Principle of Education-

Aims of Education in Russell’s Thought:

Aims of education are not static and absolute. Aims of education differ from country to

country as these are determined by the objective conditions of each country or community.

Aims of Japanese education differ from those of the American education.

In ancient Greece the aims of education were different in Athens from those of Sparta.

The aims of education of the Catholics are different from those of the Protestants. Even

individuals differ in formulating their aims of education. Political ideologies influence greatly

the aims of education. The aims of education in Russia are bound to be different from U. S.

A.

“Welfare of students should be the ultimate aim of education and they should not be used for

any other purpose.” said Russell. Only through education conscious and superior types of

individuals can be created. According to Bertrand Russell, if the teacher is not affectionate

and sympathetic to students their intelligence and character cannot be developed. “No man

can be a good teacher unless he has feeling of warm affection towards his pupils and a

genuine desire to impart to them what he himself believes to be of value.”

Such sympathy can only be secured through welfare spirit of the teacher for the students.

Parents have inherent sympathy for their children. Teachers who have genuine sympathy and

welfare-consciousness for students can only adopt appropriate methods of teaching.

According to Russell, education is a process of self-development. But self-development is

possible only in and through society. Every individual has a social self. Russell pleaded for

education for good and creative citizenship. Here also Russell has tried to make a happy

blend of individualism and socialism.

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Individual development is not possible without social progress and vice versa. “The

cultivation of the individual mind is not, on face of it, the same thing as the production of a

useful citizen,” said Russell. “The individual should mirror the world.” “The most vital need

of the near future will be the cultivation of a vivid sense of citizenship of the world”, said

Russell. According to him education is not end in itself. It is a means to an end.

Russell has also raised the question of humanism and utilitarianism. In this regard he has tried

to make a happy compromise. Education must include human elements in simple manner.

Human elements like history, literature, music, painting, fine arts are no less important than

utilitarian subjects. These subjects help to develop finer aspects of life.

In this regard the opinion of Russell is: “I do not wish to suggest that humanistic elements in

education are less important than the utilitarian elements. To know something of great

literature, something of world history, something of music and painting and architecture, is

essential if the life of imagination is to be fully developed. What I suggest is that, where a

difficult technique is indispensable to the mastering of a subject, it is better that the subject

should be useful.”

As regard the nature of education, Russell has raised another important question, whether

education should be ornamental or utilitarian. Literature is ornamental but science is

people, science should be taught instead of literature. In this respect Russell has again

advocated synthetic view. According to him, along with science, literature should also be

taught as it develops power of imagination and fills the mind with a spirit of pleasure.

Russell has vehemently criticized the state-control of education. “The educations in capitalist

countries suffer from the domination of the rich and the education in Russia suffers from the

domination of the proletariat. Children of proletarians are taught to despise children of

bourgeois.”

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Russell has emphasised enlargement of the mind and heart as one of the aims of education.

According to Russell, one of the glaring defects of the existing system of education is to give

too much emphasis on the acquisition of certain skills. He said, “It is one of the defects of

modern higher education that it has become too much a training in the acquisition of

certain kinds of skill, and too little on enlargement of the mind and heart.”

Another important aim of education, according to Russell, is to inculcate a spirit-of

international peace and amity through education. Without this human civilisation cannot be

saved, Russell opined. He was against narrow, perverted and virulent nationalism.

“Nationalism is undoubtedly the most dangerous vice of our time — far more dangerous than

drunkenness or drugs or commercial dishonesty.” He said, “Unless the virulence of

nationalism can be abated, civilisation cannot continue.” Russell here is in accord with

Rabindranath who decried narrow nationalism in his book “Nationalism” (1916).

Hence internationalism should be fostered through education in school. In this respect history

teaching can help greatly. In history, emphasis should be given on the fact that human

civilisation has reached its present position not through competition and war but through

cooperation and peace.

Russell has emphasised training of good conduct and cultivation of healthy habits through

education. True education depends on true freedom. True freedom is inward.

“A thousand ancient fears obstruct the road to happiness and freedom. But love can conquer

fear, and, if we love our children, nothing can make us withhold the great gift which it is in

our power to bestow,” said Russell. He further said, “The education we derive for our

children must depend upon our ideals of human character and our hopes as to the part they

are to play in community.”

According to Russell, all-round development of an education depends on character formation.

Hence character formation should be the avowed aim of education.

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Character formation envisages power functioning of four essential elements or

qualities:- Vitality, Courage, Sensitiveness and Intelligence.

Vitality depends to a great extent on sound health. Hence one’ of the aims of education is to

form good health. Sound mind is only possible in sound health. Russell here reflects the

Greek ideal — mens sana in corpore sano — a healthy mind in a healthy body.

(b) Courage:

Courage is another quality of character. Courage is nothing but absence of fear. Many people

suffer from fear — both consciously and unconsciously — and without any reasonable

ground. Through education fear should be removed from the mind of the children.

Men and women should be educated in such a way that they can lead a fearless life. In any

way fear should not be repressed. Fear should be conquered through vitality (sound health)

and self-respect, Russell has advised. Liberal and universal (impersonal) attitude to life

makes one courageous.

(c) Sensitiveness:

The third element of character formation is sensitiveness. When our nearest and dearest one

feels sorrow, we also feel sorrow with him. But sometimes we sympathise with the cause of

sorrow of persons who are not dear to us and not present before us. According to Russell this

type of abstract sensitiveness might solve many existing evils of the modern world. “The

education producing sensitiveness to abstract stimuli would wipe out a large proportion of the

evils that exist in the modern world today”, said Russell. Hence one of the aims of education

is to create abstract sensitiveness in the minds of the students.

