The influence of education on human nature 1 I introduction
The definition of human nature in Ci Hai is: "Human nature refers to human nature. Human nature is formed under certain social system and historical conditions. " The theory of human nature is one of the basic categories of philosophy, and it is also the research content of many humanities. The theory of human nature is a theory about what human nature is, and it aims to solve the problem of "what man is and what he will be". Education is a social activity to cultivate people, and it is to solve the problem of "what kind of people education should cultivate, what kind of people it should become, and how to cultivate such people". Thus, the theory of human nature and education have the logic of inevitable connection.
Educational activities are inseparable from people, and people's survival and development are inseparable from education. As early as ancient China, our ancestors knew how to establish the object, function, purpose, content and method of education through the discussion of human nature. In the history of ancient education in China, the theory of education and the theory of human nature were integrated. Without understanding China's ancient theory of human nature, it is impossible to understand the ideological reasons and historical track of the development of China's educational theory. The theory of human nature acts on education through educational theory.
Second, China's ancient theory of human nature
Most thinkers and educators in ancient China discussed the theory of human nature and formed their own different understandings. Huang Ji and Guo divided China's ancient theory of human nature into the theory of good and evil, the theory of three natures and the dualism of human nature.
1. "Theory of Good Nature"
The representative figures are Monk and Wang Shouren in Ming Dynasty. Monk affirmed that human nature is good, "everyone thinks Yao and Shun". Monk believes that people are born with these "consciences" and "good abilities". Later, it was interpreted as "end", that is, the possibility and starting point of goodness. "Human nature is good, just like water flowing downwards", we should guide people to be good according to the situation.
2. "theory of evil nature"
Xun Kuang advocated the theory of relative evil, while Han Fei and other legalists advocated the theory of absolute evil. Xun Kuang put forward: "The nature of today's people is born with good interests and obedience, so they fight for their lives and resign." Xun Kuang believes that there is no morality and reason in human instinct. If instinct is allowed to develop unchecked, it will inevitably lead to violence, so human nature is evil. This is actually a kind of "evil end of human nature", which can be changed through human efforts. Han Fei not only thinks that "people can't help being greedy", but also thinks that people are always selfish and do harm to others. The relationship between people is a kind of interest relationship, which cannot be separated from the "calculating heart".
3. "There is no good or evil in human nature."
Representative figures are Gao Zi, Mo Zhai and Ye Shi. In Mo Zhai's view, human nature is not innate, and innate human nature is like a piece of plain silk. What color it is dyed depends on its education and environment.
4. The theory of good and evil of human nature is "dualism of human nature".
The representative figures are Fu Xuan in Qin and Han Dynasties and Zhu in Song and Yuan Dynasties. Fu Xuan believes that human nature has both good and evil factors, which is the complete meaning of human nature. Variability is the greatest feature of human nature. Zhu divided human nature into "the nature of destiny" and "the nature of temperament", which was formed by "heaven", so it was profound, perfect and complete; The nature of temperament is influenced by reason and qi, and they coexist. Because "qi" is divided into turbid and turbid, and "temperament" is divided into good and evil.
5. "Three Nature Theory"
Representative figures are Kong Qiu, Dong Zhongshu, Wang Chong, Yan Zhitui and Han Yu. Confucius divided human nature into three levels in his masterpiece Historical Records. The first category is "those born with knowledge", which belongs to wisdom. The second category is "those who learn and know" and "those who learn and practice", belonging to China people; The third category is "being sleepy but not learning", which belongs to the next fool. Most people in society belong to the category of middlemen. Dong Zhongshu clearly divides human nature into three levels: militancy, people's nature and sage nature. People with the nature of "saints" can consciously control their emotional desires and are destined to develop in the direction of goodness. Those who are "fighting" are hard to restrain themselves, and only punishment can stop them from doing evil. These two types of people are a minority in the crowd, and most of them are from China with the nature of China people.
Third, the relationship between ancient "theory of human nature" and education.
Education, whether its theoretical construction or practical activities, is based on a certain theory of human nature. At the same time, education has promoted the integrity and richness of the development of human nature. On the whole, China's ancient theory of human nature has been constantly enriched and improved.
1. The theory of human nature is the theoretical basis of educational development.
Education is an activity to cultivate people, and the theory of human nature is closely related to education. Ancient thinkers and educators in China consciously linked human nature with education long ago, and decided the development of education based on the theory of human nature.
Determine the function, object, purpose, content and method of education through the theory of human nature. Based on the theory of "human nature is good", Monk concluded that education is to preserve and expand human innate goodness on the one hand, and to restore lost goodness on the other. Although Xunzi believes that "human nature is evil", as long as one strives to be good, "the smeared person can also be good", and education plays a decisive role in the process of people changing from evil to good.
