The document discusses the Sophists, who were traveling teachers in ancient Greece. They emphasized rhetoric, debate, and questioning established truths. Protagoras was a influential Sophist who believed that truth was subjective. Socrates used questioning to help people critically examine their beliefs. Plato was a student of Socrates and proposed an ideal system of government and education. Aristotle was a student of Plato and emphasized virtue, reason, and different types of education depending on one's social class. The document also discusses Jesus' teachings and educational methods like parables.

2. Sophists (The Greek Educational Thinkers)
They were very learned, well-travelled
men, usually non-citizen of Athens. They
offered a totally new perspective in
learning. They emphasized the art of
speaking, taught declamation and oration,
developed grammar and rhetoric as well as
critical and reflective thinking.
They based their philosophy on the doctrine
of the relativity of truth; their emphasis on
individualism led to complete skepticism.

3. Protagoras- is considered as chief of the
Sophists.
 He believed that “Man is the measure of all
things”.
 Sophists were influenced by Heraclitus who
interpreted the reality as a process of constant
change. Protagoras applied the idea of change
in epistemology.
 Pythagorean concept of unchanging
mathematical relationships as the essence of
reality and the Eleatic principle that nature
obeys laws of permanent being, that the laws
of physics are fixed and permanent.

4. Questions of Sophists:
1.Are there ethical principles or is morality
merely a set of arbitrary conventions, the
creation of man?
2.Are the laws of State comparable to the
laws of nature or mere arbitrary rules?
3.Are there genuine moral laws, norms for
evaluating human behavior, comparable to
the laws which govern physical nature?
Because of the unavailability of the
absolute truth in the perspective of the
Sophists, They turned their concern to the
art of Debate.

5. THE GREEK
EDUCATIONAL
THEORISTS

6. Socrates (469-399 B.C)
He accepted the fundamental principle of
Protagoras that “ Man is the measure of all
things”.
He postulated the concept “Gnothi
Seauton” or know thyself.
 Plato, his intelligent disciple gave him
credit to his “Socratic Method” (Dialectic
Method and Conversational Quiz)

7. Duggan’s illustration of Socratic Method:
Ironic- Destructive Element
Socratic
Dialectic
Maieutic- Constructive Element

8. Socrates was fond of asking his students
thought-provoking and at times
answerable questions. If he thought the
opinion given was wrong he would ask a
series of questions leading the individual
to think critically and finally contradict
his original statement. This best
illustrates the Ironic Element. However,
the Maieutic (giving birth) element is
where the individual was led from
unconscious ignorance to clear and
reasoned truth.

9. The aim, therefore, of Socratic
education were:
To show that knowledge is the
basis of all right actions,
including the art of living.
To develop the power of correct
thinking upon the individual.
(Duggan,1935)

10. Plato (427-347 B.C)
The Republic is a government
considered as aristocratic socialism.
The State must control everything and
has a right and authority to determine
who should get married.

11. 3 DISTRICT CLASSES
1. Philosophical Class (Guardians of the
Society)
-Devoted to the pursuit of knowledge,
whose virtue was wisdom and whose duty was
to rule the people.
2. Warrior Class – Devoted to warfare, whose
virtue was honor, whose duty to protect and
defend the State and the people according
to the direction of their rulers.
3. Artisan or Industrial Class- Devoted to trade
and crafts, whose virtue was money making,
whose duty was to obey and support the other
two classes.

12. Age
Brack
et
Educational Training Corresponding
Social Class
0-7 Physical, moral, religious Artisan
7-16 Literature, music, gymnastic Artisan
16-20 Military training (second classification) Warrior
20-30 Scientific training Philosophical
30-35 Philosophical training (reclassification-
depending upon the degree of their intellect
and ability.)
Philosophical
35-50 Philosophical training, public service Philosophical
Plato’s Educational System:

13. Aristotle (384-322 B.C)
He was the most popular disciple of
Plato.
He studied under Plato from age 7-37.
Virtue is brought about by Doing and not
by Knowing.
He believed that human is social animal.
He must use his reason and live
according to his reason to attain his
reason to attain his ultimate end.. the
summum bonum or supreme good.

14. Aristotle Educational Ideals
Ethics and Politics
Monarchy is the best form of
government, but Democracy is the
government that would lead to
promotion and protection of
general welfare of the citizens.
Family should be strengthened as
the basic foundation of the State.

15. Age
Bracket
Training
0-7 Basic education at home, preparation for
formal schooling
7-21 Formal schooling, devoted to irrational and
rational side of soul.
21 and
above
Emphasis of scientific and philosophical
training
Educational System of Aristotle:
•Father of modern science
•Body and Soul
•Soul is made up of irrational element
(appetite, desires, passion, etc.) and the
rational element (intellect).

16. THE EDUCATIONAL INFLUENCE OF JESUS
CHRIST
The birth of Jesus Christ (who
approximately stayed on earth between
(4 B.C.-A.D 30).
Jesus did not ask His followers to
abandon their Jewish heritage but asked
them to come out from worldliness and
be holy. He insisted that they should
transcend the empty observance of the
law and routinely religious rituals by
opening their hearts to God’s grace and
mercy.

17. His preaching attracted multitude of
enthusiastic followers (intellectuals, tax
collectors, fishermen, women and the
outcasts; the lepers, blind, he adulterer
and all sinners. “the healthy does not
need a physician, but they that are sick,
and do not come to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance.” (Matthew
9:12-13).

18. Educational Contributions
His principles emphasized holiness,
humility, purity, righteousness, mercy,
and unselfish love, endurance in times
of persecutions, simplicity and other
eminent virtues.
He taught in the synagogues (temple),
market places, in the mountains and
almost everywhere. He was called
“rabbi” or master.
He used 3 distinct methods of teaching;
the parable, the conversational
(Socratic Method), and proverbial
gnomic method.

19. The Parable- This is a short
story, a weighty similitude, used
to convey instruction to
ignorant, prejudiced, and
inattentive hearers. This was
used to reach the uneducated,
as well as the scholars of his
time, to show them the light of
the redemption.