Democracy and Education · Chapter
Naturalism and Humanism in Education explained
This chapter critiques the false opposition between scientific and literary education, arguing that natural science is inherently humanistic when taught as knowledge of the conditions of human action.
What happens
This chapter critiques the false opposition between scientific and literary education, arguing that natural science is inherently humanistic when taught as knowledge of the conditions of human action. It traces the historical roots of this divide to aristocratic culture and the stigma against applied knowledge, and asserts that true humanism liberates intelligence and sympathy, regardless of subject matter.
Themes in this chapter
Unity of Knowledge and Action
The chapter argues that scientific knowledge is humanistic when applied to human action, rejecting the separation of pure theory from practical use.
Division of Labor and Leisure
The stigma against applied knowledge is traced to a society where useful work was performed by slaves and serfs, reflecting a class-based division.
Critique of Traditional Curriculum
The chapter criticizes the identification of humanities exclusively with Greek and Latin, calling it a narrow snobbery that neglects accessible subject matter for the masses.
Key passages
“Human life does not occur in a vacuum, nor is nature a mere stage setting for the enactment of its drama.”
Human existence is deeply intertwined with nature, not separate from it.
Emphasizes the interconnectedness of human life and the natural world.
“Knowledge is humanistic in quality not because it is about human products in the past, but because of what it does in liberating human intelligence and human sympathy.”
The value of knowledge lies in its power to free the mind and foster empathy, not in its subject matter.
Defines humanism in terms of its effect on the learner, not its content.