BIOLOGY OF ETHICS: FUNCTION OF BIOLOGICALLY BASED ETHICAL VALUES OR 'VIRTUES'

The human species is a biological species known as ‘homo sapiens’. Furthermore it is a social species which depends for survival on complete development of moral consciousness or conscience required for positive socialization or ‘peace’. The human organism is a biological organism which like other biological organisms behaves naturally… is intrinsically motivated… in accordance with an intrinsic organismic valuing process making value choices and decisions which allow for its effective adaptation to changes in the social environment. Value-choices are made on the basis of the organism’s inherent tendency towards self-preservation and self-actualization are biologically-based instinctive needs known as ‘operative values’. The operative values are intinsic biological needs which make up the inner core of human nature – (yearnings, aspirations, capacities, talents)… instinctive preferences of behaviour implicated in the unfolding of human powers which lead to the achievement of human potential or ‘fulfillment’ and the integration of the comlpete personality or ‘wholeness’. Operative values are include basic psychological needs for security, self-esteem and belongingness or ‘ego needs’ and ‘higher’ psychological needs for self-transcendance or ‘spiritual needs’ (also known as ‘metaneeds’). Denial or frustration of any of these needs leads to psychopathological behaviour and the wickedness of human behaviour otherwise known as ‘evil’.

theme: The natural interest of the human organism as a social organism is happiness which comes from productive living which is ethical or virtuous i.e. with compassion or 'loving-kindness'. Virtues are social values which give rise to those attributes... rational thought, confidence and courage... which are required for human socialisation and happiness. As virtues are of survival value they are 'operative values'. Consequently the philosophical analysis of the concept of 'virtue' can be replaced by a biological analysis of virtues as ethical values which have a biological function.

"Those human attributes which are of value to the child in a social setting are the same attributes which we call 'virtues'. As a social organism, the child is happy in his work in a social environment in which the attributes for adaptation to the social environment are the same as the so-called 'virtues'. (Maria Montessori Absorbent Mind 231)

The philosophical analysis of virtues is equivalent to the biological analysis of human social values.
"Ethics has been wrongly characterized as being a function of philosophy" http://www.evolutionaryethics.com/




The traditional paradigm and the mistrust of human nature In Western culture the tendency has been to mistrust the nature of the human personality or 'human nature'. Human nature has been regarded in terms of intrinsically base and bestial instincts. People have been taught to distrust the bad and dangerous instincts of their so-called 'animal nature'. Cultural institutions have been set up for the express purpose of controlling, inhibiting, suppressing and repressing human instinctive behaviour. Even the American Constitution is based on the perception of human nature in terms of the supposedly inherent antagonism between human goodness and human wickedness or 'evil'. This dichotomous perception of human nature has led to the mistaken belief that the the interests of the individual and the society are mutually exclusive. This false belief gives rise to the fallacious notion that the primary function of civilisation is to control the free expression of human nature making it imposssible to resolve social problems. As a matter of fact the inner core of the human personality... the natural personality of 'human nature'... has a constitution which is subtle and fragile and can be overcome easily by cultural pressures, social conditioning and wrong attitudes towards it.

"There has been a special tendency in Western culture, historically determined, to assure that (the) instinctoid needs of the human being, his so-called 'animal nature', are base and evil. As a consequence, many cultural institutions are set up for the express purpose of controlling, inhibiting, suppressing and repressing this original nature of man... The term 'instinctoid human nature' implies the notion of inborn biological necessity and basic human needs. " (Maslow Psychology of Being. p.164)

Human nature can be described in terms of motives for human behaviour or 'human needs'. Human nature can be described in terms of the motives for learning behaviour or'human needs'. Human needs include not only the obvious physiological needs for survival, but the so-called 'lower' psychological needs for affection which communicates security, for a sense of belongingness, for self-respect and self-esteem... the 'ego needs' - and the 'and the so-called 'higher' psychological needs for development of the transpersonal or ‘spiritual’ dimension of the human psyche i.e. the spiritual growth needs or 'metaneeds' for self-actualisation and transcendance beyond the ego level of consciousness or 'self-transcendance'. The metaneeds are the subconscious needs for awareness of human values for living i.e. 'social values' or 'human values'. Human values are the moral values or universal spiritual values required for survival of the species as a social species… the core of human values common to all members of the human species... namely moral justice, compassionate wisdom, universal love, knowledge as understanding, social responsibility or ‘peace’... Awareness of human values results in heightened intuition and increased awareness of creative intelligence which is necessary for effective adaptation to changing social conditions i.e. 'adaptability'. Human adaptability depends on evolution from the egocentric perspective to the transpersonal perspective of emotional maturity. Spiritual growth is usually gradual and fluid and results in 'spiritual awakening' or 'spiritual emergence'. The metaneeds are the source of motivation for spiritual growth or 'metamotivation'. Metaneeds needs must be satisfied in a process of psychological and spiritual growth and development for the fulfillment of human potential. Each individual is instinctively responsible to itself for its own potential development for a self-actualisation and self-transcendance. In a process of normal psychological and spiritual growth human potentialities naturally unfold and become actualised, producing feelings of natural self-esteem which lead to beneficial and creative behaviour. In the process a natural valuing process also unfolds revealing intrinsic social or 'ethical values' - the 'virtues'.

Virtues are specialised attributes for social adaptation...'operative values' Virtues are human attributes which are of value to the individual as a social organism in a social environment. The human organism behaves in accordance with an organismic valuing process which allows for self-preservation and adaptation to changing conditions in the social environment. The human organism as a social organism lives by intrinsic values which facilitate self-enhancement... is instinctively responsible to itself for its own potential development and self-actualisation. The human organism as a social organism depends for social adaptation on preserving the integration of the personality while at the same time comprehending the realities of a changing social environment in order to make accurate evaluation on which to base decisions for adaptive behaviour... 'adaptability'. The specialised attributes for social adaptation are the biologically based intrinsic social values or 'virtues'. Virtues are biologically based attributes arising from based social values or 'operative values' and their function is a biological one. Virtue from Latin 'virtus' is the affirmation of life and the responsibility to the unfolding of human potential and the excellence of human achievement. Irresponsibility toward one's self and one's potential is 'vice'. Vice is self-mutilation. Virtues are the biologically based social values which produce those attributes which are foundational to human socialisation and happiness - rational thought, confidence and courage. As social values they are 'ethical' values which give rise to human solidarity required for survival of human species as a social species which depends on mutual assistance and cooperation .Ethical values increase the individual's capacity to adapt to changes in the social environment. The function of virtues as social values is to preserve the integrity of the personality as a whole i.e. to preserve psychological health or 'sanity'. Sanity is the basis for accurate evaluation of changing social conditions and rational choice of action which leads to adaptive behaviour. As ethical values virtues are 'operative values'. As operative values virtues are of survival value to the human organism as a social organism. As biologically based genetically based... originate in the genetic makeup of the human species. They are a product of evolutionary processes. Virtues are intrinsic values which unfold naturally in a process of development of the organismic valuing process... of awareness or consciousness of human moral values...moral consciousness or 'conscience'.

"The aim of man's life is the unfolding of his powers according to the laws of his nature" In humanistic ethics 'good' is the affirmation of life, the unfolding of man's powers.
The actualising individual values the potentiality and the disposition of the 'human self' or 'Self' making decisions according to the organismic valuing process which is intrinsic to human nature. The biological function of organismic values is related to the preservation of the integrity of the organism.
Awareness of human moral values... moral consciousness or 'conscience'...

The human organism as a social organism depends for social adaptation on preserving the integration of the personality while at the same time comprehending the realities of a changing social environment in order to make accurate evaluation on which to base decisions for adaptive behaviour. The human organism is instinctively responsible to itself for its own potential development and self-actualisation. The actualising individual values the potentiality and the disposition of the 'human self' making decisions according to the organismic valuing process which is intrinsic to their human nature. The biological function of organismic values is related to the preservation of the integrity of the organism. They unfold naturally in a process of development of the organismic valuing process... moral consciousness or ''conscience'.
Conscience is the guardian of integrity... Conscience is a biological mechanism for the preservation of the individual's true self-interest and self-preservation. Conscience is the expression of the properly integrated functioning of the personality as a whole. Conscience makes it possible for the individual to adapt to changing social conditions while at the same time preserving personal integrity.The conscience evolved as a mechanism for the integration of personality and character in a changing social environment. Its function is related to the individual's need to maintain personal integrity while adapting successfully to a changing social environment. If in the process of adapting to change the individual's decisions enhance personal integrity then the conscience produces a feeling of inner approval. The resulting behaviour is productive and adaptive or 'right'. If in the process of adapting to change the individual's decisions diminish personal integrity, then the conscience produces a feeling of inner disapproval. The resulting behaviour is destrucive and non-adaptive or 'wrong'. As awareness or consciousness of human values or 'virtues'... moral consciousness' or 'morality', developed conscience defines the human personality or 'human nature'.
The conscience evolved as a mechanism for the integration of personality and character in a changing social environment. ...the product of evolutionary processes based on the natural laws of human preservation, the conscience is an 'emergent property' of the human brain. The human brain is a 'social brain' which evolved with the species as a social species. Human evolution is based on the survival value of the social brain and its capacity for ''social intelligence'. Social intelligence allows for accurate evaluation of the complexities of changing social conditions. Social intelligence is a function of development of moral consciousness or 'moral development'. Moral development is a function of constructon of the conscience through productiveness or 'work'.. Productiveness is a function of the development of character and personality, of psychological and spiritual development, of development of wholeness or health of 'humaness'.... 'wellness'. Development of humaness depends on the need for parental love which is 'unconditional' i.e. mature love with care, respect, knowledge and responsibility (not overprotection and possessiveness). Unconditional love is the basis for development of conscience, the source of human virtues. Virtues are the biologically based social values which produce those attributes which are the foundation of human socialisation and happiness.
Proper development of conscience depends on unconditional love Development of conscience depends on the need for parental love which is 'unconditional' i.e. mature love with care, respect, knowledge and responsibility (not overprotection and possessiveness). Unconditional love is the basis for development of conscience, the source of human virtues.

"The individual is instinctively responsible to himself for his own potential development or 'self-actualisation'. This natural responsibility to his own biological and psychological existence and self-actualisation constitutes the ethical value called 'virtue'... Virtue is proportional to the degree of productiveness achieved." (Fromm, Erich. Man for Himself: an Inquiry into the Psychology of Ethics. Holt, Rhinehart and Winston, New York, l947 p. 229)
Development of conscience is a function of brain development for 'creative intelligence'
man's natural self-interest - his natural and real self-interest in happiness, not in terms of material success but in terms of an ethical and productive life.
Virtues unfold in the normal process of growth... Each individual has a unique way of solving their human problems. The uniqueness of problem-solving depends on their unchangeable constitutional temperament and their changeable acquired character. Acquired character depends on conscious and unconscious motivating forces and varies with the individual's mode of relatedness to the world. In normal growth and development, both conscious and unconscious behaviour are based on the flexibility of the instinctive tendency to grow in the direction of self-actualisation and self-transcendance. In the process of normal development and growth to actualisation and unfolding of human powers, ethical norms for excellent living are revealed according to the laws of nature and human existence....the human values are revealed in the 'productive' character which naturally unfolds as the ideal human potentialities unfold and become actualised.

