| John Stuart Mill was one of the representatives of British utilitarianism in the nineteenth century.The study of the profoundness and innovation of his educational philosophy is the starting point and purpose of this thesis.Upon the ground of the research paradigm of “historical contextualism”,this thesis discusses the historical background of Mill’s educational philosophy,the connotation and significance,and the intrinsic relationship with his utilitarian ethical appeal.In the nineteenth century,Britain was in a stage of rapid development of capitalism,but the inharmony between economy,politics and social development induced a series of social problems.Against this historical background,Mill believed education is an important way to solve social problems,and expressed his views about education based on his experience.Mill’s educational philosophy mainly refers to basic education,university education,vocational education and elite education.The experience of a mental crisis convinced him of the importance of feelings,so he thought basic education ought to impart basic knowledge and cultivate students’ reason and feelings mutually.By implementing intellectual education that balances literature and science,moral education that shapes morality,and art education that cultivates aesthetics,university education ought to make competent and cultivated talents.Vocational education ought to provide professional knowledge and develop professionals to meet the needs of industrial society.Elite education ought to protect individuality and cultivate talents in order to prevent “tyranny of the majority” and “collective mediocrity”.Particularly,Mill emphasized the implementation of state education for elementary education to make education available for children from poor families.During the process of the rise of utilitarianism in modern times,the Scottish School of England in the eighteenth century played a pioneering role.Based on the theory of the Scottish School,Jeremy Bentham gave a relatively comprehensive exposition to utilitarianism.Mill developed utilitarianism by inheriting and criticizing the “classical” utilitarianism,including improving Smith’s “absolute freedom” in Laisser-faire principle and revising Bentham’s utilitarianism,which made his utilitarianism more in line with the needs of social development.Mill’s educational philosophy is an application of his utilitarian ethical appeal in the field of education.Happiness is one of the core values of his utilitarianism,while the purpose of education is to improve the wisdom and morals,and achieve “the greatest happiness of the majority”.Difference of quality and quantity in happiness;combination of personal interests and social interests;conscience as the internal sanction of utilitarian moral standard are the three important characteristics of Mill’s utilitarianism.Mill’s educational philosophy serves for these characteristics. |
