John Locke Philosophy of education

date: 1632–1704

in thoughts concerning education , of conduct of understanding locke composed outline on how educate mind in order increase powers , activity:

business of education not, think, make them perfect in 1 of sciences, open , dispose minds may best make them capable of any, when shall apply it.

if men long time accustomed 1 sort or method of thoughts, minds grow stiff in it, , not readily turn another. therefore give them freedom, think should made sorts of knowledge, , exercise understandings in wide variety , stock of knowledge. not propose variety , stock of knowledge, variety , freedom of thinking, increase of powers , activity of mind, not enlargement of possessions.

locke expressed belief education maketh man, or, more fundamentally, mind empty cabinet , statement, think may of men meet with, 9 parts of ten are, or evil, useful or not, education.

locke wrote little , insensible impressions on our tender infancies have important , lasting consequences. argued associations of ideas 1 makes when young more important made later because foundation of self: are, put differently, first mark tabula rasa. in essay, in introduced both of these concepts, locke warns against, example, letting foolish maid convince child goblins , sprites associated night darkness shall ever afterwards bring frightful ideas, , shall joined, can no more bear 1 other.

associationism , theory come called, exerted powerful influence on eighteenth-century thought, particularly educational theory, every educational writer warned parents not allow children develop negative associations. led development of psychology , other new disciplines david hartley s attempt discover biological mechanism associationism in observations on man (1749).