What happens when there are obstacles to growth? Inhibition of spiritual growth results in insecurity and low self-esteem which has a crippling effect on development. Failure to gratify the ego-needs results in lack of spiritual growth. As a result the individual's sense of identity is threatened and this leads to their continual dependence on others for approval i.e. 'psychological dependence'. The psychologically dependent individual will persist in their efforts to retain the approval of others even if it means the repression of their growth needs. In the absence of motivation for growth, the individual's thought and behaviour patterns are dominated by...the basic psychological needs... dominate the individual's motivation for behaviour. Hence they are designated as 'deficiency needs' or 'deficit needs'. Motivation by deficit needs is 'deficit motivation'. Deficiency motivated growth results in the 'metapathology' of 'diminished humanness' or 'dehumanisation' i.e. Development becomes neurotic....'neurotic development' or 'neurosis'.
Neurosis involves the irrational projection of of images of perfection ideals onto an external authority and its subsequent internalisation as 'authoritarian conscience'. Construction of authoritarian conscience involves the interaction of two processes which are based on the instinctive needs to admire, to have an ideal, to strive for perfection: first the perfection of character is projected onto an external authority - parental, religious or state authority; second the projected image of perfection is internalised or 'introjected' in the individual's consciousness. Internalisation of the projected image leads to the individual's unshakable conviction in the external authority as the personification of the perfect character. The conviction is so strong that it is immune to all empirical evidence which might prove to contradict it. The power of fear for the authority replaces the power of ethical reasoning... the individual loses the capacity for rationality and reason. As a result the conscience which is constructed becomes increasingly authoritarian and irrational and this leads to the rigidity of authoritarian conscience. The irrationality of authoritarian conscience interferes with comprehensive understanding of the self and of others preventing the formation of meaningful interpersonal relations. The individual overcompensates with domineering attitudes of sham dominance. Their violent reactions of frustration manifest themselves in 'antisocial behaviour'... acts of destructiveness, sadism, cruelty, malice and greed - the same attributes which describe the wickedness of human behaviour... human wickedness or 'evil'. So-called 'evil' is a product of neurosis, psychosis as 'psychopathy and other social pathologies.
In pathological growth, conscious behaviour is based on the introjection of rigid and static cultural beliefs and values resulting in the construction of an authoritarian conscience which is not functional in process of adaptation to changing social conditions i.e. 'adaptability'. In a process of social conditioning, conditioned behaviours are rewarded even though they are perversions of the natural tendency to grow in the direction of self-actualization. Socially conditioned individuals are dissociated and estranged from their own directional growth process.
Authoritarian conscience is inadequate for effective evaluation of social conditions because it fails to produce behaviour which is adaptive to changes in the social environment and can lead to socially inadaptive or 'antisocial behaviour' and 'human wickedness' or 'evil'. Evil as antisocial behaviour is a direct result of the abnormal conditions for growth which are prevalent in a cultural environment which focuses on the control of human needs. The forces of external control deprive the individual of the means for gratification of instinctive spiritual needs. As a result their feelings towards them become ambivalent and they perceive them as not only appealing but frightening as well. Fear for the spiritual needs stimulates psychological reaction responses of repression and denial further inhibiting metamotivation and stimulating deficit motivation. The resulting inhibition of spiritual growth prevents the inner development to maturity through the development of inherent human potentialities i.e. 'self-atualisation'.
(....or else spiritual emergency). Individual self-actualisation is the basis for social cooperation or 'normal socialisation'... normal socialisation depends on development of critical consciousness... the aim of education as 'critical practice'

Implications for education... virtue as the source of happiness... education for virtue is education for happiness
"Happiness is not the reward of virtue but is virtue itself." (Spinoza, Ethics)
"The actualisation of a potentiality depends on the presence of certain conditions... The concept of potentiality has no meaning except in connection with the specific conditions required for actualisation. If the proper conditions normal conditions are present, the potentiality for goodness is actualied. If they are absent... abnormal, pathogenic conditions... then the potentiality for wickedness or 'evil' is realised. "...man is not necessarily evil but becomes evil only if the proper conditions for his growth and development are lacking. The evil has no independent existence of its own. It is the absence of good, the result of the failure to realise life." (Erich Fromm Man For Himself p. 218)

freedom in education as natural education

The public consultation document is available in all the official EU-languages at the following address: http://ec.europa.eu/education/school21/index_en.html)

It is very important to differentiate between freedom (which implies moral responsibility or 'responsible freedom') and license (which implies lack of moral responsibility or 'irresponsible freedom'). Chldren must have the freedom to learn but the learning experiences should be meaningful in that they engage the child's responsibility to him/herself to develop their own potential. This in turn involves instinctive moral development to the level of empathic understanding for oneself and others. Caution with children should be able "to do whatever they want"... depends on the child and what they want to do! It is the conditions of responsible freedom which allow for complete development of human potential as naturally moral and therefore 'spiritual' beingness.

Caution with "children should be able to do whatever they want'.... depends on the child and what they want to do! It is very important to differentiate between freedom an license. Freedom is a sophisticated concept because it implies moral responsibility. This is 'responsible freedom'. License which implies lack of moral responsibility is 'irresponsible freedom'. Chldren must have the freedom to learn but the learning experiences should be meaningful in that they engage the child's responsibility to him/herself to develop their own potential. This in turn involves instinctive moral development to the level of empathic understanding for oneself and others. It is the conditions of responsible freedom which allow for complete development of human potential as naturally moral and therefore 'spiritual' beingness.
Theme: Freedom in education (or ‘natural education’) involves the individual’s instinctive responsibility for their own growth… the development of the inherent spirituality and morality of their human personality (their ‘humaness’) or ‘human nature’. The paradigm of ‘freedom in education’ is based on the principle of individual freedom as the ‘moral freedom’ of social responsibility which is foundational to a culture of true democracy, peace, sustainability and ecological literacy.

Conclusion of argument which follows:

The generic competences set out in the European Framework of Key Competences include the traditional competences such as mother tongue, foreign languages, basic competences in math and science, digital competences and in addition more transversal competences such as learning to learn, social and civic competences, initiative taking and entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression.

It is possible to set educational aims and formulate educational policy which provides each individual with the opportunity to develop the transversal as well as the traditional competences if this is done within the paradigm of ‘freedom in education’.

(Freedom in education implies the freedom to choose the conditions in which to engage in meaningful learning or ‘work’. This includes the freedom to choose between traditional education as ‘schooling’ and non-traditional education as non-schooling or ‘homeschooling’.)

The following text is taken from website of European Commission: Education and Training

Public consultation Schools for the 21st century

"This public consultation addresses all those interested in the development of school education in Europe. The Commission's consultation document raises a series of issues that are deemed to be crucial for schools in Europe (such as schools and key competences, schools and social inclusion and the role of teachers, among others) on which contributions are sought. Member States are responsible for the organisation and content of education and training systems, and the role of the European Union is to support them, for example through the new Lifelong Learning Programme or the 'Education and Training 2010 Work Programme', which facilitates the exchange of information, data and best practice through mutual learning. Education lies at the centre of efforts to improve the Union's competitiveness and social cohesion. Some of the most important questions and challenges which have the greatest significance for the well-being of individuals and the good of society relate to the quality of initial education and training. It is against this background that the European Commission has decided to launch this public consultation to identify those aspects of school education on which joint action at European Unionlevel could be effective in supporting Member States in the modernisation of their systems.

If you wish to make a contribution to this consultation please: 1. read our Consultation Document; 2. create a MS Word (or compatible) document; 3. write in any official language;
4. state clearly at the start of your contribution your name, the name of the organisation you represent (if any), and the reason for your interest in the school (e.g. parent, pupil, teacher …)
5. decide which of the questions in the document you wish to respond to; 6. set out your opinions in no more than 4 pages of A4 (12 pt); send your completed text by e-mail only to the following address: eac-schools-consult@ec.europa.eu, no later than 15 October
We will acknowledge receipt of your contribution.
Consultation document (pdf format)

Respondents are invited to respond to some or all of the eight questions outlined in the consultation document. They are asked first to identify what actions they would favour within their national contexts to ensure that schools deliver the quality of education in the 21st century and second, to suggest how European cooperation could be effective in supporting member states in the modernisation of their systems......................................................"

"Summary of questions: 1. How can schools be organized in such a way as to provide all students with the full range of competences? 2. How can schools equip young people with the competences and motivation to make learning a lifelong activity? 3. How can school systems contribute to supporting longterm sustainable economic economic growth in Europe? 4. How can school systems best respond to the need to promote equity to respond cultural diversity and to reduce early school leaving? 5. If schools are to respond to each pupil’s individual learning needs, what can be done regarding curricula, school organisation, and the role of teachers? 6. How can school communities help to prepare young people to be responsible citizens, in line with fundamental values such as peace and tolerance of diversity? 7. How can school staff be trained and supported to meet the challenges they face? 8. How can school communities best receive the leadership and motivation they need to succeed? How can they be empowered to develop in response to changing needs and demands of the 21st century? "

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RESPONSE

Now is the time to consider the theoretical aspects of education i.e. ‘educational theory’. Moral educational theory results in moral practice or ‘praxis’. Educational praxis is based on the natural laws of human growth and development i.e ‘freedom in education’. The paradigm of ‘freedom in education’ is concerned with individual freedom as the basis for social responsibility which is foundational to true democracy.

Opinion Paper: A Rational Argument for Freedom in Education


Introduction

The natural function of education is to provide the right conditions required to free the human spirit in order to cultivate natural creative intelligence required for adaptability to a changing environment.

I am not affiliated with any school at the present time though I continue to reflect on important issues of education. My experiences with schools in the past – as student, teacher or parent - have all contributed to the opinion which I have about the problems faced by schools in general. I believe that it is a mistake to equate education as ‘schooling’ with education in the broad sense. Before attempting to solve the various problems faced by society and by governments, there must be a change in the philosophical framework or ‘paradigm’ in which educational policy is formulated. Problems can be answered more effectively if they are addressed in terms of a paradigm characterised by respect for personality development and respect for human rights and human freedoms.

I believe that all children have the right to educational experiences through which they can recognise the psychological value of meaningful learning experiences or ‘work’. Meaningful work - a function of curiosity, cognition and the wisdom of compassion - builds self-confidence and self-respect, cultivates intuition in the development of creative intelligence and engages development of moral consciousness or 'conscience'. Developed conscience is the source of the intuition and the moral courage which is required to master one's own life and to respect the lives of others. All children have the right to an education for a life of social responsibility and social cooperation or 'peace'. They all have the right to an education which is based on appreciation for human social values and which allows for the creation of humane societies. All children have the right to freedom in education. This paradigm is in line with article 26 paragraph 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. «Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and human freedoms (i.e. ‘moral social order’…)»

A moral social order is based on freedom in education. A moral social order is made up of individuals who are inwardly free with moral ideas as part of their nature. In such a society educational policy is formulated on the basis of the respect for the right of each child to engage freely in the inner struggle for personality development and intellectual growth i.e. freedom in education

Freedom in education involves the formulation of educational policy in terms of moral theory in practice or ‘praxis’. Educational praxis as the moral practice of educational theory is informed and effective because it is guided by the moral sense of conscience constructed on the basis of natural laws of human development. The morality of developed conscience is the source of self-empowerment required for human adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Human adaptability depends on development of human conscience as a function of natural human intelligence or 'creative intelligence'. The cultivation of creative intelligence is a function of integrated growth and development and depends on freedom to engage in meaningful active experiential learning, creativity and productiveness or ‘work’. Freedom to engage in meaningful work is responsible freedom or ‘moral freedom’ and depends on freedom in education.

Freedom in education is effective because it involves the individual’s instinctive responsibility for their own growth and development.

The opinion paper is confined to a discussion of the need for a shift from the traditional paradigm of education to the paradigm of freedom in education. The validity of the discussion depends on the understanding of the true meaning of key words which represent sophisticated concepts which often require clarification.

Part I

New Paradigm* for 21st Century Schools: Freedom in Education as Natural Education

*What is a paradigm? The word ‘paradigm’ derives from the Latin ‘paradigma’ for ‘model’. In science, a paradigm is a theoretical framework or worldview based on certain given assumptions. The paradigm provides a working model or ‘theory’ for the direction of scientific activity. Experiments are designed and experimental data is analysed within the framework of the given paradigm. Data which cannot be explained in the context of the paradigm initiate a ‘paradigm crisis’ followed by a ‘paradigm debate’ which eventually leads to a ‘paradigm shift’ during which the old paradigm is replaced by a new one. Examples of paradigm shifts in science include the replacement of Newtonian mechanics by quantum mechanics and the replacement of creationism by evolutionary theory. Just as in the history of science, there are paradigm crises, paradigm debates and paradigm shifts in the history of education as well.

