Educational Purposes

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorCollege, Undergraduate May 2001

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There are many opinions and ideas about the purpose of education. Some people believe the purpose is to learn new things, learn about what you like, some say education makes a person wise. Others say the purpose of education is to get you farther in today's society. These views have changed and repeated themselves many times throughout history. The purpose of education is to get us ready for the next step of expectation. This stairway is never ending because of the new and higher technology being developed. This stairway has always been present throughout history as steps can represent the purpose of education.

In "The Rhythmic Claims of Freedom and Discipline,"� Alfred North Whitehead, states that there are many steps to be taken toward wisdom to become truly wise. The first step is to develop two principles, freedom and discipline, in a child's life to develop a natural sway and personality.

This step is called "Rhythm of Education."� Whitehead divides the "Rhythm of Education"� into three sub-steps or stages of growth. These three stages are called the "Stage of Romance,"� the "Stage of Precision,"� and the "Stage of Generalization."� In the first stage of growth, which is the "Stage of Romance,"� Whitehead says there can be no mental development without interest. Interest is something absolutely necessary for attention and apprehension, without interest there will be no progress. Whitehead states that we should seek pleasurable natural activity to arrange the development of character. I seek pleasurable activity through my running, it keeps me in great shape, I love the competition during races, and it's something that I'm interested in succeeding at. In "Clamorous to Learn,"� written be Eudora Welty, she showed interest and self-motivation to learn and grow in her quest for knowledge. Her desire was to learn. Her consequence...