Outlines of Educational DoctrineHerbart, Johann Friedrich
Philosophy
Outlines of Educational Doctrine
Herbart, Johann Friedrich
Education -- Philosophy
141. While the aim of instruction was rendered sufficiently
determinate, as we saw above (17, 64, 65), by the injunction,
be perfect, the aim of training, which supplements educative
instruction, comprehends virtue as a whole. Now virtue is an ideal,
the approximation toward which is denoted by the term _morality_.
Again, since, generally speaking, a child passes on from mere capacity
for culture to culture itself, from the indeterminate to fixedness of
knowledge, the approximation to virtue consists likewise in development
toward stability. Where conduct in moral affairs vacillates, there is
a deficiency; where something morally hateful becomes confirmed, there
is a defect. Excluding both, we define the aim of training properly as
moral strength of character.
“Training” means such will-training as conduces to the formation
of good character; “government” means such training as conduces
to good order. The first is for a permanent, the second for
an immediate, purpose. In government we can appeal both to a
positive and a negative means. The positive means is interest in
a study and the affairs of the schoolroom; the negative means
is inhibition of disturbing impulses. As Professor James, in his
“Talks on Psychology,”[13] points out, this inhibition may be of
two sorts,--that of forcible suppression, and that of substitution.
A teacher who uses negative means of inhibiting mischief or
inattention, employs command or punishment. This method, though
sometimes seemingly unavoidable, often results in mental strain,
if not permanent alienation between teacher and pupil. The method
of substitution attempts to secure inhibition of the undesirable
state of mind by giving rise to a set of favorable ideas strong
enough to displace it. “If, without saying anything about the street
disturbances,” which may be distracting the attention of your pupils,
“you open a counter attraction by starting some very interesting
talk or demonstration yourself, they will altogether forget the
distracting incident, and, without any effort, follow you along.”
Training, however, has a more difficult task. It must succeed in
implanting what may be called regulative principles in the mind.
It must furthermore succeed in establishing habits of conduct that
will enable the pupil to become self-governing. That is, we must
establish in him habits of feeling and action that will enable him
to substitute the higher for the lower good, or, at least, instantly
to inhibit the temptation to evil. This is a task not for a day or a
year, but for the whole school period.
[13] James, “Talks on Psychology,” p. 193, Henry Holt & Co., New York,
1899.
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