"The organization of human communities and the establishment of freedom and peace are not only intellectual achievements but spiritual and moral achievements as well, demanding a cherishing of the wholeness of the human personality." (Ivan Ilich Deschooling Society)

The consultation document describes a number of anomalous situations found in the educational scene in Europe at the present time. The document contains a summary of significant problems expressed in the form of eight questions to be discussed in opinion papers submitted by members of the public. These problems are in fact ‘pseudoproblems’ which are interrelated and cannot be resolved in the old paradigm of traditional education adapted for industrial society of the 20th century. The problems cannot be resolved unless one changes the context in which they are asked. Consequently it is not possible to formulate educational policy which is appropriate to the information age of the 21st century unless there is a shift in the philosophical framework or ‘paradigm’.



Take the eight questions outlined in the consultation document. 1. How can schools be organized in such a way as to provide all students with the full range of competences? 2. How can schools equip young people with the competences and motivation to make learning a lifelong activity? 3. How can school systems contribute to supporting longterm sustainable economic economic growth in Europe? 4. How can school systems best respond to the need to promote equity to respond cultural diversity and to reduce early school leaving? 5. If schools are to respond to each pupil’s individual learning needs, what can be done about curricula, school organisation, and the role of teachers? 6. How can school communities help to prepare young people to be responsible citizens, in line with fundamental values such as peace and tolerance of diversity? 7. How can school staff be trained and supported to meet the challenges they face? 8. How can school communities best receive the leadership and motivation they need to succeed? How can they be empowered to develop in response to changing needs and demands of the 21st century?

In whatever way one attempts to answer any of the questions, one is in fact approaching them from the point of view of given concepts constituting the foundational assumptions of a given philosophical framework which results in a particular worldview or ‘paradigm’. It is necessary first to clarify the nature of the paradigm within which decisions for action are made before identifying what actions should be taken by governments “to ensure that schools deliver the quality of education which is appropriate to the needs and demands of the 21st century”. Agreement on actions to be taken depends on prior agreement on the educational paradigm within which decisions for those actions are made. This necessitates European cooperation in the organization of general discussion of educational theory or ‘philosophy’. Such discussion should have priority in the determination of what constitutes ‘modernisation’ of school systems in the member states.

In the discussion of social needs and demands of the 21st century, it is important to clarify the meaning of the word ‘modernisation’.

If modernisation implies resolution of the problems suggested by the eight questions in the consultation document, then it is necessary to rethink the way in which to approach them. When the problems are approached in the context of the old paradigm of traditional education as ‘schooling’ they become unresolvable ‘pseudoproblems’. If however they are approached within the context of the paradigm of ‘freedom in education’ in the profound sense of the words ‘freedom’ and ‘education’, then they can be approached rationally and resolved effectively. Furthermore the interrelationships between them will become evident thus making it possible to resolve them all at the same time.

In the 21st century world of mass communications of the global village, people are required to adapt to rapid social change. Effective adaptability depends not only on the ability to learn but on the ability to learn how to learn. Learning how to learn necessarily becomes a priority in the design of educational policy. Schools should no longer consider their students as passive recipients of instruction. They must accept responsibility for each of their students as individual active learners and respond to each student’s individual learning needs. Consequently they must define the function of teachers in terms of the facilitation of learning i.e. ‘facilitators of learning’. Administrators as well as teaching staff must be trained and supported to meet the challenges they face and receive the leadership and motivation they need to succeed. Training programs for professional development must address the need for intrinsically motivated personal development. Effective design of school organisation is based on a fact which is not only overlooked but ignored altogether in the traditional paradigm… children have an instinctive sense of responsibility for their own growth and development into mature and responsible adults living by universal human values. They are natural learners who can participate in the planning of learning environments which will foster their natural growth. On this basis school curricula can be designed effectively to provide all students with the full range of competences, equip young people with the competences and motivation to make learning a lifelong activity and help to prepare young people to be responsible citizens, in line with fundamental values such as peace and tolerance of diversity. In doing this they are responding effectively to the need to promote equity to respond to cultural diversity and to reduce early school leaving. With such educational systems in place, citizens will be not only intelligent and responsible but they will have the initiative needed to provide them with lifelong learning skills which will enable them to continue contributing to the support of longterm sustainable economic growth in Europe. This is how schools and school communities can be empowered to develop in response to changing needs and demands of the 21st century.

In order to meet the criteria required for effective adaptation to the complexities of 21st century society school communities and schools must make changes to the philosophical framework or ‘paradigm’ within which they formulate educational policies.

In addition, the European Framework of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning (December 2006) includes generic competences for effective adaptation to change required by all people for personal fulfillment, social inclusion, active citizenship and employability. According to the Framework statement, with these competences (knowledge, skills and attitudes) the indivdual can expect to have a successful life in the knowledge society of the 21st century. The generic competences include the traditional ones such as mother tongue, foreign languages, basic competences in math and science, digital competences and in addition more transversal competences such as learning to learn, social and civic competences, initiative taking and entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression. Educational theory formulated within the paradigm of freedom of education and implemented with the appropriate educational aims and policies will ensure that each individual is provided with the right conditions to enable them to develop the transversal competences (learning to learn, social and civic competences, initiative taking and entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression) as well as the traditional ones (mother tongue, foreign languages, basic competences in math and science, digital competences). Within the paradigm of freedom in education, it is possible to set educational aims and formulate educational policy which provides each individual with the opportunity to develop the transversal competences as well as the traditional competences set out by the European Framework of Key Competences.

The following conclusion can be drawn: It is possible to set educational aims and formulate educational policy which provides each individual with the opportunity to develop the transversal as well as the traditional competences if this is done within the paradigm of ‘freedom in education’.

The aim of education in the paradigm ‘freedom in education’ is the cultivation of human intelligence as ‘creative intelligence’ as the basis for life long learning required for effective adaptation to rapidly changing social conditions.

The real problem is to clarify the features of the new paradigm of ‘freedom in education’.

Part 2
Freedom in Education: Education for Responsible Freedom or 'Self-Empowerment'

All children have the right to educational experiences through which they can recognise the psychological value of meaningful learning experiences or ‘work’. Meaningful work - a function of curiosity, cognition and the wisdom of compassion - builds self-confidence and self-respect, cultivates intuition in the development of creative intelligence and engages development of moral consciousness or 'conscience'. Developed conscience is the source of the intuition and the moral courage which is required to master one's own life and to respect the lives of others. All children have the right to an education for a life of social responsibility and social cooperation or 'peace'. They all have the right to an educatipn which is based on appreciation for human social values and allows for the creation of humane societies. All children have the right to freedom in education as ‘natural education’.


Abstract: Educational goals are set and educational policies are formulated within the framework of a prevailing philosophical framework or ‘paradigm’. The traditional paradigm of 20th century industrial society is inappropriate for 21st century post-industrial society because it is not based on natural principles and results in perception of false dichotomies and unresolvable 'pseudoproblems'. There is a need for change and a new paradigm based on natural principles of human development. The new paradigm of ‘freedom in education’ is based on the assumption that what is good for society is a function of the self-empowerment or ‘freedom’ of the individuals who make it up. The new paradigm of ‘freedom in education’ is based on the assumption that what is good for society is a function of the self-empowerment or ‘freedom’ of the individuals who make it up. Each individual must assume responsibilty for their freedom to learn and to relearn in a process of complete growth and personality development incorporating spiritual growth involving the person's evolution from the egocentric perspective of emotional immaturity to the transpersonal perspective of emotional maturity which represents the human personality or 'human nature'. As a result they are empowered to make intelligent decisions for effective adaptation to rapidly changing environmental conditions. Freedom in education is the paradigm for lifelong learning and effective adaptability to the needs and demands of the 21st century.

Theme: The natural function of education is to provide the right conditions required to free the human spirit in order to cultivate natural creative intelligence required for effective adaptation to changing conditions of life. Human adaptability depends on freedom as responsible freedom or ‘self-empowerment’… the freedom to understand the realities of human nature while attaining the highest levels of awareness or 'self-knowledge', the freedom to interact with the environment and make personal meaning of experience or 'learn', the freedom to inquire, to discover, to think and thereby engage in meaningful creativity and productiveness or 'work', the freedom to cultivate moral conscousness or ‘conscience’required for self-empowerment. The aim of education as is to cultivate intelligence while fostering the individual’s complete growth and development. Development of creative intelligence for self-empowerment and effective adaptability depends on freedom in education. Freedom of education allows for the provision of appropriate conditions in which to foster the completion of human developmental stages and therefore to cultivate human intelligence and self-empowerment requred for effective adaptability. According to the great philosopher and educator Jiddu Krishnamurti, "The highest function of education is to bring about an integrated individual who is capable of dealing with life as a whole." (Education and the Significance of Life 1953)

Critical to educational policy is the following question: “Which paradigm is shaping the goals of education?”

The so-called ‘traditional paradigm’ of education is based on the assumption that educational policy should be formulated in terms of what 'society' needs most. Since the end of the 19th century the paradigm traditional education evolved to provide an efficient work force for the economic infrastructure of industrial society. School education with its hierarchical and mechanical school environment was structured and organized in response to the rise of industrialism. The aim of education was to pre-adapt children for requirements collective discipline and authoritarianism required by business and industry. The formulation of educational policies was based on the assumption that effective learning and the learning process itself was a function of conditioned response or 'conditioning’ motivated by desire for external rewards and avoidance of punishment i.e. 'extrinsic motivation'. Policies were implemented to promote learning requirements of a non-individualised curriculum concerned with the mechanical intelligence of conditioned learning.

In the traditional paradigm of education as school education or ‘schooling’, the learner is considered as a passive recipient motivated by external factors provided by the teacher as instructor. This kind of thinking is misleading in the present context of the rapid political, economic and social changes of today. Educational policy must ultimately fail if it is formulated for the ‘good of society’ without consideration for the learning needs of those individuals who make it up. In dealing with problems of education in terms what is good for society the tendency is to deal with outer structures and forms without regard to the levels of consciousness of those individuals who create and implement them.

The traditional paradigm (education for the ‘good of society’) is inappropriate as an approach for solving current problems of education. There is a need for a shift to a new paradigm of larger scope appropriate for the complexities of the 21st century information age... education for the good of society based on education for the good of the individual.

A more intelligent approach to the problems of education is to deal with them through implementation of policies which enable individuals to improve themselves through their own inner development as the basis for their success and well being or ‘happiness’. Happiness is a function of the recognition of the human potential for self-actualisation…. recognition of the nature of the human personality or ‘human nature’.

What is human nature? (Consider the evolutionary significance of 'creative intelligence')…The understanding of human nature depends on understanding of the human species (homo sapiens) as a social species whose evolutionary development can be understood in terms of the survival value of creative intelligence' a function of both creative thought and moral reasoning or 'morality' (social intelligence) required for effective adaptability.

Human nature is a social nature which can be characterised in terms of human motives for learning or 'human needs'.

Human needs are the biologically based needs for growth as a function of socialisation and therefore a function of the development of moral consciousness or 'conscience'. As well as the obvious physiological needs, human needs include so-called 'lower' psychological needs for security and self-esteem - the 'ego needs' and the so-called 'higher' psychological needs for development of the transpersonal or ‘spiritual’ dimension of human nature beyond the 'ego' level of consciousness i.e. the spiritual needs or 'metaneeds' for ego-transcendance or 'self-transcendance'. The metaneeds are the subconscious needs for spiritual growth and awareness of human values for living i.e. 'human social values'. Human values are the universal spiritual values or ‘moral values’ required for survival of the species as a social species… moral justice, compassionate wisdom, universal love, knowledge as understanding, ‘peace as social responsibility or and so on. Human values are experienced as the moral freedom or 'true freedom' of 'self-transcendance'. True freedom as 'responsible freedom' is fundamental to the integration of learning with life. Awareness of human values results in heightened intuition and increased awareness of social intelligence required for effective adaptation to changing social conditions or ‘adaptability’. Motivation by the metaneeds ('metamotivation') engages growth through learning and integrated personal development of the interrelated dimensions of the complete human personality - physical, emotional, intellectual, psychological, social, political, creative, artistic, philosophical and spiritual i.e. 'holistic growth' .

