Examining Humboldt's Bildung Concept: Educational Implications through an Analytical Study

پژوهش نامه مبانی تعلیم و تربیت

Article 1, Volume 12, Issue 1 - Serial Number 23, August 2023, Pages 5-31   

Document Type: پژوهشی

DOI: 10.22067/fedu.2023.76232.1155

Authors

Fatemeh Nazari Roodbali¹; Masoud Safaei Moghadam^{* 2}; Sayyed Mansour Maraashi³; Sayyed Jalal Hashemi⁴

¹Ph.D. Student of Philosophy of Education, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

²Professor, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

³Associate Professor, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

⁴Assistant Professor, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is an analytical study of Humboldt Bildung's idea and its educational implications. Today, Bildung is proposed as a fundamental concept in education that has special implications for the contemporary philosophy of education. This is because Bildung provides a philosophical framework for conceptualizing human growth and development, and relates this evolution to education in a normative way. One interpretation of the Bildung concept is Humboldt's interpretation. This study uses the method of conceptual interpretation, concept development, and philosophical analysis to explain the conditions for the realization of Bildung and its components from Humboldt's point of view. Then, by showing the relationship between these components, it clarifies the foundations and principles of education. The result of this study indicates that in Humboldt's thought, man does not achieve a goal from the beginning he needs becoming and this becoming depends on willful, purposeful, and endless action. Achieving Bildung in this process requires freedom, social interaction, variety of situations, comprehensive interaction with the world, as well as achieving a harmonious and homogeneous personality, which according to Humboldt is Bildung's goal and end. The anthropological foundations of Humboldt-Bildung's idea show that man is a dynamic being, not merely a body, but a unity of the truth of the soul with the body. Also, in Humboldt's thought, every human being is a unique being who achieves self-realization in the context of society and with social interaction, and finally, it is the richness of various conditions and situations that flourishes man's latent talents. Principles derived from the anthropological foundations of Humboldt-Bildung's idea include "human agency", "mutual influence of internal and external forces", "social interaction" and "the other" principles. Education as Bildung can promote a new concept and view of education in the history of education in this region.
Keywords: Humboldt Idea, Bildung, anthropology, educational implications
Synopsis:
Today's world has undergone countless changes. Among the results of these changes, people are moving away from the sublime and spiritual meanings of life and moving towards a material life without spiritual meanings. Therefore, one of the important concerns of today's educational philosophers is to examine the ways of guiding life toward meaning and spirituality. One of the most important solutions in this regard is to reconstruct the concept of education in such a way that it has transcendental and meaning-making values. Dealing with the concept of "Bildung" in this research has been done in this direction.
In a comprehensive study of Bildung and Schule, Dohmen concluded in 1964 that the concept of ‘‘Bildung’’ is one of the most ambiguous and vague fundamental concepts of German pedagogy (Dohmen, 1964, p. 15). This concept was given special consideration in the curriculum of the gymnasium (Phillips, 2010) and Humboldt University (Konrad, 2012, p. 110). Indeed, this ideal concept generally refers to perfecting the person's ``true nature,'' or ``higher self.''(Horlacher, 2004). At the end of the eighteenth century, the concept of Bildung was introduced in German educational and pedagogical discourses. This concept was introduced mainly through Johann Gottfried Herder and Wilhelm von Humboldt (Masschelein & Ricken, 2003, p. 140). Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767-1835), who was a Prussian government official directing the education section in the Kultusministerium [ministry of culture], not only formulated the idea of Bildung in a theory but also created an institution for it, the university. The reform of the higher schools and the university at the start of the nineteenth century, for which Humboldt was responsible, was oriented towards an ideal of Bildung that centered on studies of Latin, Greek, mathematics, literature, and history (Horlacher, 2012, PP. 135-140). One has to consider the entirety of Humboldt's philosophy of art, political theories, and psychology of language if one hopes to deduce Humboldt's thoughts on the problem of Bildung (Konrad, 2010: 109).
The problem of this research is to examine the possibility of correctly facing the challenge of the lack of spiritual load of educational systems and a one-dimensional view of human beings. This review is based on the Bildong idea. hence, firstly, the explanation and analysis of this idea has been discussed and then we will explore the implications it has for education and especially for the design of a correct and effective confrontation with the challenges of the field of education. Therefore, this research seeks to answer two main questions concerning Humboldt's idea of Bildung and its educational implications.

How do anthropological foundations align with Humboldt's concept of Bildung?
What educational principles emerge from Humboldt's anthropological perspective within the Bildung idea?

