民主主义与教育英文版Chapter04

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1、ChapterFourEducationasGrowth1.TheConditionsofGrowth.Indirectingtheactivitiesoftheyoung,societydeterminesitsownfutureindeterminingthatoftheyoung.Sincetheyoungatagiventimewillatsomelaterdatecomposethesocietyofthatperiod,thelatter'snaturewilllargelyturnuponthedirectionchildren'sactiviti

2、esweregivenatanearlierperiod.Thiscumulativemovementofactiontowardalaterresultiswhatismeantbygrowth.Theprimaryconditionofgrowthisimmaturity.Thismayseemtobeameretruism--sayingthatabeingcandeveloponlyinsomepointinwhichheisundeveloped.Buttheprefix"im"ofthewordimmaturitymeanssomethingposi

3、tive,notamerevoidorlack.Itisnoteworthythattheterms"capacity"and"potentiality"haveadoublemeaning,onesensebeingnegative,theotherpositive.Capacitymaydenotemerereceptivity,likethecapacityofaquartmeasure.Wemaymeanbypotentialityamerelydormantorquiescentstate--acapacitytobecomesomethingdiff

4、erentunderexternalinfluences.Butwealsomeanbycapacityanability,apower;andbypotentialitypotency,force.Nowwhenwesaythatimmaturitymeansthepossibilityofgrowth,wearenotreferringtoabsenceofpowerswhichmayexistatalatertime;weexpressaforcepositivelypresent--theabilitytodevelop.Ourtendencytotak

5、eimmaturityasmerelack,andgrowthassomethingwhichfillsupthegapbetweentheimmatureandthematureisduetoregardingchildhoodcomparatively,insteadofintrinsically.Wetreatitsimplyasaprivationbecausewearemeasuringitbyadulthoodasafixedstandard.Thisfixesattentionuponwhatthechildhasnot,andwillnothav

6、etillhebecomesaman.Thiscomparativestandpointislegitimateenoughforsomepurposes,butifwemakeitfinal,thequestionariseswhetherwearenotguiltyofanoverweeningpresumption.Children,iftheycouldexpressthemselvesarticulatelyandsincerely,wouldtelladifferenttale;andthereisexcellentadultauthorityfor

7、theconvictionthatforcertainmoralandintellectualpurposesadultsmustbecomeaslittlechildren.Theseriousnessoftheassumptionofthenegativequalityofthepossibilitiesofimmaturityisapparentwhenwereflectthatitsetsupasanidealandstandardastaticend.Thefulfillmentofgrowingistakentomeananaccomplishedg

8、rowth:thatis