Biography of johann friedrich herbart contribution to education

Herbart was first greatly interested in science and music, but at Jena he studied philosophy and law. Later he became a close friend of Pestalozzi. He also served on various commissions responsible for the improvement of the Prussian educational system. The behavior of these entities is determined by their tendency toward self-assertion.

Johann friedrich herbart educational philosophy pdf

The task of philosophy is to create a rigorous analytic-synthetic conceptual system from perceived reality. The soul is a central totality of manifold simple reals. If in this process an idea is so thoroughly repressed that it vanishes from consciousness, it struggles to emerge from below the threshold of consciousness until it reappears as a freely moving idea memory.

Herbart held that mental processes can be described with the exactness of mathematical laws. This latter quality is especially characteristic of the moral will. Therefore, the goal of upbringing and education is the development of the personality of the whole human being. This development aims at the union of five ideas: inner freedom harmony of moral insight and will , perfection health of body and soul , benevolence toward the will of others , justice balancing of interests, respect for the rights of others , and equity suitability of reward and punishment.