Philosophical Relevance of a Rational - Empiricist’s Epistemology for Education

Abstract

Empiricism has been established as a foundational approach to knowledge. This is based on the fact that empiricism focuses on the sources of knowledge rather than what is known. In assuming the modern day empiricism, we would want to know to what extent empiricism justifiably forms basis of knowledge and experience. This paper therefore, critically examined three basic concepts that are crucial to empirical discussions on education. These concepts are knowledge, experience and perception. The paper examines the foundational role of empiricism in these concepts. The emphasis is on the concept of experience and its importance in man’s ability to learn and if necessary to teach. Such an examination into the nature of experience can be considered relevant to education in as much as it is linked with teaching and learning. The practice of education borders on these two activities. Our notion of relevance lies in our contention that education must focus on the content of knowledge which the learners acquire, how they acquire it, and as well, how to convert learning into useful action. The paper summed up its findings in some postulates reflecting the empirical nature of knowledge and has inevitably bind knowledge acquisition with experience. The focus is on rational dimension of experience in contradistinction to the sensual dimension that has been recognized by empirical thinkers over the year. This is because man needs to be rational in order to work meaningfully in the world. The paper is on both philosophy and education. On the philosophical note it has examined empiricism as a theory in philosophy and has adopted a rational approach to it because philosophy by its nature is a rational activity. On the educational note the paper examined how rational empiricism could be a useful philosophical foundation for educational practice by postulating a philosophical principle for facilitating knowledge acquisition.