The human brain is a social brain and the human organism is a social organism which depends on the development of human potential for creative intelligence in order to adapt effectively to changing environmental and social conditions. Human 'adaptability' depends on spiritual growth which results in knowledge of one’s human nature or ‘self-knowledge’ which overcomes the division between the subjective self and the objective world - a division which results in the person’s sense of alienation from their social and natural environment. Self-knowledge results from complete human development as a function of the integrated functioning of the brain specialised for understanding of the significance of experience... 'experiential learning', ‘holistic learning’or 'natural learning'. Natural learning is active creative learning and results in meaningful 'knowing' or 'knowledge' as 'real knowledge' or 'truth'. As a truth finding process natural learning is motivated from within. So-called ‘intrinsic motivation’ engages the individual as an integrated whole in their personal development and self-actualisation required for self empowerment or ‘freedom’.

The word ‘freedom’ tends to be used without much thought to its real meaning.

What is ‘freedom’? There are two kinds of freedom: one is freedom of the outer aspect of life such as freedom of choice and freedom of action i.e. political freedom… social freedom… or ‘outer freedom’; the other is freedom of the inner aspect of life such as freedom of thought and freedom of decision-making i.e. freedom of conscience or ‘inner freedom’. The word 'freedom' implies an inner state of awareness or consciousness state. Inner freedom can be likened to the German 'freiheit' which refers to the mental condition of acting from inner harmony and conviction of moral consciousness or ‘morality’ of developed ‘conscience’. Freedom derived from developed conscience… ‘moral freedom’… is a result of translation of moral ideas of inner freedom into moral actions of outer freedom. Moral freedom is the responsible freedom or ‘true freedom’ which is foundational to democratic thinking, understanding and peace of true democracy… freedom from fear and conflict, freedom from dogma, freedom for personal development, freedom for a life which is guided by universal human values i.e. 'spiritual freedom' or 'moral freedom'. Moral freedom is 'true freedom' or 'responsible freedom'... freedom of developed conscience i.e. 'inner freedom' or mature freedom. Individual freedom as moral freedom is the basis for social responsibility and the foundation of democracy.

True democracy is the aim of freedom in education.

And what is ‘freedom in education’? The understanding of the concept of freedom in education depends on understanding of ‘freedom’ in the context of the understanding of the word ‘education’ in the broad sense. The root of the word 'education' is 'e-ducare' meaning literally ‘to lead forth’ or ‘bring out’ something which is potentially present. To educate is to lead out or bring forth the child’s innate potential, to help them cultivate their own ‘intelligence’as they grow and develop in the realisation of their potentialities. Freedom in education is freedom for growth through learning... freedom for self-empowerment and self-determination... freedom to think, freedom to learn, freedom to develop one's potential through creativity and productiveness or meaningful 'work’. Freedom in education is mature freedom, responsible freedom, moral reedom, spiritual freedom, freedom for self-empowerment, freedom for self-dtermination, freedom to think, freedom to learn, freedom to create and produce or ‘work’, freedom to engage in work which is meaningful… the psychological value of work is crucial to development of moral consciousness or 'morality' of social conscience.... and therefore to the development of the individual as a self-empowered socialised being), freedom to develop one’s personality in the construction of one’s human conscience, freedom to complete human growth and development, and in so doing to cultivate one’s intelligence in the true sense as ‘creative intelligence’involving not only problem solving skills or ‘intelligent quotient' (IQ) but also emotional intelligence or ‘intuition’, spiritual intelligence or ‘spirituality’, moral intelligence or ‘morality’… all required for social intelligence or ‘adaptability’. Freedom in education is education with conscience... freedom for self-empowerment, freedom in education is the pre-condition required for creative and effective adaptation to changes in the social environment i.e. 'adaptability'. Human adaptability depends on intelligence which is creative or ‘adaptive’ i.e. ‘creative intelligence’. Cultivation of creative intelligence depends on education which provides the optimum conditions for the individual’s complete growth and development. The definition of optimum conditions for human growth depends on understanding of the human personality or ‘psyche’ i.e. ‘human nature’.

Self-actualisation depends on education which provides conditions for self-empowerment or 'freedom' as 'freedom of thought' or 'inner freedom'. Natural education of observation and contemplation or ‘freedom in education’ allows for the outward manifestation of one’s own possibilities, qualities and well being. Freedom in education fosters growth by focusing on the complete emotional and intellectual developmental needs of each individual… expands the person’s horizons beyond narrow parochialism and self-interest… appreciates the 'value-life' and furthers wisdom and vision in the function of professionalism… evolves a sense of unity beyond all differences and promotes cultural diversity… promotes understanding of inner unity and wholeness… cultivates intuition and moral courage… emphasizes the individual’s human capacity for adaptability through the process of natural learning which is meaningful because it engages their instinctive sense of responsibility to their own growth and development… engages construction of moral consciousness or ‘conscience’ which is the basis for freedom as moral freedom for ‘self empowerment’.

Features of the paradigm ‘freedom in education’… (in progress)

The paradigm of freedom in education has larger scope than the traditional paradigm because it accommodates to the learning needs of the individuals who make up the society thereby accomodating to the needs of the society itself.

Freedom in education is humanistic because it is true to the social nature of the human personality i.e. ‘human nature'. Trust in human nature is the basic premise upon which successful education depends.

Key to the new paradigm is emphasis on intrinsic motivation for holistic learning... Holistic learning is active learning of responsibile freedom as inner freedom or 'self-empowerment'... In the new holistic paradigm for teaching the teacher's function is described in terms of the facilitation of learning. The function of the teacher is to enhance the learner's intrinsic motivation. The effective teacher is a facilitator of learning. Effective teaching methods place the emphasis on the facilitation of self-directed learning. Facilitative teaching methods are effective because they comply with the natural holistic functioning of the brain. Teaching for effective learning is teaching to the brain's natural functioning while engaging the learner's personal development. Inthe paradigm of 'holistic education' the function of the effective teacher or 'soul educator' is defined in terms of the 'facilitation of learning'. Facilitative teaching is effective because it coincides with the natural holistic functioning of the brain. Brain development is functional in the development of natural intelligence or 'creative intelligence'. Teaching to the brain's natural intelligence functioning engages the learner in their personal development and their capacity for adaptation to changing social conditions... ‘adaptability’.

Human adaptability depends on intrinsic motivation

Motivation from within… ‘intrinsic motivation’ for natural learning which engages personal development…

Human adaptability is a function of the capacity to create meaning from experience or 'learn'. Natural 'experiential learning' is a natural function of the human brain.

The brain has a natural capacity to perceive the connections between systems of wholes and the parts which make them up. On the basis of recent findings in brain research, the natural function of the brain as a maker of meaning of experience …learning is most effective when it involves the brain's natural function of creating meaning from experience… experiential learning… meaningful learning based on the brain's natural function based on the optimal functioning of the brain as a whole. …. Effective learning is active and involves motivation for the intrinsic rewards of knowledge and understanding… involves both conscious and unconscious brain processes involving the intrinsic motives for learning or 'intrinsic motivation'..

Learning is an active process... cognitive process… ‘cognition’… natural process which evolved through natural selection during the course of human evolution. Natural learning is meaningful because it takes place in the context of experience i.e. 'experiential learning'. Experiential learning is a function of the brain's natural capacity for learning i.e. 'brain-based learning'. Brain-based learning involves the optimal functioning of the brain as a whole i.e. 'holistic learning' or 'optimalearning'. Optimalearning is active learning which involves the unconscious motivation for the intrinsic rewards of knowledge and understanding i.e. 'intrinsic motivation'. Intrinsic motivation involves unconscious motives for personal behaviour... self-directed learning and involves the positive use of error and the psychological value of productiveness or 'work'.

The brain’s capacity for holistic perception actively engages the person as a whole as they strive instinctively to grow and develop in a process of realsation of potential i.e. 'self-actualisation'. Self-actualisation depends on natural education which engages the individual's sense of responsibility for their own growth i.e. 'intrinsic motivation'. Intrinsically motivated learning depends on the provision of conditions which integrate learning with life and allow for development of human potential and human empowerment as self-determination or 'freedom'. This is freedom in education. learner empowerment as 'self-empowerment. Effective learning is a function of active engagement in a process of adapting to the environment... Experiential learning is active learning which involves motivation for the intrinsic rewards of knowledge and understanding.
... the source of learner empowerment or 'self-empowerment'.

Brain research provides the evidence for a rational basis… scientific rationale for so-called ‘brain-based learning’. Brain-based learning is fostered by a quality of teaching which accomodates individual needs for complete intellectual and emotional development … teaching which accomodates ‘freedom in education’.

"Recent findings in brain research suggest that it is possible to understand the functioning of the brain once there is sufficient explanation for the specific functions of individual nerve cells and their connections. The resulting patterns of nerve impulses, neural circuits and networks form the basis of the brain's functions. The knowledge gained from findings in brain research forms the basis for theories of brain-based learning and can be applied to educational philosophies and pedagogies. The findings confirm the antagonism between 'traditional' teaching methods and the natural learning function of the brain". (Conner, James Cutting Edge: Mind & Molecules, Journal of Developmental Education vol 16, number 3, 1993: 34)

Effective teaching emphasizes the responsibility of freedom or 'responsible freedom'... emphasizes the process of learning as an active process… natural learning, holistic learning or ‘experiential learning’. Teaching becomes the 'facilitation of learning'.

Role of the teacher as ‘facilitator of learning’… The teacher role as facilitator of learning… The function of the teacher is defined in terms of the 'facilitation of learning'. The effective teacher is a 'facilitator of learning’. As facilitator of learning the teacher's function is to understand the psychological value of creativity and productiveness or 'work'... to facilitate the construction of conscience through development of human potential. he facilitative teacher designs learning environments which are compatible with respect for the instinctive motives for human learning behaviour i.e human needs’ The function of the teacher is to enhance the learner's intrinsic motivation.. Effective teaching methods place the emphasis on the facilitation of self-directed learning.

Emphasis on the learner's intrinsic motivation is key to the new paradigm for teaching in which the teacher's function is to facilitate the learning process

In the new teaching paradigm described as integrative, configurative or 'holistic', the teacher's function is to empower the learner and facilitate natural learning… emphasizes function of learning as a natural process …

The so-called 'cognitive paradigm' is based on new information resulting from recent findings in brain research or 'neuroscience'. New theories about the learning process are based on the natural functioning of the 'brain' as a natural meaning maker. The function of the brain is to search for... to make or create meaning from experience i.e. 'learn'. teaching for natural learning, for learner empowerment and responsible freedom.

In the new teaching paradigm described as integrative, configurative or 'holistic', the teacher's function is to empower the learner and facilitate natural learning.


Facilitative teaching methods are effective because they comply with the natural holistic functioning of the human brain. Teaching for effective learning is teaching to the brain's natural functioning while engaging the learner's personal development.

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Future Schools and Education for Peace: The Practice of Freedom

as 'Inner Freedom' or True Freedom

HOLISTIC EDUCATION : A NEW PARADIGM FOR TEACHING

True freedom is freedom for self-empowerment and self-determination... freedom to think, freedom to learn, freedom to create and produce, freedom to engage in work which is meaningful. Meaningful work depends on responsible freedom... mature freedom, moral freedom, spiritual freedom, freedom of developed conscience i.e. 'inner freedom'. Inner freedom is foundational to democratic thinking, understanding and peace i.e. true democracy. True democracy depends on education of the person as a whole i.e. 'holistic education'. Holistic education involves the child's integrated development in harmony with intrinsic human nature so that they function as a free and independent member of the society.

