The Enlightenment in Education
by Alexandra Stasyuk
1. John Lock - knowledge is obtained through sensation and reflection
1.1. Education should not be restricted to a certain class or gender
1.2. His works were influenced during the Enlightenment
1.3. He did not clame that all minds are equal
1.3.1. Some minds have a greater educational potential than others
1.4. To his empiricism, learning comes about only through experience
2. Enlightened thinkers were focused on reason and clear thinking as a sensible way to happiness
3. Rousseau distingueshed between natural man and social man
3.1. He argued that good education should develop the nature of man
3.1.1. The creation of Arts and Sciences caused man to become less pure, more egoistic that prevents from regaining the simplicity of original human nature
3.1.2. His book "Emile, or on education" describes an attempt to educate simple and pure child for life in the world
3.1.2.1. The aim is to show how natural education unlike the artificial and formal enables to become moral and rational while remaining true to oroginal nature
4. Big number of girls from middle class families wanted to get an aristocratic education
5. Coffee houses in England became a public space where politicians, philosophers and scientists could discuss their thoughts
6. Period of Western thought and culture in education from 17th to 18th century
6.1. Dramatic revolutions in science, philosophy, society and politics were organized during this time
6.1.1. Culminates historically in the political Uphead of the French Revolution in which traditional hierarchical political and social orders were destroyed and replaced by ideas of freedom and equality