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1、TheAimsofEducation--APleaforReform(byWhitehead)byAlfredNorthWhitehead 1.Cultureisactivityofthought,andreceptivenesstobeautyandhumanefeeling.Scrapsofinformationhavenothingtodowithit.Amerelywell-informedmanisthemostuselessboreonGod'searth.Whatweshouldaimatproducingismenwhopossessbothculturean
2、dexpertknowledgeinsomespecialdirection.Theirexpertknowledgewillgivethemthegroundtostartfrom,andtheirculturewillleadthemasdeepasphilosophyandashighasart.Wehavetorememberthatthevaluableintellectualdevelopmentisself-development,andthatitmostlytakesplacebetweentheagesofsixteenandthirty.Astotrai
3、ning,themostimportantpartisgivenbymothersbeforetheageoftwelve.AsayingduetoArchbishopTempleillustratesmymeaning.Surprisewasexpressedatthesuccessinafter-lifeofaman,whoasaboyatRugbyhadbeensomewhatundistinguished.Heanswered,“Itisnotwhattheyareateighteen,itiswhattheybecomeafterwardsthatmatters.”
4、 2.Intrainingachildtoactivityofthought,aboveallthingswemustbewareofwhatIwillcall“inertideas”—thatistosay,ideasthataremerelyreceivedintothemindwithoutbeingutilised,ortested,orthrownintofreshcombinations. 3.Inthehistoryofeducation,themoststrikingphenomenonisthatschoolsoflearning,whichatoneepo
5、charealivewithafermentofgenius,inasucceedinggenerationexhibitmerelypedantryandroutine.Thereasonis,thattheyareoverladenwithinertideas.Educationwithinertideasisnotonlyuseless:itis,aboveallthings,harmful—Corruptiooptimi,pessima.Exceptatrareintervalsofintellectualferment,educationinthepasthasbe
6、enradicallyinfectedwithinertideas.Thatisthereasonwhyuneducatedcleverwomen,whohaveseenmuchoftheworld,areinmiddlelifesomuchthemostculturedpartofthecommunity.Theyhavebeensavedfromthishorribleburdenofinertideas.Everyintellectualrevolutionwhichhaseverstirredhumanityintogreatnesshasbeenapassionat
7、eprotestagainstinertideas.Then,alas,withpatheticignoranceofhumanpsychology,ithasproceededbysomeeducationalschemetobindhumanityafreshwithinertideasofitsownfashioning. 4.Letusnowaskhowinoursystemofeducationwearetoguardagainstthismentaldryrot.Weenunciateour
