KKHSOU Education Assignment (2nd Semester) 2014-15

Education

Assignment (2^nd Semester) 2014-15

Q:1      Answer the following questions within 50 Words: 2 x 4 = 8

1.     What do you mean by ‘International Understanding’?

Ans: In the era of globalization the various nations necessitate the need of cordial relationship, faith, respect and mutual understanding among themselves. This harmony among different countries is called international understanding. International understanding is important because problems of global concern like Pollution, Poverty, Unemployment, Terrorism etc. can be tackled through mutual understanding and co-operation. International understanding among the nations also helps them to improve their economy.

2.     Why do you think that value education is necessary in school curriculum?

Ans: Value education is necessary in school curriculum to counter the depletion of social values among new generation. Value education will develop positive social attitudes and they will be aware of social evils like corruption, favouratism, riots, dowry etc. This will also infuse moral qualities like honesty, respect, truthfulness, sympathy etc. It can also help to fight materialistic attitude, develop cooperation and democratic qualities among new generation.

3.     What is Educational philosophy?

Ans: Educational philosophy is the study of the problems of philosophy. Philosophy and education are closely interrelated. Philosophy determines the functions of education and education is the practical activity of philosophical thought. Functions of Educational philosophy are to determine the aim of education, providing the educational planners, administrators and educators with the progressive vision to achieve educational development, preparing the young generation to face the challenges of the modern time etc.

4.     What do you mean by Existentialism?

Ans: Existentialism is a philosophical movement which emphasizes on individual existence, freedom and choice. The first philosopher to use the term was Soren Kierkegaard from Denmark. According to existentialism individual is important than the existence of man, nation and world. It also puts existence over essence and affirms that an individual himself creates values. A man defines himself and the world in his own subjectivity and wanders between choice, freedom and existential angst.

Q:2      Answer the following questions within 75 Words: 3 x 4 = 12

1.    Why do you think that national integration is essential for the all round development of a country? Explain

Ans: National integration is a sentiment or feeling that binds together all people in one common bond irrespective of one’s religion, language or history. It’s the feeling of oneness where people share their sorrows and joys and have common interest for the welfare of the country. It is essential for any country because-

1.     It brings peace and prosperity and helps in the development of the nation.

2.     People respect each other and their religion and have mutual understanding.

3.     It leads to communalism and racism free society and will bring unity.

4.     Integrated nation let a government to govern the country impartially.

2.    Why is value education necessity in our society?

Ans: Our society is disintegrating due to the erosion of social and moral values. This has lead to the hatreds, conflicts, disturbances and riots at all levels in our society. This has hindered the growth and development of a country.  Value education is a matter of developing appropriate behaviour and habits, feelings and emotions.. Value education is necessary for the society because it can develop social and moral values among new generation which they can forward to their next generation. Value education will develop positive social attitudes and they will be aware of social evils like corruption, favouratism, riots, dowry etc. This will also infuse moral qualities like honesty, respect, truthfulness, sympathy etc. It can also help to fight materialistic attitude, develop cooperation and democratic qualities among new generation.

3.    What do you mean by extrinsic and intrinsic values? Explain it with examples.

Ans:   

4.    How would you like to define the relationship between education and philosophy? Explain.

Ans: Philosophy and education are two different fields of studies but they are closely linked together, because without any rational thinking prior to education the whole educational process is directionless. Education is the dynamic side of philosophy and philosophy is the contemplative side of education. Relation of Philosophy and education can be described as follows-

1.     Philosophy determines the function of education and education is the practical activity of philosophical thought.

2.     Education is the mean of propagagating Philosophy. Philosophy sets the goals in life and education provides the  

mean of achievement.

3.     Philosophy provides aims of education and role of teachers in educational process.

4.     It is believed that in a philosopher there is always a good teacher.

Q:3      Answer the following questions within 150 Words: 5 x 2 = 10

1.    What are the factors you would like to suggest for inculcating values in the context of social changes and development? Discuss.

2.    What do you mean by national integration? Point out the major reasons for the necessity of national integration.

Ans: National integration is a sentiment or feeling that binds together all people in one common bond irrespective of one’s religion, language or history. It’s the feeling of oneness where people share their sorrows and joys and have common interest for the welfare of the country. Any country needs to have national integration due to following reasons:

1.    For Peace and prosperity: National integration is essential for keeping peace in a country. Peace and harmony leads to the growth and development and of a country. It brings prosperity in a country.

2.    For Impartial Administration: National integration provides political freedom and is an essential pre-requisite for the success of democracy. It helps in providing impartial administration which results in eradication of many evils like corruption, nepotism etc. which reflects a strong image of the country.

3.    Harmony among religions and cultures: National integration removes the bitterness among the various religion and cultures. They develops qualities like mutual understanding, tolerance and respect for each others. It leads to communalism and racism free society and will bring unity.