Conclusion:
A correct understanding of Humboldt's idea of Bildung requires a correct understanding of the philosophical foundations of his thought. In Humboldt's view, Bildung is influenced by his idea of man; A person who is on the path of education and reaching Bildung towards excellence and growth, a person who is on the path of becoming and flourishing, is free, active, and autonomous, and everything that limits this freedom should be removed. In Humboldt's view, freedom is natural and inherent freedom; Therefore, for Humboldt, individual self-improvement in the Bildung process can only reach its highest level when the government's limited intervention provides security; Otherwise, the government will not raise slaves instead of raising independent and free men and women. Study Humboldt's idea of Bildung and its components draws a path for education that contrasts it with the current education system; Education that educates people in the direction of predetermined goals and certain formats and frameworks, and this is exactly the opposite of Humboldt's idea of Bildung. In Humboldt's views, Bildung takes on a broad and novel meaning that originates from his comparative anthropology and new humanism.
The human being considered by Humboldt has various aspects that all of them should be cultivated and this multi-faceted whole comes to fruition under the shadow of an important principle called freedom. Of course, Humboldt emphasizes that freedom alone is not enough and must be another important principle to realize Bildung, and that is social interaction, which requires another understanding. In fact, according to him, it is in synchronicity and companionship with the group that the individual grows and is freed from mental chains; In other words, Humboldt considers the realization of individual Bildung as a collective Bildung, and where a person reaches another's understanding is the starting point of spirituality; Therefore, what highlights the necessity of realizing Bildung in the educational system is paying attention to spirituality, finding meaning and analyzing meaning, which with the capacity that bildung creates for the individual through its components and principles, such as "freedom", "the connection between me and the world", "social interaction", "understanding the other", etc., leads to the existential development of the individual.
The existential development of a person also requires awareness of the phenomenon of alienation and trying to correct and realize oneself through another means; In the sense that individuality develops so much through Bildung that it considers the other and others as its own, and incorporates and digests the entire universe. With these interpretations, the purpose and goal of education in Humboldt's view are to reach humanity, an ideal human being, and a homogeneous, consistent, and balanced personality. Considering the goal of education, the foundations and principles have been deduced from the idea of Humboldt's Bildung, which are briefly mentioned.
The anthropological foundations of Humboldt's Bildung idea are 1. Man is a dynamic being 2. Man is a unity of mind and body 3. Multiple situations 4. Collective identity. The principles corresponding to these foundations are: 1. The principle of human agency, 2. The principle of the mutual influence of the soul and the body, 3. The principle of the other, and 4. The principle of social interaction.

Keywords

Humboldt Idea; Bildung; anthropology; educational implications

References

Azadmanesh, S., Bagheri Noaparast, K., Sefidkhosh, M., & Sajadieh, N. (2019). Education as "Bildung" in Hegel's phenomenology. Foundations of Education, 9(1), 26-47. (In Persian).

Azadmanesh, S., Bagheri, N. K., & Sefidkhosh, M. (2020). A reflection on the critical themes about hegelian education with regard to phenomenology of spirit. Philosophy of Education, 5(1), 5-28. (In Persian)

Bagheri, Kh. (2011). A look at Islamic education. Tehran: ducational Research and Planning Organization Publications (School). (In Persian)

Bani Asadi, A., Sajjadi, S. M., Bagheri, K., & Sefidkhosh, M. (2019). The Relation of Anthropological Foundation of the Theory of Bildung with the idea of University in the Thought of Wilhelm von Humboldt. Philosophy of Education, 3(3), 5-24. (In Persian).

Beheshti, S., Afkhami Ardakani, M. (2007). Explaining foundations and principles of social education in Nahj-ol-Balagheh. Journal of Islamic Education, 2(4), 7-39. (In Persian)

Coombs, J. R., & Daniels, L. B. (1991). Philosophical inquiry: Conceptual analysis. In E.C. Short (Ed.), Forms of curriculum inquiry. Albany: State University of New York Press.

Cote, J. E., & Levine, C. G. (2002). Identity formation, agency, and culture: A social psychological synthesis. Hillside, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Danner, H. (1994). Bildung: A basic term of german education. Educational Sciences, Cairo, 9:1994.

Dohmen, G. (1964). Bildung und Schule. Die Entstehung des deutschen Bildungs-begriffs und die Entwicklung seines Verhältnisses zur Schule. Bd 1: Der religiöse und der organologische Bildungsbegriff. Weinheim: Beltz

Fertig, L. (1977). Campes politische erziehung: Eine einführung in die pädagogik der auf klärung. darmstadt: wissenschaftliche buchgesellschaft.

Gustavson, B. (2014). Bildong and the path from the classical concept to a universal and postcolonial concept. Confero, 2(1), 109-131 |.

Heidt, I. (2015). Exploring the Historical dimensions of bildung and its metamorphosis in the Context of Globalization. L2 Journal, 7(4), 2-16.

Hergenhahn, B. R., & Olson, M. H. (2009). An introduction to theories of personality (5th ed). Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Horlacher, R. (2004). Bildung: A construction of a history of philosophy of education. Studies in Philosophy and Education, 23, 409-426.

Horlacher, R. (2012). What is Bildung? Or: Why Pädagogik cannot get away from the concept of Bildung. In P. Siljander, A. Kivela, & A. Sutinen (Eds.), Theories of bildung and growth. connections and controversies between continental educational thinking and american pragmatism (PP. 135-147). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

Humboldt, W. (1903). Gesammelte Schriften: Akademic-Ausgabe in 17 Bdn Bd. 1. In A. Leitzmann et al. (ed). Berlin: Behr Verlage.

