The document discusses the individual aim of education. It defines the individual aim of education as emphasizing the development of each learner's unique individuality according to their natural tendencies. It explores both the narrow and wider meanings of individual aim, and discusses arguments in favor and against it. Support for the individual aim comes from biologists, naturalists, psychologists, progressivists, spiritualists, existentialists, and democrats who argue that every person is distinct and education should develop their individual potential.

1. BY
ANTO H
19BDEN06
Welcome
Philosophical Foundation of Education

2. Individual Aim of Education

3. Synopsis
 Aim of Education.
 Individual Aim of Education.
 Meanings of Individual Aim of Education.
 Arguments of Individual Aim of Education.
 Supports of Individual Aim of Education.

4. Aim of Education
 Education is a social necessity.
 Changing social needs and aspirations.
 It is an activity which is directed to some goals.
 Always acts with an aim.
 This aim makes it a purposeful activity.
 Basic aim of education is to help each individual to
progress towards the attainment of his full potential,
both as a person and as a member of society.
 Any other human activities like education should
have its own aims and objectives.

5. Individual Aim of Education
 Individual aim emphasizes the development of the
individuality of the learner according to his natural
tendencies.
 Holds the central notion that individual should be in the
forefront of the educational process.
 Foster the free growth of the individuality of the learner,
helping him to achieve the highest degree of individual
development in social context.
 In ancient India, Greece and some other countries also this
aim was given due importance and prime position.
 In the present times also, since the entry of psychology in the
field of education, Rousseau, Pestalozzi, Frobel T.P Nunn and
other eminent educationists have again started giving greater
emphasis on the individual aim of education.

6. Meanings of Individual Aim of Education
 Narrow Meaning of Individual Aim of Education.
 Wider Meaning of Individual Aim of Education.

7. Narrow Meaning of Individual Aim of Education
 In It’s narrow sense, individual aim is known as self-expression, all-round development
of the child is natural development also.
 Individual aim is based on the philosophy of naturalization’ according to which education
should develop the unique individuality of a child in accordance with his instincts.
 History reveals the fact that it was Roussaeu who first of all advocated this aim though his
insistence on education in the lapse of nature according to the nature of the child, but
after him some other educationists also emphasized the importance of this aim.
 Sir Percy Nunn of England is the chief-supporter and hence ranks at the top of the list.
 He holds that the central aim of education is ‘the autonomous development of the
individual’.
 In his famous book Education, Its Data and the first principles’ he says “Nothing good
enters in to the human world except in and through the free activities of individual men
and women, and that the educational practice must be shaped to accord with its truth”.
 Second chapter of his book Nunn further remarks that each specie is moving towards
perfection.
 Individual aim is according to nature.
 It’s narrow sense, individual aim of education emphasizes self-expression or natural
development of the child so that after receiving education according to his interests,
inclinations, capacities and needs, the child is able to choose a vocation according to his
nature.

8. Wider Meaning of Individual Aim of Education
 In its wider sense, individual aim is known as self-realization.
 Psychology also collaborate the development of individuality.
 Psychological researches have clearly established the fact that each
individual is born with his own peculiar and distinct innate tendencies and
capacities.
 It is the prime function of education to develop each individual fully and
completely according to his or her interests, inclinations, aptitucles and
capacities in such a way that he or she becomes an able and capable person.
 In other words, education of the individual should be planned with a view
to individual good as well as the good of the society of which he is an
integral part.
 Sir Percy Nunn reveals himself as a naturalist when he argues in favour of
individual aim on the basis of biological phenomena in the second chapter
of his book.
 Nunn believes that if an individual is cut away from society, he can not
develop himself in any way.

9. Arguments of Individual Aim of Education
 Arguments in favour of Individual Aim of Education.
 Arguments against Individual Aim of Education.

10. Arguments in favour of Individual Aim of Education
 Based on Psychological Principles.
 Based on Biological Principles.
 Based on Progressive Attitude.
 Based on Democratic Values.

