From the development history of human education, we in China usually regard Confucius as the pioneer of heuristic teaching method, while Socrates is the originator of heuristic teaching method recognized by the west. Confucius and Socrates are two great thinkers and educators in the history of the development of eastern and western civilizations, and their thoughts have had an important impact on the eastern and western societies in the future. Interestingly, they lived almost in the same historical period (Confucius was one and a half centuries earlier than Socrates), and they independently proposed heuristic teaching methods. It is not accidental that an educational idea came into being at the same time in ancient China, but the inevitable product of the development of human education and teaching practice to a certain historical stage. This paper aims to get useful enlightenment by analyzing and comparing the similarities and differences between Confucius and Socrates' heuristic teaching methods, so as to promote the continuous development of teaching method research and practice in China.
Confucius (55 BC/KLOC-0 BC/-479 BC), surnamed Kong, was born in Zhong Ni (now Qufu) in the late Spring and Autumn Period. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Confucius lived in an era of rapid social change. Slavery gradually disintegrated, feudalism gradually took shape, and politics was extremely turbulent, resulting in the situation that "the emperor lost his official position and learned from four foreigners". He also put forward the glorious proposition of "education without class", admitted that everyone has the possibility of education, popularized education to the civilian class for the first time, and broke the monopoly of "learning in the official" since the Western Zhou Dynasty, which was really a great feat in the history of education in China. After his fifties, Confucius mainly engaged in private lectures, except for a short time in politics. He was the first great educator in the history of ancient education in China, and was honored as the "most holy teacher" by later generations. A model for generations to come.
Confucius' heuristic teaching method is closely related to his epistemology and has duality. He once said: "Those who are born with knowledge are also superior; Those who learn and know, second; Learn from difficulties, secondly; It is an idealistic view that Confucius put forward that people are born with knowledge. But "being born with knowledge" is just an empty example for Confucius who emphasized "learning and knowing" in practice, which objectively negates the transcendental concept of "learning and knowing". Confucius summed up a set of educational thoughts and teaching methods in accordance with the general laws of human cognition in educational practice. Heuristic teaching method is a successful teaching method often used by Confucius in teaching practice, which makes his teaching popular with students and makes them learn something.