Humboldt, W. (1960). Werke in fünf bänden. Herausgegeben von Andreas Flitner und Klaus Giel. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft.

Humboldt, W. (1969). Theorie der Bildung des menschen. In W. Humbodt, A. Flltner & K. Giel (Eds.), Werke in fünf Bänden: Val. 1. Schriften zur Anthropologie und Geschichte (pp. 234-240). Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft.

Humboldt, W. (2000). Theory of Bildung. In I. Westbury, S. Hopmann, & K. Riquarts (Eds.), Studies in curriculum theory. Teaching as a reflective practice: The german didaktik tradition (PP. 57-63). Mahwah, N.J: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates

Humboldt, W. V. (1789). Tagebuch der Reise nach Paris und der Schweiz 1789. Leitzmann, A. (Ed.) (1916). Gesammelte Schriften, Bd. XIV. (pp. 76-237). German: B. Behr's Verlag.

Humboldt, W. V. (1979). Bildung und sprache. C. Menze. (Ed.). Paderborn: Schöningh.

Humboldt, W. V. (1993). The limits of state action. J.W. Burrow (Ed.). Indianapolis: Liberty Fund.

Humboldt, W., & Von Humboldt, C. (1918). Wilhelm und Caroline von Humboldt in ihren Briefen (Vol. 1). Germany: ES Mittler und Sohn.‏

Klein, L. (1994). Shaftesbury & the culture of politeness. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Konrad, F. M. (2010). Wilhelm Von Humboldt. Bern: Haupt Verlag.

Konrad, F. M. (2012). Wilhelm Von Humboldt’s contribution to a theory of Bildung. In: P. Siljander, A. Kivela, & A. Sutinen, (Eds.), Theories of Bildung and growth. Connections and controversies between continental educational thinking and American pragmatism, Rotterdam (PP. 107-124). Boston: Sense Publishers.

Lovlie, L. (2002). The promise of Bildung. In R. Davies (Ed.), Annual conference philosophy of education society of great Britain. Conference Papers, P. 221-234.

Lovlie, L., & Standish, P. (2002). Introduction: Bildung and the idea of a liberal education. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 36, 3, 317-340.

Luth, C. (1998). On Wilhelm von Humboldt's theory of Bildung dedicated to wolfgang klafki for his 70th birthday. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 30, 1, 43-60.

Masschelein, J., & Ricken, N. (2003). Do we (still) need the concept of Bildung? Educational Philosophy and Theory, 35(2), 139-154.‏

Masschelein, J., & Simons, M. (2006). Globale Immunität oder eine kleine Katastrophe des Europäischen Bildungsraums. Zürich/Berlin: Diaphanes

Mendelssohn, M. (1784). Über die Frage: Was heisst aufklären? Berlinische Monatsschrift, 4, 193-200.

Mueller Vollmer, K., & Volker, H. (2007). Wilhelm von humboldts bedeutung für die beschreibung der sudostasiatischen sprachen und die anfänge der sudostasien forschung. In P. Schmitter (ed), Geschichte der Sprachtheorie (vol. 6/2, pp. 430-61). Tubingen: Gunter Narr.

Phillips, D. (2010). Epistemological distinctions and cultural politics: educational reform and the Naturwissenschaft/Geisteswissenschaft distinction in nineteenth-century Germany. In Historical perspectives on Erklären and Verstehen (PP. 15-35). Dordrecht: Springer.

Rogers, G. A. J. (1988). Die cambridger platoniker. In J. P. Schobinger (Ed.), Grundriss der Geschichte der Philosophie. Band 3.1: Die Philosophie des 17 (PP. 240- 290). Basel, Switzerland: Schwabe.

Safaei Moghadam, M. (2010). Foundations of education from the point of view of Imam Sajjad (AS). Ahvaz: Rasesh publication. (In Persian)

Shaftesbury, A. A. C. (1981). Soliloquy: Or, advice to an author. In G. Hemmerich & W. Benda (Eds), Anthony Ashley Cooper, third Earl of Shaftesbury, Standard Edition. Sämtliche Werke, ausgewählte Briefe und nachgelassene Schriften. Bd. I,1 (PP. 35-301). Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt: Fromann-Holzboog.

Shokohi, Gh. H. (2015). Principles and principles of education. Mashhad: Astan Quds Razavi. (In Persian)

Sorkin, D. (1983). Wilhelm Von Humboldt: The theory and practice of self-formation (Bildung), 1791-1810. Journal of the History of Ideas, 44(1), 55-73.‏

Spranger, E. (1968). Grundlegende bildung, berufsbildung, allgemeinbildung. Preussische Fortbildungsschulzeitung, 9, 65-77.

Vierhaus, R. (2002). Separata formación (Bildung) primera pArte. Revista Educación y Pedagogía, 1, 7-23.

Walker, J. (2022). Wilhelm von Humboldt and Transcultural Communication in a Multicultural World: Translating Humanity.‏ London: Camden House.