The concept of moral education in Russian neo-Kantianism: correlation of philosophy and pedagogy

Abstract

The article uncovers the key provisions of the moral education concept, formulated in the framework of Russian neo-Kantianism at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries but still remaining a poorly studied topic. Conducting historical-philosophical and comparative analysis, the authors reveal common intentions in the pedagogical ideas of Russian philosophers, which were based on rethinking the system of critical idealism of I. Kant and the methodology of German neo-Kantianism. Special attention is paid to the concept of moral education of S.I. Hessen, the theory of upbringing of A.V. Veideman, and the psychological pedagogy of M.M. Rubinstein. The article defines the key concepts and categories of Russian neo-Kantian pedagogy and methodological foundations, in particular, the teleological basis of the teaching and upbringing theory is revealed from the variety of author’s and original ideas. The consistent uncovering and comparison of the pedagogical studies of Russian neo-Kantians allow revealing the general intention of their standpoints – focusing on the correlation of freedom and responsibility in the context of creating conditions for moral education. As a result, consideration of forming individual responsibility in the discourse of the correlation of arbitrariness and freedom is becoming the distinctive feature of the entire trend of Russian neo-Kantianism. The relevance of the study of this topic is due to the increasing need at present to identify the fundamental grounds for forming morality and responsibility in the continuity of the education, self-discipline, and training processes.