The human organism is a social organism which depends on the development of human potential in order to adapt effectively to changing environmental conditions. Human 'adaptability' depends on complete human development as a function of the integrated functioning of the human brain as a social brain specialised for understanding of the significance of experience 'experiential learning'. Experiential learning or 'natural learning' is active creative learning which results in meaningful 'knowing' or 'knowledge' as 'true knowledge' or 'truth'. As a truth finding process natural learning engages the human personality as an integrated whole in all its dimensions... including the spiritual dimension i.e. 'human nature'. Human nature is defined in terms of human motives for learning or 'human needs' which include the spiritual needs i.e. 'metaneeds'. Motivation by the metaneeds or 'metamotivation' engages growth through learning and development of human potential or 'self-actualisation.' Self-actualisation depends on education which provides conditions for self-empowerment or 'freedom' as 'inner freedom'... freedom for growth through learning, freedom from fear and conflict, freedom from dogma or 'freedom of thought', freedom for personal development, freedom for a life which is guided by universal human values i.e. 'spiritual freedom' or 'moral freedom'. Moral freedom is a function of psychological growth beyond the 'ego' level of consciousness i.e. 'self-transcendance'. The freedom of self-transcendance is 'true freedom' or 'responsible freedom'... freedom to grow through learning... freedom to develop one's potential through creativity and productiveness or meaningful 'work'. The psychological value of work is crucial to human development and to the development of schools for humanity. Children are natural learners. They can participate in the planning of learning environments which will effectively foster their natural growth into mature and responsible people who live by the universal values of the human organism as a social being. These realities are foundational to the formulation of logical and reasonable educational theory which can be implemented as informed and effective practice guided by the 'morality' of rational conscience as 'social conscience'. Moral practice of educational theory is 'educational praxis'. Rational discourse of educational praxis depends on meaning of freedom as 'inner freedom' (as opposed to freedom to compete or 'outer freedom') and is based on natural biological principles. (The practice of theory which is not based on natural principles results in perception of false dichotomies and unresolvable 'pseudoproblems'). The function of education is to provide the conditions to free the human spirit in order to cultivate the intuition of natural human intelligence i.e. 'creative intelligence' . Education for 'responsible freedom' is education for the integrated development of the person as a whole... variously known as 'free education', 'libratory education', 'progressive education', 'new education', 'open education', 'cosmic education', 'child-centered education', 'person-centered education', 'problem-centered education', 'humanistic education', 'integral education', 'integrative education', 'peace education', 'democratic education', 'transformative education' and 'holistic education'.

'Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and human freedoms' (Universal Declaration of Human Rights article 26 paragraph 2)

The 'paradigm' of holistic education has larger scope than the traditional paradigm which is based on the assumption that the learner is a passive recipient who needs to be motivated by external factors provided by the 'teacher as instructor'. In fact, effective learning is a function of active engagement in a process of adapting to the environment. Human adaptability is a function of the capacity to create meaning from experience or 'learn'. Natural 'experiential learning' is a function of the brain’s capacity for perception of connections between systems of wholes and the parts which make them up i.e. 'holistic perception'. Holistic perception actively engages the person as a whole in their instinctive striving for mature growth or 'self-actualisation'. Self-actualisation depends on natural education which engages the individual's sense of responsibility for their own growth i.e. 'intrinsic motivation'. Intrinsically motivated learning depends on the provision of conditions which integrate learning with life and allow for development of human potential and human empowerment as self-determination or 'freedom' i.e. 'holistic education'. "Real freedom is a consequence of development; it is the consequence of latent guides, aided by education. It is the construction of the personality, reached by effort and one's own experiences; it is the long road which every child must take to reach maturity". (Maria Montessori)

Holistic education is 'humanistic' education because it is true to the social nature of the human personality or 'human nature'. Human nature can be defined in terms of the evolutionary significance of freedom of thought or 'creative intelligence' and 'morality' as moral reasoning or 'social intelligence'. Social intelligence is characterised by the 'social values' required for survival of the human species as a social species i.e. moral values or universal spiritual values - moral justice, compassionate wisdom, universal love, knowledge, understanding and social responsibility or 'peace' i.e. 'human values'. Human values are experienced as the moral freedom of 'self-transcendance' i.e. 'true freedom'. True freedom or 'responsible freedom' is fundamental to the integration of learning with life. "The organization of human communities and the establishment of freedom and peace are not only intellectual achievements but spiritual and moral achievements as well, demanding a cherishing of the wholeness of the human personality." (Ivan Ilich)

In the paradigm of holistic education the role of the teacher is defined in terms of the 'facilitation of learning'. The teacher's function is to understand the psychological value of creativity and productiveness or 'work'... to facilitate the construction of conscience through development of human potential. The teacher is a 'facilitator of learning'. The facilitative teacher designs learning environments which are compatible with respect for the instinctive motives for human learning behaviour i.e. 'human needs'. Human needs include the 'lower' psychological needs for self-esteem- the 'ego needs' - and the 'higher' psychological needs for spiritual growth - the 'spiritual needs' or 'metaneeds'. Motivation by the metaneeds is 'metamotivation'. Metamotivation engages personal development in terms of all the interrelated aspects of the complete human personality - physical, emotional, intellectual, psychological, social, political, creative, artistic, philosophical and spiritual i.e. 'holistic growth'. "The highest function of education is to bring about an integrated individual who is capable of dealing with life as a whole." (Krishnamurti)

Holistic education is education with conscience... education for responsible freedom or 'self-empowerment' the pre-condition for creative and effective adaptation to changes in the social environment... i. e. 'adaptability'. Human adaptability depends on 'true freedom'... the freedom to interact with the environment... to inquire, to discover, to think... , to make personal meaning of experience or 'learn', the freedom to understand the realities of nature and human nature while attaining the highest levels of awareness or 'self-knowledge', the freedom to engage in meaningful creativity and productiveness or 'work'. Meaningful work is a function of curiosity, cognition and the wisdom of 'compassion'... engages development of 'moral consciousness' or 'conscience' - the human 'soul'. Holistic education aims to cultivate intelligence – not only mechanical intelligence of conditioned learning but also 'intuitive intelligence' or intuition of creative intelligence which allows for social cooperation and the creation of humane societies. All children have the right to educational experiences through which they can recognise the psychological value of their learning experiences... in building self-confidence, self-respect, creative intelligence, moral courage of a developed conscience is required to master one's own life and to respect the lives of others. Holistic education is 'education for life' or'peace'. "The only means to a world of peace and understanding is through the proper education of children into emotionally and intellectually mature and thinking adults, respectful and tolerant of other cultures." (Norman Goble. The Function of Teaching UNESCO Paris 1977)

	(Introduction to Holistic Education www.infed.org/biblio/holisticeducation.htm) Failed education is ultimately due to the basic mistrust of human potential and the 'human personality' or 'human nature' "Holistic education is more concerned with drawing forth the latent capacities and sensitivities of the soul than with stuffing passive young minds full of predigested information. It is an education that prepares young people to live purposefully, creatively, and morally in a complex world." (Ron Miller ed. The Renewal of Meaning in Education: Responses to the Cultural and Ecological Crisis of our Times) "For too long the inner world of children has been suppressed or denied, and this is a serious flaw in our educational thinking that holistic educators seek to remedy". (Kathleen Kesson)

biography

Biographical statement in terms of learning experiences which have a bearing on a qualitative research project: Scientific* Rationale for Holistic Education (* scientific in the sense of 'holistic science')

The site www.holisticeducator.com is concerned with the need for change in the philosophical framework or ‘paradigm’ in which we educate or ‘teach’ the generation which follows us… hence the title ‘holistic education as a new teaching paradigm.’ The discussion is based on the exploration of literary resources in connection with personal learning experiences and these include experiences of so-called ‘teaching’. The project in itself constitutes a major learning experience. The objective is to make a case for the existence of a scientific rationale for holistic education as responsible education for responsible freedom… freedom in the sense of self-empowerment and self-determination. The word ‘scientific’ is used in the sense of systems science otherwise known as 'holistic science’

"A scientific inquiry should be characterized by a faith in the truth of a rational vision; faith in the hypothesis as a likely and plausible proposition; faith in the final theory. This faith is rooted in one's own experience, in the confidence in one's power of thought, observation and judgement... rational faith is rooted in an independent conviction based upon one's own productive observing and thinking." (Erich Fromm, Man For Himself p.205)

childhood in Africa... high school and college... experiment in teaching... continued education... childrens education... short term teaching experiences... biological studies Brussels university... disillusionment... continued study with Columbia Pacific University... private teaching...

books which impacted my thinking... Gordon Childe... Korzybski...

personal beliefs...

Childhood in Africa... My formative childhood years were spent in East Africa. I was born in Kampala, Uganda in March 1940 of British parents. At the age of three I was placed with foster parents who owned a farm in the highlands of Kitale, Kenya. From age five to eleven I attended a boarding school which provided primary school education... the Kitale School - a school in the British tradition with a demanding program in physical training - calisthenics drills at dawn, Swedish gymnastics, individual and team sports such as hockey and tennis and horseback iding, school events such as sports days with competitions - running races, relay races, obstacle races, hurdles and so on. Even on Sundays the entire school went for long walks lasting several hours. The headmaster of the school indulged in capital punishment for pranks... severe canings from one to 'six of the best' depending on the gravity of the offence. This cruelty to children was justified in the name of Christianity. Even though I was caned only once, the punishment was indelibly imprinted on my developing six year old mind. I learned to distinguish between submission to the injustice of irrational authoritarianism and obedience to one's conscience in the framework of authentic and trusting authority.

During my time at Kitale the future president of Kenya - Jomo Kenyatta - was in prison close by for his role in the Mau Mau movement. I was to spend just a few months at secondary school in the capital city of Nairobi when the instability of the political situation made it necessary for many non-Africans to leave the country. My father had founded two schools - one in Uganda and one in Kenya. I was thirteen when he decided to immigrate to America. We arrived in New York City (Ellis Island) on a Belgian cargo ship in August 1953.

American high school and college... The next eight years were spent in the conventional American educational system of high school and college: one year at the High School of Music and Art in Manhattan, three years at the Solebury School College Preparatory School in New Hope, Pennsylvania. From there I spent four years in Providence, Rhode Island as a biology 'major' at Pembroke College received the Bachelor's degree or BA from Brown University. At Brown I became intrigued with the biological sciences and how they relate to the so-called 'human sciences' including the so-called 'science of education' which is not a science in itself but refers to the scientific inquiry into the process of education. Education is the human endeavor for human development through the realisation of human potential for the value-life. Meaningful education is based on the understanding and respect for 'human nature' which is defined by the natural human motives for learning or 'human needs'.

Experiment in teaching... Though not formally trained to enter the teaching profession I decided to explore my capabilities and accepted a position as teacher of biology and general science at the Nightingale-Bamford School in New York City. During my three years at Nightingale I learned that successful teaching is a matter of the facilitation of learning which is meaningful to the learners themselves. No amount of manipulative teaching is of service to children who are supposedly at school to learn something which will be useful to them. When I was asked to start up a 'science club' I realised that successful teaching is as much about compassionate understanding of one's students as it is about knowledgeable understanding of one's subject. When it became clear to me that the teaching profession was where I wanted to be, I decided to continue my own education as a 'teacher of science'.

Continued education... I then worked towards a Masters Degree in Science Education at the City University of New York while tutoring at the Manhattan Tutoring School on 42nd Street in New York City. Registered with teaching agency to find a position overseas... and went to Brussels, Belgium as teacher of biology and general science at the International School of Brussels. Two years of fulltime teaching in the traditional American curriculum taught me that schooling was more concerned with students as 'material' for college and the market place than as potentially mature human beings of conscience and a love of learning. I decided to continue the pursuit of my own interest in biology at the level of the units of biolgy or 'cells' and their organisation in terms of the different types of molecules involved in all the dynamic processes taking place in each cell. I enrolled as a graduate student with the Molecular Biology Department at Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)- the Free (in the sense of 'free thought') University of Brussels. There I studied organic chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, molecular genetics, cellular physiology, developmental cytology, physical chemistry of biological macromolecules. I carried out a thesis project in experimental cytology under the direction of Professor Miroslav Radman PhD at the Cancer Research Laboratory of the University in Rhode-St.Genese and in June 1979 obtained the so-called 'License Speciale' in Molecular Biology. I then worked as an assistant researcher at the same laboratory for a year on cancer promotor substances and their role in co-carcinogenesis.

