Education: Empiricists vs Rationalists Essay example -- philosophy of

The importance of experience in education has always been the subject of philosophical debates. These debates between empiricists and rationalists have been going on for quite some time. Rationalists are of the view that knowledge acquired through senses is unreliable and learning can only be done through reasoning. On the other hand, empiricists believe knowledge is acquired through empirical impressions and concepts that cannot be learnt without being experienced (Evans, 1992, p. 35). This debate was however resolved by Kant who argues that both experience and rationality are necessary in learning. John Dewey was an American philosopher of the twentieth century and he also contributed to the debate on the learning process. In his book Experience and Education, Dewey (1938), he stated, â€Å"the belief that all genuine education comes about through experience does not mean that all experiences are genuinely or equally educative† (p. 25). This famous quote has been evaluated a nd referred to regularly in the debate on learning through experience. According to Dewey (1938) experiences can only be termed as educative if they lead to further intellectual and moral growth. In order for experience to be termed as educative, both the community and the individual have to benefit from the said experience. The experience has to contribute to growth in curiosity, sense of purpose, and initiative in the learner. He was of the view that traditional education was hierarchical and therefore undemocratic in nature. According to him, in order to produce well informed, thoughtful and democratic students, learners need to participate in all aspects of the school program and gain the experience. Eventually, a learner has to reflect on the experience ... ...work became widely accepted. However, his philosophy will continue to earn critical acclaim even in the coming days. Works Cited Boud, D., Keogh, R., & Walker, D. (1985). Reflection: Turning experience into learning. New York, NY: Kogan Page. Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York, NY: Macmillan. Evans, N. (1992). Experiential learning: Assessment and accreditation. New York, NY: Routledge. Ewert, A. (1989). Outdoor adventure pursuits: Foundations, models, and theories. Columbus, OH: Publishing Horizons. Goodlad, J. (1984). A place called school: Prospects for the future. New York, NY: McGraw- Hill. Kolb, A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Lewin, K. (1952). Field theory in the social sciences: Selected theoretical papers. London: Tavistock.