The omnipotence theory of education was originally an educational viewpoint of17-18th century rationalists who exaggerated the role of education in determining society and denied the influence of genetic quality differences on human development. This view can be traced back to Plato in ancient Greece. In his view, the highest idea and purpose of achieving the ideal country is to train philosophers and soldiers, mainly through education.

On the one hand, education is a means to transform human nature. Through proper education, people can "become rational people". On the other hand, education is a tool to establish and consolidate an "ideal country".

Locke, a British educator, put forward the "whiteboard theory" after comprehensively refuting the popular "innate concept theory" at that time. That is, before people gain sensory experience, "the human heart is like a blank sheet of paper, without all marks and concepts" and "like a blank sheet of paper or a piece of wax, it can be shaped at will". He said: "Nine tenths of the people we meet every day become good or bad, useful or useless because of their education. The reason why humans are so different is because of education. "

Kant, a German philosopher, believes that in order to survive, all human natural endowments need to be developed. "Man is the only animal that needs education." The task of education is to fully develop people's natural endowment, so that everyone can become himself, become the original self and get self-improvement.

Helvetius, a French enlightenment thinker, systematically discussed the omnipotence of education. He opposes the theory of talent and thinks that people's intelligence is born equal, but in reality there are huge differences between people's intelligence, mainly because of their different environment and education. "Education has made us what we are now." "Only environment and education can turn Newton into a scientist, Homer into a poet and Raphael into a painter." "What kind of education people get, what kind of people they become."

Baidu encyclopedia-on the omnipotence of education