アメリカにおける子ども観・教育思想について(1)

摘要

The aim of this paper is to investigate the history of the views of children and the philosophies of education in America. First, the education through Puritanism in the colonial days will be discussed. In those days, children were regarded as naturally being flawed with evil aspects, and so strict religious education was given to them. Secondly, turning our attention to the contemporary Europe, the philosophies of education of John Rocke (1632 - 1704) and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-78) will be examined. At that time, Europe was in the period of enlightenment, and the optimistic view of children that they were naturally innocent prevailed. Thirdly, the influence of the above - mentioned two philosophers on Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826) and Benjamin Franklin (1706-90) , who both played important roles in the War of Independence, will be analyzed. Lastly, romantic philosophy of education in Transcendentalism in the middle of the 19th century will be discussed, the central figure of which was Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82) . We will, then, refer to Henry David Thoreau (1817-62), Nathaniel Hawthorn (1904-64), and Walt Whitman (1819-92). In dealing with these philosophies, we will pay attention to the view of man by Christianity, that is,"the original sin" that man has.