Children's education... For the next several years I focused on the developmental and educational needs of my three children...Colibri, La Futaie, Ecole Decroly ... As a parent of children having to deal with sometimes irrational behaviour of adults in positions of authority in both school and family positions which require the respect for children's developmental needs I made a few general observations. It seemed to me that if people did not understand children's psychic needs and desires it was because their own psychic needs and desires were not understood when they were children themselves. In order to cope with the inevitable anxieties and fears which accompanied their own developmental frustrations they had learned to develop certain psychological strategies which persisted in later adulthood as intolerant and repressive attitudes to others. Their persistent fears and anxieties - source of limited understanding - can later be projected onto other children including their own. In order to compensate for their own insecurities, they resort to pedagogical methods which downgrade children's self-esteem and self-respect. They will even humiliate a child's natural sense of dignity by and indulging in methods of exclusion and condescension. Children with weakened self-confidence cannot do understand the fears of insecure adults who do not express their fears since that is unnatural. In order to preserve their own sense of dignity, they must react to the inadequacies of insecure adults in the few ways they know how. In the absence of supportive adult figures, they too learn to develop self-defensive behaviour patterns which are not understood. With a lack of understading and in position of authority and control, the adults resort to authoritarian methods to maintain control. Authoritarianism and lack of respect create further tension and frustration. Continued negative feelings on both sides leads to a breakdown of communication and eventual irresponsible actions on the part of both adults and children. Many people are engaged subconsciously in a lifelong struggle to fulfill their own repressed needs of childhood. Even their own children become part of the struggle. I dedicate this website to my children... dedication

Short term work experiences as teacher... I was able to combine family commitments with a number of short-term (one year) work experiences as a teacher... lecturer in biology with the European Division of the University of Maryland at SHAPE in Mons, Belgium... college level courses on the holistic approach to science teaching... 'Organization and Interrelationships in the Biological World'... 'Connections Between the Living and the Non-Living Worlds' (biological implications of for example... the role of chlorophyll in transforming light energy into chemical energy in photosynthesis, the role of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the roots of leguminous plants). One year as high school level teacher of biology and general science at the St.Johns International School in Waterloo ... 'special education' teacher and tutor of basic maths at St.Johns... One year as second year secondary school teacher of 'Integrated Sciences' at the European School of Brussels in Uccle, Brussels.

Biological studies at University of Brussels... 'License speciale en biologie moleculaire' includes 'memoire' or thesis... equivalent to Masters Degree plus... Cancer Research Laboratory... learned techniques of tissue culture and preparation of chromosomal karyotypes as well as engaging in extensive library research in cytogenetics and the history of gene mapping with the aim of submitting a new (then) protocol ('in situ hybridization') for locating genes on chromosomes.

American experience and disillusionment In July 1989 travelled to the U.S. with a position as teacher of biology on the condition of accepting responsibility for administative duties (as chairperson of school science department) at the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, Westchester, New York. After a twenty-three year acclimatisation period in Europe, the Ameican experience turned out to be a traumatising one. Though I was expected to be prepared to carry out administrative duties, my unfamiliarity with the political nature of the school culture gave me a very interesting perspective on the school situation from the viewpoint of the students who are expected to learn in that environment. Being involved with administrative work as well as classroom teaching provided me with a more global perspective of the teacher's role (and predicament) in the traditional school setting. I became acutely aware of the crisis situation in American schools and was forced to reflect on the possible causes and on the educational process generally. The problem seemed to be one of a maloriented educational philosophy. It appeared to me that schools in general were faced with a apparent dilemma or 'pseudodilemma'. This revolved around the need to motivate children (students) to do work within the framework of an instruction process controlled by adults... namely in the form of 'requirements' of a fragmented curriculum.

Inspired by John Nocera's article "Good Schools and Why We Need Them" Utne Reader Sept/Oct l990 page 65-90

Continued studies as 'distance learner' I decided to focus on the problem independently and within the same year enrolled as a distance learner (doctoral level) with the external program of Columbia Pacific University in San Rafael, California. The experience enabled me to investigate the ongoing paradigm shift from the traditional teaching paradigm to the 'holistic paradigm' in American education. I was intrigued and fascinated by the carefully worked out program of inspiring courses in the holistic approach to education. During the thesis phase of the program (subject: 'brain-based holistic education') I decided to continue the work as a personal project which could be presented in the format made possible with the use of hypertext to emphasize the connections implict in a discussion of educational philosophy from a holistic point of view... based on a 'wholistic philosophy of man': a definition of human nature, natural ethics and experiential education... (see 'outline').

So-called 'human nature' is a function of the intrinsic system of human values ('conscience') the development of which requires suitable conditions of experiential education.The aim of education is the development of human potential for goodness. (Unsuitable conditions inhibit proper development of human potential and this leads to the wickedness of human behaviour or 'evil') The full maturation of the inherent potential in the 'productive' character, self-realization, is the aim of the natural process of human development... of the natural educational process and of natural humanistic ethics. Each of the three facets of inquiry into the naturally wholistic philosophy of man is directly concerned with the study of human development. The natural laws of human development constitute the guiding principles for formulation... scientific definition of human nature; scientific definition of natural ethics; scientific definition of the aim of education.

The question which intrigued me was the following: Given that society establishes requirements for children's education... that learning is a basic natural function of the healthy brain-mind... that effective learning is the goal of the educational process... how can teachers instruct within the limits of society's established requirements while respecting and maintaining children's natural function of learning... how can they teacher cultivate children's natural learning capacities within the constraints of a required curriculum? From experience the answer seemed to be the following: the educational process for the child means growth in an educational climate which fosters the innate maturation process... it means the cultivation of their natural motivation for psychological and intellectual growth in the context of freedom to develop the human potential for rational thought and understanding.. On this basis respect for the child's interests is the basis for meaningful education. For educational policy to be meaningful it should be based on the development of their potentialities in all aspects - emotional, psychological, intellectual, artistic, spiritual and therefore social. Meaningful education is therefore based on the respect for children's developmental needs which can be met when they are given the freedom to create meaning or 'learn' and the freedom to create or 'work' thereby constructing their own sense of responsibility which they need to cope with the demands and the problems of life. When children are offered meaningful learning experiences which allow them to concentrate on their own interests they naturally learn to cultivate a mature sense of responsibility - as in 'self-evaluation', self-respect', 'self-determination', 'self-discipline', and most importantly 'self-knowledge' which represents personality integration necessary for harmonious living with themselves and with others i.e. 'social adaptability'. The responsibility of the educator would be to provide a learning environment based on respect for learner needs and potentialities and to offer learning experiences which comply with learner interests and capabilities.

Teaching experiment as private teacher and educational consultant. I returned to Brussels in May 1994 and continued work on the project in conjunction with application of theory to practice as private teacher of English as a foreign language. April 1996 Teaching English as foreign language credential... diploma from English Language Center, London England ...taught children and adults of various ages, backgrounds and nationalities... emphasis was always on the language learning process as a brain based holistic process... application of so-called 'brain-compatible' teaching methods...emphasis on the social function of language as a means of communication... involves shift of emphasis from the 'form of language' to the 'meaning of language'... learners are encouraged to focus on the meaning of language forms rather than their structures. Appropriate use of language structure is acquired automatically when the learner focuses on the communication process as a personally meaningful one... learners take responsibility for evaluation of own learning and this increases motivation for learning of structure as does personal meaning...

How improve the quality of education? Education for complete development means that it must be geared to the child's psychic needs and capacities. Sound psychic development is adversely affected by fear of extensive punishment, external discipline and the overemphasis of enforced learning. Fear creates hostility and hypocrisy. Fear paralyzes endeavor and authenticity of feeling. Fear prevents proper emotional development. Fear of an inhumane environment prevents proper human development. An environment which is supportive of the intrinsic needs of the human organism is a humane environment - one which is conducive to the development of children into mature individuals with self-discipline, self-confidence and self-responsibility.

In order for its citizens to live according to the underlying principles of a truly free society, children must be educated for responsible freedom that is for inner freedom. In order to function with integrity and intelligence in a democratic society, they must become mature as well as knowledgeable and autonomous as well as self-disciplined. Consequently I believe that the educational process for children means the opportunity for growth in a climate which fosters the instinctive development and maturation of their individuality and potentialities. The educational process must allow for the complete emotional, psychological, and intellectual development of children into mature adult personalities in harmony with themselves and their environment. They should have with the capacities for self-evaluation, self-determination, self-respect, and self-discipline, and a sense of responsibility for themselves and their fellow human beings. The only condition necessary to insure the cultivation of natural developmental processes is freedom - not freedom as licence opposed to control, but freedom with control. If effective learning is the goal of the educational process, then child interest is the effective orienting center of any educational policy. Children must be allowed to develop their individual personalities and potentialities as well as their mental and intellectual capacities in an educational climate of freedom and respect. Such a climate is the requisite condition for effective learning because it fosters the unfolding of their natural potentialities and their inner development towards inner freedom and rational thought. Freedom in the eductional process insures the proper functioning of a free and democratic society made up of citizens who are free and democratic in their thinking.We know that learning is a natural function of the healthy mind and that learning and thinking are valuable assets for citizens of a free and democratic society. Given that schools are faced with the dilemma of how to motivate students to work, the central problem appears to be the following: how can we teach within the framework of a required curriculum while respecting children's natural motivation for learning?

The various teaching experiences have taught me that the best way to improve the quality of education is to create a humane learning environment ...teacher characteristics or 'attributes' ...one in which which human qualities are valued and nourished - wit, wisdom, talent, training, personality, purpose, cognition and affection, understanding, kindness.... such an environment inspires and develops respect for learning, wisdom and humanity. Children learn more about mature behavior from the way teachers and parents behave and talk to each other than from being told how they should behave or what they should become. This is why it is important to nourish the human qualities in oneself in order to nourish them in others.

Rallying support for a school in Kinshasa, Congo ... cooperation and solidarity amongst educators... sharing skills and understanding... highlights the importance of building on personal difficulties .... (ietelu.com)

The topic 'Scientific Rationale for Holistic Education' is studied primarily from the holistic perception of the human organism -'homo sapiens', the thinking hominid - as a biological organism... a social organism with a 'social brain'. Topic is 'holistic education as critical pedagogy'.... the complexity of the task of pedagogy... concerned with moral, cognitive, affective, political, social, spiritual dimensions of the educated person or 'complete' person... the 'whole' person... the rational person... the person of 'integrity'. Human rationality is a function of the integration of emotions with the creation of concepts or 'thought'i.e. 'rational thinking'. thoughts... The concept of 'education' is treated in terms of its function as facilitating human growth through discovery (holistic paradigm) as opposed to its political application as instruction of set of given principles (traditional paradigm). In the holistic paradigm the teacher is a 'moral agent'... a provider of resources and a 'facilitator of learning'.( See outline of chapters)

method of study

A source of inspiration for the inquiry was the following question: "Is there some sense in which principles of pedagogy can be derived from our knowledge of man as a species - from knowledge of his characteristic growth and dependence, of the properties of his nervous system, of his modes of dealing with culture?" (Jerome Bruner, 1971, Relevance of Education New York: W.W. Norton & Co. Inc. 118).

. Am I religious? do I believe in God? Words can be divisive when there is misunderstanding about their meanings. The problem is one of 'semantics' and human development which must be complete in order for people to negotiate the meanings behind the words. What is the meaning of the word 'God'? If one means by 'God' the creator of the universe and everything in it including our living planet and the millions of species including our own as 'God's work', then it is natural that one has respect for all of nature.

The concept of 'God' represents that which we seek in our longing to become what we truly are... the truly human or 'divine' of the human personality or 'human nature'. "We human beings take our sense of God from our deepest intuitions as to what is ultimate in our own depths." (Walsh Roger and Francs Vaughan Beyond Ego: Transpersonal Dimensions of Human Psychology l95) (In terms of human psychology, 'God' as supernatural is a delusion...)

