A Comparative Study Of Kant’s Moral Education Thoughts And Rousseau’s Nature Education Thoughts

As a representative of the Enlightenment,Rousseau’s naturalistic education theory had a profound impact on the philosopher Kant’s construction of his own moral education thoughts,which made Kant put the status of moral education above knowledge education.From viewpoint of philosophy,a lot of discussions have been conducted by Kant on the value of moral education and educational methods and the era of educational philosophy was initiated.In order to explore the succession and criticism of the latter’s educational thoughts on the former,we will examine the commonalities between the two’s educational thoughts the differences--different understanding and attribution of freedom,different theoretical sources and philosophical foundations,and different educational methods adopted,and in order to analyze the enlightenment of the two people’s educational ideas and methods to the problems existing in education today,this article first combines the two people’s views on the theory of human nature,to clarify that Rousseau’s Nature education is a theory aimed at cultivating natural people and advocating human nature returning to nature,and Kant’s moral education is a theory aimed at cultivating free people and advocating human nature towards freedom.Then trying to start from the common starting point of the two education ideologies--the core essence of freedom,and pointing out that the differences between the two people’s differences in thinking are the different understanding and attribution of the essence of freedom.Rousseau attributed freedom to the natural nature of man.Kant attributed freedom to the practical rationality of man.Then it is to find more differences by conducting a comparative study of their theoretical source,philosophical basis,educational purpose and essence.Finally,aiming at the outstanding problems in the current state of education: the prevalence of instrumental rationalism and the depression of humanistic education,taking lessons from Rousseau and Kant’s educational ideas andmethods.In order to bring some inspirations to the upgrading of today’s education ideas and the development of educational undertakings,it is proposed that education should return to the original intention--human purpose by respecting the subject states and shaping the free personality of education object.