4.    Strong image of country: National Integration promotes continuous rise in living standard of a country and a nation presents its strong image in the world forum.

Q:4      Answer the following questions within 300 Words: 10 x 2 = 20

1.    What do you mean by the Philosophy of Naturalism? Discuss the salient features of Naturalism.

Ans: Philosophy of Naturalism is the idea or belief that only laws of nature and forces operate in the world. It is just the opposite of idealism philosophy. It supports the idea or belief that nothing exists beyond the natural world and there is nothing like supernatural or spiritual power. It emphasizes the fact that man creates society and values to meet their needs. There are 3 types of Naturalism- Physical, Mechanical and Biological Naturalism. Some of the features of Naturalism are as follows-

1.     Naturalism is the belief that material or the physical world is the real world. There does not exist anything supernatural or spiritual powers including gods, spirits, souls and non-natural values. Human beings have no independent soul or spirit, but only a material brain which operates to produce a conscious mind.

2.     Man behaves in accordance with the laws of nature. Laws of nature are unchangeable and his actions are driven more by laws of nature than his will. In other words man is at the mercy of his environment and surroundings. Hence a man reacts to what happens around him and not what drives him. Free will is not a factor in determining what happens in his life.

3.     Everything is controlled by nature and human life is just a part of it. Nature is the only source of knowledge and information. Truth is found in nature, and thus is consistent.

4.     Naturalism urges that a child must get education according to his nature. Naturalism aims at making education free from the bondage of rigid discipline. It says the freedom of child disciplines him and he is naturally controlled by his own learning and experiences.

5.     Humans developed and are now dependent on culture and civilization, because we evolved as social animals. This was done to meet some special needs. Human created values according to his own needs.

2.    Discuss the salient features of Pragmatism. On what grounds is the philosophy of Pragmatism criticized.

Ans: Pragmatism is a philosophical movement which gives stress on practical consequences as constituting the essential criterion in determining meaning, truth, or value. Some of its salient features are-

1.    Emphasis on Change: Pragmatism believes that nothing is fixed and final in this world. Everything grows changes and develops. In other words, the world is changing and everything is under the process of change. Human life is also changing.

2.    No Ultimate Values: The main principle of pragmatic philosophy is that man creates his own values during the course of activity. There are no fixed values for all times to come. Even truths are man-made products. There is nothing like absolute truth.

3.    Utilitarianism:  Pragmatism stresses that the reality of a principle lies in its utility. Any idea or thing which is useful to us is proper and right. In case it is of no use. It is improper, wrong and untrue. In other words only those ideas and things are true which have a utility for man’.

4.    Emphasis on Experimentation: Pragmatism lays a special stress on the value of experimentation. It stands for testing every statement by finding out its practical implications. If these implications are desirable, the statement is accepted, otherwise rejected.

5.    Faith in Democracy: Pragmatism has deep faith in democracy. It is only through democracy that an individual can realize the maximum development of his personality. This development is possible only in a social context. Individual development also leads to the development of society. Thus a democratic social order is considered essential for the healthy growth of individuals.

Pragmatism is often criticized for various reasons. Some of them are-

1.    Critics of Pragmatism think that extreme utilitarianism is a narrow outlook because it judges all human activities in terms of human experience.

2.    Pragmatism do not have faith in eternal truth. Critics of Pragmatism say that truth is constantly being changed and tested.

3.    Pragmatic way of education lacks the humanitarian aspects and cultural activities.

4.    Pragmatic education doesn’t have particular aim.

5.    It opposes spiritual values.

6.    This philosophy evolved in American social context so it is not much relevant in Indian Education.

Things are intrinsically valuable if they are valuable in themselves. For ex. according to value hedonists, happiness is valuable in itself. It's not that people desire happiness because it gets them something else; they desire happiness for its own sake.

Extrinsically valuable things are only valuable because they get you something else that is valuable. Suppose hot chocolate makes me happy. If value hedonists are correct, then hot chocolate is extrinsically valuable, because makes me happy (which is intrinsically valuable). In other cases, extrinsically valuable things might be valuable only insofar as they lead to something else that is extrinsically valuable Money might be an example. As the saying goes "money can't buy happiness." But, it can buy hot chocolate, which in turn makes me happy. In this case, money is extrinsically valuable.

Signs are things that have meaning. Signs may be words, drawings, gestures, symbols, etc. Signs are intrinsically meaningful if they contain the meaning in themselves. This might be said of "natural signs," such as a storm cloud, which is a sign for rain. The storm cloud's meaning does not depend on my interpretation of it. If I take it to be a sign of bunnies, I am mistaken; it is a sign of rain.

Signs have extrinsic meaning if their meaning is dependent on something external to the sign. A poem might be an example. The meaning of the poem is not contained just within the poem itself. On some theories, the poem's meaning depends on what the author had in mind when writing the poem. On other theories, the poem's meaning depends on how the reader interprets it. On both of these theories, the poem has extrinsic meaning.

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