Criticism And Reconstruction

The image of man is the pivot of the construction of educational theory and practice. As for educational research, it is also an unavoidable task. This dissertation begins with the background of the era, and discovers through the critical analysis of educational problems in real life that is the root of materialization of education which lies in the self-recognization of the image of rational man. On this basis the dissertation as well retrospectively analyzes the images of rational and other contrasting kinds of man and points out that their coherence is due to the thinking method of hypothesis. From the angle of the revolution in thinking method, the dissertation interprets the generative image of man and its educational significance.Logically, this dissertation can be divided into four parts.Part 1 consists of Chapters 1, 2, and 3. The major problems discussed here are: 1. What is the root of the bewilderment of modern man's existence? How can we get rid of such bewilderment? 2. Can the present education shoulder the responsibility endowed by our era? What is the essence of the materialization of education? The author holds that the bewilderment of modern man's existence originates from man himself, and that the effective way to get rid of the existence crisis is the revolution of man. Education, as an activity of cultivating man, should take on its responsibilities accordingly in that revolution. However, instead of solving man's bewilderment, it accelerates the crisis of man's existence because education itself is materialized. The deep root of the materialization of education lies in the self-recognization of the image of rational man. Therefore, to overcome the crisis of education, we need a new interpretation of the image of man, which in turn needs an understanding of the image of rational man.Part 2 consists of Chapter 4, which analyzes the image of rational man and the past and present of educational thoughts. On such basis, it reflects on others images of man, that is, the images of natural man, mechanical man and game man. The dissertation maintains that the image of rational man takes up the leading position in educational theory and practice in an era of globalization. However, the image of rational man is not a creation of modern people. It has a long history of evolution. In different times the image of rational man has different representation and different influence upon education. In modern society, with the variation of rationality, the image of rational man, once progressive in history, can no longer guide people's educational life. Hence, the image of man needs new interpretation. Lack of change in thinking method, new images of man developed on criticism of the image of rational man have no real improvement.Part 3 consists of Chapters 5 & 6. This part begins with the change of thinking method, and interprets the generative image of man. Different images of man can be drawn using different thinking methods. Therefore, to change the image of man in educational viewpoint, we have to change the traditional thinking method. In the past, people were used to viewing man from substantial thinking method, which is the root of the abstraction of the image of man. With the development of science and philosophy, people realize that the substantial thinking method is unsuitable for knowing the world and man himself. So we need a new thinking method, that is, the generative thinking method. The biggest characteristic of such a thinking method is the transcendence of predetermined substance. It emphasizes the dynamic generation of the image of man. It is a thinking method knowing man with the starting point of man himself. According to generative thinking, man is not predetermined existence but dynamic generative existence. Through the interpretation of the basis, content, field and path of man's generation, the generative image of man gradually becomes multi-dimensional and clear.Part 4 consists of Chapters 7 & 8. This part relates the generative image of man to real education, trying to solve the following question: what are the new things brought to educational theory and practice by the new interpretation of the image of man (i.e., the generative image of man)?(1)It brings a new understanding of the question: what is education? Man is generative existence. The generation of man means the imperfection and limit of man. To live or to live better, man needs education to construct himself. Therefore, education is a practice of self-construction. Further, education is communicative practice of two-way construction. This is the answer to the question "what is education?"(2)It brings a new understanding of the aim of education. As a generative existence, man is due to receive education. While education itself is the practice of man's self-construction, the aim of education should be generative man. Generative man is the total generation of man's substantial ability, and therefore the self-realization of man.(3)it brings a new understanding of the process of education. The generation of man is an unending process. So process is existence. As the self-realization of man, the process of education is not only the method of showing the results of education but also the process of teachers and students living together. It has value and meaning of itself. Besides, the generation of man is not predetermined and smooth; it has many uncertain factors. Accordingly, the process of education is neither mechanical nor rigid. Uncertainty is also a substantial characteristic of the process of education, which is very important for our understanding of educational plan and estimation.