On the Role of Evolutionary Thinking in Pedagogy

Abstract

„Man is the only creature whose education is necessary.... Manan become man only through education. He is nothing other than what education makes him. Note that man can only be educated by men, by men who are also educated.” In connection with Kant's definition, one of the fundamental issues of pedagogy is the influence and significance of environmental factors and hereditary endowments. The influence of the environment is perhaps more direct, more researchable and more understandable. In the case of inherited traits, it is more difficult to explore the connections and explanations. This is especially difficult when we ask the question in general: What makes it possible for a human being to be teachable, educable and at the same time capable of teaching and educating? Is it something that man "learns" through the environment, or does man have inherited species-specific traits that make him capable of doing so? Current research (biology, psychology, cognitive sciences, etc.) tends to support the existence of inherited species-specific traits. In pedagogy, explanations of this kind come from natural pedagogy and the evolutionary pedagogy that follows from it.

In addition to a brief presentation of the evolutionary point of view of pedagogy, the study presents the following useful practical insights and theoretical difficulties and questions from this point of view.