What is 'religious'? If 'religious' means 'believing in God' then I would phrase my answer in the same way as American architect Frank Lloyd Wright who once said "I believe in God but I call it nature". If 'religious' means 'spiritual' then I would answer differently. As spirituality is an important dimension of our human nature then it is a fact that like every other human being I am potentially 'religious'. This would make it possible to believe in nature and be religious at the same time. We depend on our spirituality for our survival ... for the survival of not only our species but of all living species on the planet earth which is the home we all share together in 'God's universe'. Like many people who 'believe in God' they do so in good faith while giving it a different name. Every name (or word) has a meaning. Whatever name you choose... the important thing is not the name you ascribe but the understanding which you have. As it is obviously possible to disagree on the name, it is also possible to agree on the name but to disagree on the meaning. The knowledge or 'truth' from real understanding is more valuable than the ignorance which comes from misunderstanding of the meaning behind the name. Complete understanding is a product of the human mind which is complete, mature, rational, integrated... the mind which is 'whole' or 'holy'... that is the mind which is spiritually developed ... the 'religious mind' or 'spiritual mind'. The problem is that the spiritual dimension of human nature is sufficiently developed only if the individual is provided with the conditions necessary for its complete development... just as an acorn will develop into an oak tree only if it is provided with the right conditions. Development of potential human spirituality depends on the appropriate social environment... that is education not as imposition of dogma which imprisons the mind and inhibits spiritual development... (that is 'indoctrination'), but education as the cultivation of human growth... which frees the mind and fosters spiritual development... Spiritual development is the same as 'moral development' or 'morality'. Human morality rooted in human spirituality is a function of the wisdom of compassion a force for understanding also known as 'love' as 'mature love', 'unconditional love', 'humanitarian love', 'universal love', 'productive love', the Greek 'agape' and so on. Love is the common prescription of all the religions as a condition for awareness of human spirituality... the 'divine' aspect of human nature or 'God'.

Humanism... Humanists are non-theists... they begin with humans."Traditional theism, especially faith in the prayer-healing God, assumed to love and care for persons... is an unproved and outmoded faith." See Humanist Manifesto...www.en.wikipedia/wikipedia/humanist_manifesto_I&II

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notes:

The study of a given topic gains in breadth and clarity when it is considered from different perspectives. The topic 'brain-based wholistic education' can be expanded and integrated if it is considered from the perspectives of psychology, anthropology and history in addition to biology and education. Psychology, the study of the 'psyche', is concerned with the mental processes underlying the individual's behavior; anthropology, the study of human cultures, is concerned with cultural influences on the individual's thought patterns and behavior; history, the study of cultural origins and evolution, is concerned with the influences of historical traditions on the individual's cultural environment. It is useful to study a given topic from different points of view or 'perspectives.' The same topic can be perceived in different ways. Different observers perceive it from the perspectives of their own experiences. A given perspective can be expanded and integrated when it is considered in relation to other perspectives. For an in-depth study of a topic, it is useful to consider it from a number of different perspectives. Many of the social ills of the society are symptoms of a maloriented educational system. Children are required to learn within a framework of adult controlled instruction. In order for its citizens to live according to the underlying principles of a truly free society, children must be educated for responsible freedom. In order to function with integrity and intelligence in a democratic society, children must become mature as well as knowledgeable, autonomous and self-disciplined. Consequently the educational process for children means the opportunity for growth in a climate which fosters the instinctive development and maturation of their individuality and potentialities. The educational process must allow for the complete emotional, psychological and intellectual develoment of children into mature adult personalities in harmony with themwelves and their environment. They should have the capacities for self-evaluation, self-determination, self-respect, and self-discipline, and a sense of responsibility for themselves and their fellow human beings. The only condition necessary to insure the cultivation of natural developmental processes is freedom - not freedom as license and without control, but freedom with control. If effective learning is the goal of the educational process, then child interest is the orienting center of any effective educational policy. We know that learning is a natural function of the brain and thus of the healthy mind. Learning and thinking are valuable and necessary assets of citizens of a free and democratic society. Children must be allowed to develop their individual personalities and potentialities as well as their mental and intellectual capacities in an educational climate of freedom and respect. Such a climate is the requisite condition for effective learning because it fosters the unfolding of their natural potentialities and their inner development towards inner freedom and rational thought. Freedom in the eductional process insures the proper functioning of a free and democratic society made up of citizens who are free and democratic in their thinking. Given that learning is a natural function of the brain and that effective learning is the goal of the educational process, how can we teach a 'required curriculum' while respecting children's natural abilities for learning? For children, the educational process should mean the opportunity for growth in a climate which fosters their natural development into mature and autonomous adults with integrity and intelligence. As developing personalities in harmony with themselves and their environment, they must have a mature sense of responsibility- for themselves and for their fellow human beings. They must be capable of responsible self-evaluation, self-respect, self-determination, and self-discipline. Children must be allowed to develop their complete emotional, psychological, and intellectual potentialities. Their individual personalities must be allowed to develop in an educational climate which fosters their innate maturation process. A climate which fosters their natural maturation is one which fosters effective learning. A climate which fosters effective learning and rational thought is one which cultivates inner freedom and mutual respect. The effective motivating factor of the learning process becomes the child's interest. The effective orienting center for the educational process becomes student motivation. Effective educational 'policy' is based on the recognition and respect for the child's natural interests and abilities for learning and 'democratic' thinking. An educational process which fosters learning and thinking encourages the proper functioning of a truly free and democratic society. Such a society depends on people who are able to use their own minds - to learn and to think as responsible citizens. As children, they can learn to become responsible for themselves. As responsible adults, they can become 'educators' who help to foster other children's natural capacities for developing their own minds. Educators have the very great responsibility of encouraging children to learn, to think, and to grow, becoming responsible for others.

I am now of the conviction that many of the social ills of the society are symptoms of a maloriented educational system. Children are required to learn within a framework of adult controlled instruction. It appears that there is a dilemma faced by the schools of today which revolves around the need to motivate children to do work. I believe that in order for its citizens to live according to the underlying principles of a truly free society, children must be educated for responsible freedom. In order to function with integrity and intelligence in a democratic society, they must become mature as well as knowledgeable and autonomous as well as self-disciplined. Consequently I believe that the educational process for children means the opportunity for growth in a climate which fosters the instinctive development and maturation of their individuality and potentialities. The educational process must allow for the complete emotional, psychological, and intellectual development of children into mature adult personalities in harmony with themselves and their environment. They should have with the capacities for self-evaluation, self-determination, self-respect, and self-discipline, and a sense of responsibility for themselves and their fellow human beings. I believe that the only condition necessary to insure the cultivation of natural developmental processes is freedom - not freedom as licence opposed to control, but freedom with control. If effective learning is the goal of the educational process, then child interest is the effective orienting center of any educational policy. We know that learning is a natural function of the healthy mind and that learning and thinking are valuable assets for citizens of a free and democratic society. Given that schools are faced with the dilemma of how to motivate students to work, the central problem appears to be the following: how can we teach within the framework of a required curriculum while respecting children's natural motivation for learning? I believe that the educator, whether in the administrative or instructional capacities of schools or government, has the very great responsibiliuty of leading students to use and develop their own minds - to learn to think. Children must be allowed to develop their individual personalities and potentialities, as well as their mental and intellectual capacities in an educational climate of freedom and respect. Such a climate is the requisite condition for effective learning because it fosters the unfolding of their natural potentialities and their inner development towards inner freedom and rational thought. Thus freedom in the educational process determines the proper functioning of a free and democratic society composed of citizens who are free and democratic in their thinking. (personal statement)

Books which impacted my thinking:

On the history of the human species...Gordon Childe, Archeology and History,Harmondsforth, Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 1942.

chapter 1 What Happened in History "Our species, man in the widest sense, has succeeded in surviving and multiplying chiefly by improving his equipment for living, as I have explained at length in Man Makes Himself. As with other animals, it is chiefly through his equipment that man acts on and reacts to the external world, draws sustenance therefrom and escapes its perils - in technical language adapts himself to his environment or even adjusts his environment to his needs. Man's equipment, however, differs significantly from that of other animals. These carry their whole equipment about with them as parts of their bodies; the rabbit carries paws to dig with, the lion claws and teeth for tearing his prey, the beaver carpenter's tusks, most beasts hairy or furry coats to keep in warmth - the tortoise even caries his house on his back. Man has very little equipment of this sort and has discarded some that he started with during prehistoric times. It is replaced by tools, extracorporeal organs that he makes, uses and discards at will; he makes picks and shovels for digging, weapons for killing game and enemies, adzes and axes for cutting wood, clothing to keep him warm in cold weather, houses of wood , brick or stone to provide shelter. Some very early 'men' indeed had projecting canine teeth set in very massive jaws that would be quite dangerous weapons, but these have disappeared in modern man whose dentures will not inflict mortal wounds. As with other animals, there is of course a bodily physiological basis to man's equipment. It may be summed up in two words, hands and brains. Relieved of the burden of carrying our bodies, our forefeet have developed into delicate instruments capable of an amazing variety of subtle and accurate movements. To control the latter and to link them up with impressions from outside received by the eye and other sense organs we have become possessed of a peculiarly complicated nervous system and an exceptionally big and complicated brain. The detachable and exctracorporeal character of the rest of the human equipment has obvious advantages... it is more convenient and more adaptable than other animals' equipment. The latter fits its possessor for living in a particular environment under special conditions. The mountain hare passes the winter comfortably and safely on the snow-clad hills thanks to his changeable coat; he would be dangerously conspicuous in the warmer valleys. Men can discard their warm clothing if they move to a hotter climate and can adjust their costume to the landscape. A rabbit's paws are good digging tools, but cannot compete with a cat's as weapons, while feline paws are poor spades. Men can make both tools and weapons. In briedf an animals's hereditary equipment is adapted to performing a limited number of operations in a particular environment. Man's extracorporeal equipment can be adjusted to almost infinite number of operations in almost any environment - 'can be' not 'is'. As against these advantages man has to learn not only to use but also to make his equipment. A chick soon finds itself equipped with feathers, wings, beak and claws. It certainly has to learn their use - how to keep its feathers clean for instance. But this is very simple and will not take long. A human infant arrives with no such outfit and it will not grow spontaneously. The round pebbes on the ground do not in themselves suggest knives. Many processes and stages must intervene before the wallaby's skin can be transferred to the child's back as a coat. Even the simplest tool made out of a broken bough or a chipped stone is the fruit of long experience - of trials and errors, impressions noticed, remembered and compared. The skill to make it has been acquired by observation, by recollection and by experiment. It may seem an exaggeration, but it is yet true to say that any tool is an embodiment of 'science'. For it is a practical application of remembered, compared, and collected experiences of the same kind as are systematized and summarized in scientific formulae, descriptions and prescriptions. Happily the individual infant is not left to accumulate in its own person the requisite experience or itself to make all the trials and mistakes. A baby does not indeed to inherit at birth a physical mechanism or nerve-paths stamped in the germ-plasm of the race and predisposing it to make automatically and instinctively the appropriate bodily movements. But it is born heir to a social tradition. Its parents and elders will teach it how to make and use equipment in accordance with the experience gathered by ancestral generations. And the equipment it uses is itself just a concrete expression of this social tradition. A tool is a social product and man is a social animal. Because it has much to learn, a human infant is peculiarly delicate and helpless, and its helplessness lasts longer than with the young of other animals. The physical counterpart of learning is the storing of impressions and the building up of connections between the various nerve-centers in the brain. Meanwhile the brain must keep on growing. To allow of such growth the skull-bones protecting the infant's brain remain very loosely joined together; only slowly do the junctions (or sutures) knit up. While the brain is thus unprotected it is very vulnerable. Helpless infancy being prolonged by these interrelated causes, if the species is to survive, at least one social group must keep together for several years until the infants are reared. In our species, the natural family of parents and children is a more stable and durable association than among species whose young mature faster. In practice, however, human families seem generally to live together in larger societies comparable to the herds and packs of gregarious animals. Indeed man is to some extent a gregarious animal. In human, as in animal, societies the elder generations transmit by example to the younger the collective experiences accumulated by the group - what they in turn have learned in like fashion from their elders and parents. Animal education can all be done by example; For human infants who have so much to learn the imitative method would be fatally slow. In human societies instruction is by precept as well as by example. Human societies have gradually devised tools for communication between their members. In so doing they have brought forth a new sort of equipment which can conveniently be labelled 'spiritual'."

