Oppose parents and schools to determine the educational purpose for their children, and think that the purpose imposed on the activity process is fixed and inflexible, which can not stimulate wisdom in specific situations; It is divorced from the reality of life, out of reach, and has nothing to do with the means to achieve the goal. It is believed that education should not only enable individuals to make a living, but also serve the society as much as possible and train children to become qualified citizens of American society.
Dewey theory
Based on the understanding of the educational essence of "education is growth, that is, life, that is, the continuous transformation of experience", Dewey pointed out: "The process of education has no purpose outside itself; It is its own purpose. " He also said: "Education itself has no purpose. Only people, parents and teachers have a purpose. "
Therefore, the theory of "education without purpose" is clearly put forward. Dewey's theory of "education without purpose" holds that the purpose of education exists only in the educational process, and there is no purpose outside the educational process; It is argued that the specific educational process determined by children's instinct, impulse and interest is the purpose of education; The general purpose of education determined by social and political needs is regarded as "outside the educational process" and dismissed as an external and fictional expression of purpose.
In Dewey's view, this external and fictional purpose has a static nature, and what is to be achieved and occupied is always a fixed thing. It exists outside of educational activities, making the activities of teachers and students an inevitable means to obtain something, and the activities lose their own meaning and become irrelevant. This external view of purpose separates the means from the purpose. "Compared with the purpose, activity is just hard work that has to be done."