(d) Intelligence:

The fourth element of character formation is intelligence. In the opinion of Russell

intelligence means acquired knowledge and ability to acquire knowledge. But actually, it

means the latter. Without knowledge intelligence cannot be developed, said Russell.

Opportunities should be provided so that the students can think.

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Their power of thinking should be developed. Actual teaching time should be reduced and

more time should be given for participation in discussion and debate by the students. As a

condition of developing intelligence, curiosity should be created in the minds of the students.

Besides the above four elements there are other elements conducive to character formation.

These are cooperation, truthfulness, observation, open-mindedness etc.

Curriculum in School:

Russell recommended a general and compulsory curriculum for children up to the age of

fourteen years. At this stage the curriculum should include ancient literature, modern

language, mathematics, science, geography, music and dance. Russell has prescribed two

types of curriculum for children between the age-group 15-18.

Specialisation begins at this stage:

(a) Specialised curriculum will be followed by advanced students,

(b) General curriculum will be followed by mediocre and less intelligent students.

The curriculum at this stage should include humanities, mathematics, ancient literature,

anatomy, physiology, hygiene and civics. Russell has laid stress on the study of mathematics

and history. He prefers history teaching than geography.

But history teaching should begin at a matured stage. “History can profitably be begun at

about five years, with interesting stories of eminent men,” said Russell. Russell is of opinion

that language study should begin at early stage. He has also recommended nature study for

young children.

He suggested that children should be educated in modern schools where Montessori method

is followed. In Montessori system teaching is conducted from simple to complex. Russell has

strongly advocated sex education for children along with other subjects to prevent abnormal

behaviour and mental derangement.

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As regards religious education, Russell nourished a strong view of religious neutrality as

religion is a personal affair. In European public schools religious education in favour of a

particular religious sect is prohibited. Russell was against religious education in school.

Russell strongly favoured co-curricular activities in schools as these greatly help total

development of the individual, particularly in developing self-control. Sound mind is only

possible in sound health. Parents and teachers can associate themselves in sports activities

with their wards as this may promote mutual relationship.

Besides play, Russell has emphasised dance, music, agriculture and horticulture as co-

curricular activities.

Methods of Teaching:

In his famous educational treatise “On Education” Bertrand Russell has emphasised the

methods of teaching. He advised psychological methods in teaching. “I attach great weight to

modern psychological discoveries which tend to show that character is determined by early

education to a much greater extent that was thought by the most enthusiastic educationists of

former generations.”

Those subjects should be taught to children to which they have natural inclination.

Motivation is an important factor in learning.

For the education of children he has advocated Montessori Method of teaching or similar

other modern methods. He has also pleaded for play-way-method for the education of

children. He was in favor of using teaching aids such as maps, models, charts etc. for

effective teaching.

Russell opined that time for lecturing should be reduced and more time should be allotted for

debate and discussion as these will develop their power of thinking and strengthen the

foundation of their knowledge. In teaching history, and geography, Russell favours the

application of story-telling method.

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He has also emphasised Dramatic Method in teaching history, geography, foreign language

and literature. Russell stressed the need of memory training. “Complete benefit cannot be

obtained from literature without memory training.” Teacher should present the content of

teaching in order of difficulty and from simple to complex. Instead of continuous practice and

drill work Russell stressed on the necessity of self-directed study. The students should be

motivated to learn.

Russell has cautioned against over-education as it may tell upon the physical and mental

health of the student. “The most serious aspect of over-education is its effect on health,

especially mental health. A clever person who has been over-educated loses spontaneity,

self-confidence and health,” said Russell.

Over-study is needed to obtain success in examination and competition. Russell has opined

that the examination system should be reformed and the students should avoid competition.

Unnecessary competition is bound to be detrimental to the development of intelligence and

health of the students. “The best brains are immolated upon the altar of the Great God

Competition,” Russell said. He further advised, “it is undesirable to teach the young to be

competitive.”

Teacher:
According to Russell, teachers are the true guardians of civilisation. A teacher need not

possess high talent. But he must have the modern and up-to-date knowledge and the

knowledge in methods of teaching. He should have sympathy, affection and patience for his

students.

“They require only the right sort of training together with a degree of sympathy and

patience.” They should have some knowledge about physiology, hygiene and psychology. A

teacher must have acquaintance with the latest developments in psychology — particularly

child psychology.

Agencies of Education:

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As regards agencies of education Russell remarks: “I have no doubt in my mind that the

ideal school is better than the ideal home”. In schools the children get the opportunities of

play, movement, free mixing and association. The schools in cities do not provide these

privileges as these have not enough space.

Russell has opined that the educational responsibility of children should be shouldered both

by the parents as well as by the state. But the state should not try to foster narrow and

perverted nationalism. Russell has clearly expressed the view that the religious organisations

should not act as agencies of education as these may try to provide narrow sectarian

education. “Religion encourages stupidity and an insufficient sense of reality”, said Russell.

Discipline and Freedom:

Russell is in favour of providing freedom to the children as it is psychologically sound and

conducive to their natural growth and development. “If children are subject to rigorous

discipline it may lead to mental tension and disorder.”

Another effect of compulsion in education is that it destroys originality and intellectual

interest. Fear of punishment sometimes creates in children an attitude of aversion to learning.

Russell is in favour of self-discipline and free discipline through play. Russell has eulogized

the system of discipline introduced by Montessori for children.

To Russell, freedom does not mean licence or unrestricted freedom. He does not support

either unrestricted freedom or rigorous discipline. He has tried to make a compromise

(synthesis) between the two. He said, “The right discipline consists, not in external but in

habits of mind which lead spontaneously to desirable rather than undesirable

activities.” True freedom is inward. “The desirable kind of discipline is the kind that comes

from within”, he further said.