Legalists' "absolute evil theory" requires the implementation of legal education and advocates teaching by law. Mo Zhai believes that human nature is like silk, and what color it is dyed depends on what kind of education and environment it receives. The ideal society should be that everyone is educated. Fu Xuan, a dualist of human nature, believes that the function of education on human nature is manifested in two aspects: good and evil, and education is the process of promoting good and restraining evil. The representative of the theory of "three natures of sex" thinks that the vast majority of people are from China with the nature of China, and the object of education is mainly aimed at them. Confucius also put forward the educational conclusion that there is no class in education.
2. Education plays an important role in protecting, transforming and shaping human nature.
The theory of good nature holds that education is a process of expanding "good". As the saying goes, "there is no other way to learn, but to seek reassurance", the role of education lies in guiding people to preserve, retrieve and expand their inner goodness. The theory of evil nature holds that human nature can be transformed through study and education, while the theory of human nature without good and evil holds that education has the function of shaping human nature. Generally speaking, education is a process of generating and perfecting human nature.
3. Education promotes the continuous improvement of the theory of human nature.
In the process of repeated inheritance and development from "theory of goodness of human nature" to "theory of three natures" and then to "theory of goodness of human nature", the theory of human nature has been enriched and developed continuously, and it has become more and more concrete and objective from transcendental, in which education plays a very important role. In the process of development, the interaction between educational theory and practice has also promoted the deepening and development of human consciousness. Although different educational thinkers in different dynasties and generations have different understandings, the theory of human nature as a whole has shown a spiral development trend in ancient history.
4. The theory of human nature urges educators to reflect on the humanization of education.
The theory of human nature not only serves the ruler's rule, but also promotes educators' reflection on the humanization of education. Many famous theories are formed by reflection in educational practice, such as the practical experience of Confucius' inspiration, teaching students in accordance with their aptitude and setting an example, and the gradual progress of some thinkers, which still has very important reference significance for today's education.
Fourthly, the enlightenment to modern education.
1. The foundation of modern education.
In modern times, the understanding of human nature is that human nature includes human nature, characteristics and attributes. Among them, human nature is the common and inherent nature with animals; Characteristics are those attributes that distinguish people from animals, such as language and thinking. Attributes include all the elements that make up a person, such as natural attributes, social attributes and spiritual attributes. In the field of education, human nature mainly refers to human attributes. Wang Kunqing pointed out that human nature is the synthesis of three dimensional characteristics: naturalness, sociality and spirituality.
Professor Liu Haimin put forward the standpoint of understanding the characteristics of human nature and its educational practice from the perspective of pedagogy, arguing that human nature is three-dimensional in structure, incomplete in essence and situational in performance. The relationship between education and human nature has different manifestations at different levels, and human nature can be enlightened on the premise; Logically, human nature needs enlightenment; In this process, the education of human nature is uncertain; Therefore, the education of human nature is limited. In educational practice, we should stick to the educational position that we firmly believe in the idea that human nature can be enlightened, abandon the single assumption of human nature and respect the richness of human nature.
Of course, human nature is rich, diverse and complicated. To understand beyond the theory of good and evil is to emphasize the unity of human nature and sociality, human passivity and initiative, and human invariance and variability. Therefore, education must be based on human nature and advocate that human nature can be enlightened.
2. Whether modern education has returned to humanity.
Based on the attributes of people in the real world, people are uncertain, unformed and imperfect. Education is needed to develop and improve people's life, reason and will, to give full play to people's wisdom and strength, and to promote people's socialization and individuality. From a rational analysis, education is an activity that respects people, conforms to human nature, is people-oriented and aims at educating people. In the educational reform, we should advocate quality education and promote people's all-round development. However, due to the influence of comprehensive factors such as system, concept and habit, there are still a lot of inhuman and even people-oriented phenomena in our education. For example, if the education process of "human" is regarded as a production process, the education and training methods of model, standardization, assembly line, one size fits all, urgent marching and indoctrination are adopted, and the existence of "human" is ignored-people's subjectivity, initiative and consciousness are not seen, and only the education of knowledge, technology and methods is paid attention to.
Education is to let people "do what they want to do", develop instinct and initiative in natural attributes, develop autonomy and self-reliance in social attributes, and develop creativity and transcendence in spiritual attributes.
How to show the essence of human nature in modern education, constantly liberate and develop human nature, pursue the "perfection" of harmonious development and realize the natural pursuit of educational humanization has become the task of today's educational theory and practice.