11. Based on Psychological Principles
 Each child has distinct instincts and inherent tendencies.
 he is not allowed to behave according to his nature and
contrary to his social ideals together with social forms of
behaviour are forced upon him, he will become a mental
patient.
 Tension, stress and mental conflict will develop in him with
result that he will become a deceased and maladjusted
individual.
 This has established the fact that interests, inclinations,
aptitudes, capacities and needs of each child are distinct from
the other.
 the main aim of education should be to develop the unique
individuality of each child according to his nature in a natural
way.

12. Based on Biological Principles
 Biological science asserts that as each child has an
individuality of his own.
 His innate nature cannot be changed by any means.
 Such child is distinct entity, a new organization and a
new experiment of life, the aim of education can be
nothing else but to develop his unique individuality,
naturally and distinctly.
 It is an admitted fact that when natural development of
individuality has been suppressed, evil consequences
have occurred.
 The first and the second world wars and their evil
consequences are the glaring examples of such
repressionistic philosophy.

13. Based on Progressive Attitude.
 His own good, the individual creates society to
preserve, purify and transmit its culture to the rising
generation so that the development of individual will
naturally lead to the development of society.
 The aim of education should be the autonomous
development of individuality.

14. Based on Democratic Values
 Every democratic country insisting upon the freedom
of individuals, emphasise the fact that the aim of
education should be the development of good
citizens.
 It may be noted that good citizens develop from good
persons.
 The aim of education should be the development of
unique individuality of the individual.

15. Arguments against Individual Aim of Education
 Possibility of Social Disintegration.
 Not Applicable to Real Life.
 Encourages Individualism.
 Disregard of Social Obligations.
 Disregard of Ethical Values.
 Encourages arbitrary Actions.

16. Possibility of Social Disintegration
 Individual aim provides full freedom and
unrestricted liberty to all individuals, such
unrestricted liberty and freedom for all individuals
will result in indiscipline, conflicts and tension which
will start the process of social disintegration.
 it is unwise to grant unrestricted freedom to the
individual.

17. Not Applicable to Real Life
 Acceptable of this aim presupposes that each child
should be provided all facilities and opportunities to
develop himself in his own way and according to his
own interests and inherent tendencies.
 To achieve this aim the formulation of aims and
construction of curriculum for each child shall be
essentially different from the others.
 This is almost impossible and impracticable
presumption beyond the capacity and resources of
even the richest country of the world.

18. Encourages Individualism
 Individual aim makes individual selfish Individual
aim of education will make individuals self-conceited
and proud and this may lead to immoral behavior
and unhealthy attitudes.
 The society will suffer under the consequence of
Individualism.
 Individuality cannot develop from a vacuum; it
develops in a social atmosphere.
 Unless society develops, individual cannot develop.

19. Disregard of Social Obligations
 Maximum freedom may go against the society.
 Each individual is a social animal.
 He develops his personality with the cooperation of
society.
 It is the prime duty of the individual to pay back this
debt of society by working his best for the welfare of
society.
 Unless he does this, his life will be a mere waste.
 It is no use, then to drum best the individual aim of
education.

20. Disregard of Ethical Values
 Individual aim of education emphasizes the
individual differences of children.
 If too much emphasizes on the individual differences
then it will be very difficult to develop love,
sympathy, sacrifice, service, co-operation and other
moral values in children.

21. Encourages Arbitrary Actions
 Individual aim of education provides unlimited and
unrestricted freedom to the individual which makes
him a man of arbitrary decisions and reckless
actions.
 The power of reasoning and argumentation cannot
develop properly in the children if this aim is blindly
accepted.

22. Supports of Individual Aim of Education
 Support of Biologists.
 Support of Naturalists.
 Support of Psychologists.
 Support of Progressivists.
 Spiritualist’s Support.
 Support by Existentialists.
 Support of Democrats

23. Support of Biologists
 Biologists believe that every individual is different from others
in many ways.
 Every child is a unique product and a new experiment with
life.
 Education helps him to develop fully and education aims at
development of individual abilities of each child who is unique
biologically.
 Prof. G. Thompson says, “Education is for the individual – its
function being to enable the individual to survive and live out
its complete life. Education is imparted to preserve the
individual life. Community exists for the individual, not the
individual for the community. Community being the means
and individual being the end, education should not set the
means over the end. Individual and not society, therefore,
should be the centre of all educational efforts and activities.”

