possible aims, the spiritual, intellectual, and physical capacities of all the individuals who compose the nation…’ (Dyson and Lovelock, 1975:161).So should there be any aim of Education? In Peters’ view, ‘ there is no end beyond education itself.’(Peters, 1973:27) What we could achieve from the debate on“ aims of education”? Sidney Hook raised questions,‘ Can we educate for “ intellect” or “ mind” in a desirable way without educating for much else? Can we educate “ the whole man” without educating a certain kind of man whose integral wholeness will differ from that of his neighbour?’(Hook, 1963:26) We can see that to identify“ intrinsic” and “ extrinsic” aims is not the key point, while how to realize these ‘ good’ aims in our educational pratice is more worthwhile thinking. In this article, I will bring some controversies on“ aims of education” together and try to drag out some of my own ideas. There will be six parts altogether: the first part is Introduction; second is Definition of Terms; t h e n “Should there be” aims of education’”; following serious debate on“ intrinsic aims” or “ extrinsic aims”; then my main concern about “ how the aims affect education”; the last part is Conclusion.2. Definitions of Terms‘ If we do not know precisely the meaning of the words we use, we cannot discuss anything profitably. Most of the futile arguments on which we all waste time are largely due to the fact that we each have our own vague meanings for the words we use and assume that our opponents are using them in the same senses. If we defined our terms to start with, we could have far more profitable discussions.’(Crossman, 1963) As Crossman thinks, there should be clear definitions of the terms we use in our discussions. Following are different definitions of “ aim”, “ education”, “ educated”, which is the original problem of the debate on “ aims of education”.What I found in Longman are: AIM is what you are hoping to achieve by a plan, action, or activity (it seems to be the“ end” of some organized activities); EDUCATION is a. the process by which your mind develops through learning at a school, college, or university, b. the knowledge and skills that you gain from being taught, c. the general area of work or study connected with teaching ( these definitions are simply connected with schooling); EDUCATED is a. intelligent because you have been taught or trained somewhere, b. having a high standard of judgement about art, literature… ( these definitions are equal to something like “ skillful”,“ specific in some field”. Otherwise, an ‘ intelligent’ person is not always‘ educated’.) Meanwhile, there are some general ideas about the definitions in “ aims of education”: AIM is to initiate man into a reflective form of life and realize self-improvement; EDUCATION is teaching, training of the mind and character; EDUCATED is knowledgeable, capable, not narrowly specialized and not only skilled.3. Should there be“ Aims of Education”?In Aristotle’s view,‘ every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim.’ (Aristotle, 1941) Before we discuss what are the aims of education, we have to solve the question: are there any aims of education? Dewey says,‘ it is nonsense to talk about the aim of education--- or any other undertaking--- where conditions do not permit of foresight of results, and do not stimulate a person to look ahead to see what the outcome of a given activity is to be.’(Dewey, 1916:119) However, White thinks, ‘ It may seem selfevident that educators need aims. Educating is surely an intentional, purposeful enterprise--- how could it be otherwise?’ (White, 1982:6) From his words, we could conclude that the ‘ aims’ are aims of educators, not aims of education. Also, Peters asks‘ Must an educator have an aim?’ (Peters, 1959) The answer would be‘ What was taught was taught on authority, and the pupils were expected to accept it on authority.’ (Kilpatrick, 1937:28) Here, I want to ask,‘ is the authority the educator?’ Then,‘ In any case such“ aims” limit intelligence;… They limit intelligence because, given readymade, they must be imposed by some authority external to intelligence, leaving to the latter nothing but a mechanical choice of means.’(Dewey, 1916:122)4. Should Education Aims be Intrinsic or Extrinsic?‘ It may seem。
