ERIC Number: EJ1324891
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Dec
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0309-8249
EISSN: N/A
Kant on Wonder as the Motive to Learn
Zinkin, Melissa
Journal of Philosophy of Education, v55 n6 p921-934 Dec 2021
Kant writes, 'to have trained one's children is not enough … what really matters is that they learn to "think"'. By 'thinking', Kant means thinking for oneself. But how can one learn to think for oneself? I focus on how we can be motivated to think for ourselves and argue that for Kant it is through the feeling of wonder. I make my case by drawing an analogy between Kant's discussion of wonder and his discussion of respect. For Kant, we can learn to feel wonder and be motivated to think for ourselves by being presented with seemingly organised objects that give us the occasion to feel wonder. Moreover, for Kant, sometimes the same object that provides the occasion for wonder is also what produces the feeling of respect, namely the pure activity of reason. In this way, wonder helps us to learn how to be virtuous.
Descriptors: Educational Philosophy, Educational Theories, Learning Motivation, Thinking Skills, Learner Engagement, Comprehension
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2191/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A