Korzybski Science and Sanity1933)

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT... semantics and effect of language

'textbook' on general semantics based on non-Aristotelian systems. A system is a collection of doctrines and principles which determine the orientation by which we act and live. General semantics is an extensional discipline which explains how we use our nervous system and trains us to use it more effectively for survival and sanity. An orientation by extension is based on verbal definitions. The non-Aristotelian system is built on the fundamental premise of 'non-identity'; an object is not the words used to define or describe it and should be perceived in the context of relevant empirical facts to which it is related at a given point in time. Korzybski stresses the importance of building a scientific study of 'man-as-a-whole' possible with the recognition that language is a fundamental psychophysiological function. Such a study would "mark the beginning of a new era, the scientific era, in which all desirable human characteristics would be released from the present animalistic, psychophysiological, aristotelian semantic blockages, and that sanity would prevail". (Korzybski Science and Sanity 18)

The purpose of the book is to provide the diligent reader with a method of eliminating pathological semantic reactions to assure proper evaluation of meanings of words and environmental conditions on personal, social and political levels, in the hope of establishing foundations for a sane civilization in a sane world, possible with the maturation and adulthood of man. He calls his investigation a "general introduction to the theory of sanity." A non-aristotelian system involves semantic reactions of the scientific method and its application to life's problems, thus 'science and sanity'.

Functional language reflects the individual's perception of 'reality'. The thought patterns and behavior of the individual mind reflect the 'reality' of the cultural environment.

Non-aristotelian system, is based on the formulation of a general method not only for scientific work but for life as we know it today." (

"Technically our civilization is very advanced, but the elementalistic premises underlying our human relations, practically since Aristotle, have not changed. The present investigation reveals that in the functioning of our nervous system a special harmful factor which retyards the development of sane human relations and prevents general sanity." This harmful factor which Korzybski calls 'identification' is spread like an infectious disease through language by parents, teachers and politicians who control the symbolism in the society.

"'Identification' is the mental process of ascribing objective existence to words, a process of semantics which characterized the pre-human and primitive stage of civilization in so far as they believed in the magic of words. The next stage, aristotelian or infantile period of human development, was characterized by the identification of facts with preconceived creeds, dogmas and judgements. Facts were made to 'fit' the beliefs held at the time. Orientation in the aristotelian system is by 'intension' or verbal definition and thus verbiage takes precedence over facts. Since identity is defined as 'absolute sameness in all respects' and the 'all' is not possible, then the process of identifying the word with the object becomes fallacious. A definition of any word must invariably leave out many relations attributable to it and the word remains a symbol, devised to represent objective reality. The structure of the collection of symbols which constitute a language becomes merely a representation of the world, analagous to a map of a given territory, and different languages can vary with respect to their accuracy in depicting the 'real' structure of the world being represented.

Most people still identify symbols and words with actualities ('symptom' of the immature mind) and make incorrect evaluations of situations on the personal as well as social and political levels. Identification is a rigid form of adaptation and a mental process characteristic of animals but does not necessarily have survival value. (Korzybski discusses the experiments of Pavlov who demonstrated that dogs conditioned to 'identify' signals with food could learn to 'identify' signals with the lack of food.) Identity is "invariably 'false-to-facts' and so identification produces non-survival semantic reactions and therefore must be considered pathological for modern man". (Korzybski Science and Sanity 196) In fact many forms of 'mental illness' are characterized by erroneous and inappropriate standards of evaluation of the social environment, and the methods of psychotherapy have demonstrated that by eliminating the process of identification and thus changing those standards, some forms of mental illness can be relieved of symptoms of maladjustment and general insanity can be relieved. The elimination of identification is a necessry prerequistie to a formulation of a theory of general semantics and sanity, and constitutes the premise for the nonaristotelian scientific era, otherwise known as the 'adult' stage of human civilization. Furthermore, whereas the terminology of the aristotelian system is elementalistic, that of the nonaristotelian system is non-elementalistic, implying the revision of the verbal splitting of semantic reactions which are in fact composite, such as mind-body, emotion-intellect, space-time. The elementalistic, splitting structural characteristics of the language which we have inherited through training in the aristotelian system, constitute an inaccurate representation of the human organism perceived wholistically within a multi-dimensional framework of the myriad relations to its physical, genetic, political, cultural, familial, historical, social, psychological and semantic environment.

Modern man is not able to adjust effectively to the complexities of modern life without a revision of the structure of the language so that it represents as accurately as possible the empirical structure of the world he lives in, as well as reflecting the structure of the nervous system and following the natural order of nervous impulses in the brain and thus of semantic reactions, from empirical facts to verbal definituions.

A human civilization living by the principles of democracy presupposes a sane 'intelligence' of the masses and a general feeling of cooperation rather than animal competition. A 'civilization' based on commercialism, greed and ignorance can be neither democratic nor even human. Respect for the potential intelligence of the human organism and for children as they mature results in the capacity of proper evaluation, adjustment and decision making on personal, social and political levels. Our present commercial civilization, appealing to infantile gratification of the need to self-indulge provides an inadequate and improper semantic environment for children to develop into mature, intelligent, well-balanced, well-adjusted and socially responsible human beings and citizens of a true democracy - of democratically thinking citizens. Instead they want to be praised and refuse blame without realizing that a critical attitude insures a proper evaluation. They become self-satisfied, and complacent in their ignorance, unable to respect the needs of the young. Citizens of such a society assume that their institutions are superior and believe in the "righeousness of their own conduct" (Korzybski Science and Sanity 516). On the national level, they standardize whatever they can, remain hostile to individualism and prefer to regulate life by legislation so that the degree of injustice increases and life becomes impossible without expensive lawyers. Unable to distinguish the essential from the unimportant, they depend on their intense likes and dislikes to make their often incorrect evaluations, and create further injustice. They are impelled to copy others in their prejudices, make weak judgements, become oversuggestive and easy to manipulate, have an exaggerated sensitivity and moodiness which makes it easy for those in control to gain or divert their attention. The overall result is a general disintegration of human relationships and generally poor educational standards. Children must struggle to grow up into mature adults with proper evaluation of themselves and their place in the insane society into which they are born. We need to educate our children with a view to their needs for adjustment to life in a democracy and therefore with respect for their potential intelligence.

Unlike other animals, man has a capacity for symbolic representation and language, which enables him to learn from previous generations and to pass on what he has learnt to the generations which succeed him. This is the 'time-binding function.' In the evolution of the human species and its language the 'natural order' of evaluation consisted of facts first and labels and words next. This is the same order for a growing child as he learns to observe and explore the world around him. However, many peoples' evaluations are distorted as the result of intensional training by parents, teachers and other adults... who are unaware of the heavy neurological consequences of the methods they use in educating children. Their complacent 'know-it-all' attitudes constitute a "pernicious influence on the child's developing mind and mentality, unable to deal with fears and anxieties. As a result, the children become unable to formulate the proper evaluations necessary for sanity and predictability. Furthermore, the incorrect use of the language involvng 'false-to-facts' doctrines and the subsequent orientation by the reversed natural order, engages the thalamus and subcortical layers of the brain without correct stimulation of the cortex. In this way semantic blockages lead to improper evaluation, un-sanity and insanity and non-survival.

An individual or society unable to evaluate intelligently must resort to the ineffective trial and error methods which lead to conflict, misunderstandings, wars and revolutions. And the construction and utilization of new killing machines is not the intelligent scientific approach to solving human problems. "In a human civilization, humans matter more than machines or symbols" We must attack this problem with the "non-elementalistic, neuropsychological special non-identity technique" hence by way of a non-aristotelain system. As humans produce artificial conditions and can overpopulate, they must adjust to the resulting complex environment which is further complicated by the far-reaching effects of their ability to create symbols for things and ideas and then convey these in different languages. Personal, social, national and international adjustments for sanity and survival necessitate a scientific non-aristotelian orientation which can provide us with a method of solving life's human problems which are connected with semantic reactions. They are inherent in man but until the psycho-physiological researches which Korzybski discusses "we had no workable educational means by which to handle them effectively." ( Korzybski Science and Sanity 28)

Older generations force their systems of semantics on the young by way of their educational and linguistic structure and habits. (Capitalists use words to control the 'American people'. They use 'education' to manipulate peoples' minds and especially the minds of the young). If the younger generations cannot accept the older semantic system in the light of their own experiences, then revolutions and social wars result. The newer scientific systems, non-euclidean, non-newtonian, and non-aristotelian include the older ones and the result is that scientific and rational methods are available for solving life's problems. Beneficial manifestations of the human nervous system such as curiosity, creativity, and generosity are prevented from materializng if the misuse of language has resulted in semantic blockages which lead to improper evaluations and undesirable semantic reactions. This study of general semantics suggests the necessary construction of a language with a new terminology involving a new theory of meanings and which takes into account the two negative premises of the non-aristotelian system, namely that words are not the object and no object is in isolation.

The new language would enable us to construct a science of man in relation to the many environmental influences, and a perception of the human organism as a whole, excluding the artificial splitting of 'emotions' and 'intellect', body' and 'mind' etc. We in fact live our lives entirely on the objective level which includes our 'feelings' and 'emotions.' The verbal levels are auxiliary. "Say whatever you choose about the object, and whatever you might say is not it." (Korzybski Science and Sanity 35) This attitude would eliminate the current efficacy of insults and innuendoes used to control and manipulate peoples's semantic reactions in the interest of power and greed. Rhetoric and verbiage outside of a given context have no valid 'meaning'. Most terms in the dictionary are of this type which Korzybski calls multiordinal. The multiordinality of a term is a natural fact since meaning depends on context. "The recognition of the multiordinality of terms is the fundamental mechanism of the full conditionality of human semantic reactions...and is fundamental for sanity."(Korzybski Science and Sanity 15) and consequently for our ability to solve our human problems. Korzybski claims that "one of the main values of the book is the accessibility to physological means for training the human nervous system in 'sanity'. In the non-aristotelian system, differences become fundamental and similarities are discovered as a result of 'higher abstraction'. (Korzybski Science and Sanity 165) The processes of abstracting on the conscious level (consciousness of abstraction) constitute an awareness that in the process of evaluating, we have left out some characteristics in accordance with the non-identity and non-isolation premises. It is the process of abstracting which is 'intelligence' and supposedly has its origin in the "'physico-chemical structure of protoplasm" (Korzybski Science and Sanity 165) It has been demonstrated in some simple life forms that the transmission of irritability reactions through the protoplasm makes it possible for the organism as a whole to react to stimuli in the environment. The nervous system "takes on the function of the primitive protoplasmic physiological gradients." (Korzybski Science and Sanity 104) which are affected by electrical currents involved in the various life processes including 'feelings' 'emotions' 'thoughts' and semantic reactions. (Korzybski Science and Sanity 121) Due to the fact that the nerve impulse travels at the rate of 120 meters per second and not instantaneously as was once thought, there is a specific order in which they are transmitted. They enter the brain by way of the brain stem, traverse the thalamus and then the subcortical layers and into the cerebral cortex where they are altered somehow and return. This order correlates with the natural order involved in the proper use of language, that is sensations first and ideas and verbalisms next, the so-called 'survival order', which requires observation ("silence on the objective level") and delayed cortical reactions which stimulate the cortical regions and protect the thalamus from overstimulation and non-adaptive semantic reactions. Thus orientation by extension or facts (non-aristotelian) "involves the integration of cortico-thalamic functions" (Introduction to second edition p. xlvi) which is the structural basis for the proper integration of the emotional and 'intellectual' levels of semantic reactions for the human organism as a whole. The result is a properly developed capacity for evaluation adjustment, and sanity. In this way than awareness of the neurosemantic and neuro-linguistic mechanisms which control our reactions makes the formulation of a non-aristotelian system not only possible but 'true-to-fact' as well.

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