24. Support of Naturalists
 The naturalists like T.P. Nunn, Rousseau, Comenius are the supporters of
this aim as the development of individuality.
 They asserted that the central aim of education is the autonomous
development of the individual.
 Sir Percy Nunn observed individuality is the ideal of life and added that a
scheme of education is ultimately to be valued by its success in fostering the
highest degree of individual excellence.
 “Exalting the individual development” as the aim of education Sir Percy
Nunn believes that “Nothing good enters into the human world except in
and through the free activities of individual men and women, and that the
educational practice must be shaped to accord with that truth”.
 importance is attached to the development of individuality.
 Similarly, J.J. Rousseau in his master-piece, ‘Emile’ (treatise on education)
says, “Everything is good as it comes from the hands of Author of Nature,
but everything degenerates in the hand of man. God makes all things good.
Man meddles with them and they become evil”.
 Education should be in accordance with the true nature of the child.

25. Support of Psychologists
 Psychologists view that no two individuals are alike.
 There is marked individual difference among the
individuals.
 Every child is potentially unique child, endowed with
natural tendencies, inclinations, interests and abilities.
 The aim of education is to develop those natural powers
and potentialities for optimization of his individuality in
all its aspects—physical, mental, social, emotional, moral,
spiritual and aesthetic.
 Education should be individualized to cater to the needs,
interests and attitudes of the children.
 Pestalozzi, Froebel, Montessori are the ardent supporters
of this view.

26. Support of Progressivists
 The famous Progressivists like J.L. Childs, Boyd Bode, George Counts,
W.H. Kilpatrick etc, who emphasized that the progress of the society
depends on the development of individual.
 By their participation in the social life, the progress of the society can be
possible.
 They hold the view that the progress and advancement of the world is due
to the rich contributions of individual men and women.
 A society cannot march an inch of progress without the contributions of
men and women to it according to their abilities.
 Education should aim at individual development if it seeks to contribute to
social development.
 According to T.P. Nunn, “Education should help the child to make his
original contribution to the variegated whole of human life as full and as
truly characteristic as his nature permits”.
 If an individual is fully blossomed, the society is automatically developed.
 The aim of education is to develop the abilities of men and women to their
top heights so that they will move the chariot of progress of the world.

27. Spiritualist’s Support
 The spiritualists hold the view that every individual is a divine
and separate entity and responsible for his or her own actions.
 Since the spiritual development of man is individual, the main
function of education should be to lead the individual to self-
realization and realization of higher or supreme values of life.
 Swami Vivekananda States, “Man is potentially divine. The
goal is to manifest this potentiality from within, by controlling
nature—external and internal through education”.
 Spiritualists feel that individual development culminating in
self-realization should be the aim of education.

28. Support by Existentialists
 The chief exponents of existentialistic philosophy are Soren Kierkegaard,
Gabriel Marcel, Martin Heidegger, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean Paul Sartre,
Karl Jaspers etc.
 Existentialists consider individuality as supreme and consider society as a
means of its development.
 Man alone is the real being who wants to exist and tries to understand the
meaning and significance in life.
 According to them, the existence precedes essence i.e. what a thing is
essence and that it is existence.
 The existence of individual lies in the provision of opportunity for self-
realization through the absolute freedom.
 He is in the process of becoming a complete man and as such education
should help him in this process by providing a plethora of opportunities.
 Education should provide every help for the growth and development of the
individuality or personality which is valued as he is considered as the
centre of the universe and nothing else is equal to it and also education
helps him gaining personal experience and creating values for himself.

29. Support of Democrats
 Every democratic country emphasizes upon freedom of
an individual and it should provide facilities for all
individuals to develop in any direction which would be
useful to themselves.
 Bertrand Russell has remarked, “Education of the
individual is a finer thing than the education of the
citizen”.
 Education must, therefore, not only seek to produce good
citizens but also refine individuals who are the assets of a
nation.
 aim of education is to help the development of
individuality of the individual in all its aspects and facets.

30. Thank You