Activity 5.

2
by Nisha Gidharry - Thursday, 22 October 2015, 12:43 PM
Our philosophy is the way in which we are able to make sense of the world. It is shaped by
our mindset which is influenced by our ethics and core values. Our philosophical views
create the standpoint from which we engage in the reflective process, solve problems and
approach various experiences. My examinations of the various philosophies have helped
me to better understand and categorize my personal views on the world including my
interactions with knowledge and my behaviour both professionally and in my personal life.
Philosophies Examined
1. Humanism
Humanist philosophers included Sigmund Freud, Victor Frankl and Abraham Marslow.
Operating under this school of thought, these philosophers according to Edwards (1984)
were not unwilling to explore, challenge, doubt or question any area of thought. They took
responsibility for their decisions and beliefs and gained a sense of control over them. For
humanists, their understanding of the world is shaped by what they can perceive with their
senses and comprehend with their minds. They strongly believe that knowledge should be
verifiable and as a result are only concerned with human values that only make sense in the
context of human life although they tend to be accepting of religious and affective based
ideas as they believe that any belief is possible as long as it can be supported. Such
mindsets help to develop creative individuals, great problem solvers and critical thinkers who
make informed decisions.
2. Postmodernism
Philosophers with this ideal such as Jean- Francois Lyotard (1984) who denied a universal
objective truth and Jacques Derrida (n.d) who focuses on individuals interpretation of
knowledge are of the view that a correct description of reality is impossible. Postmodernism
is a reaction to what individuals believe is the truth as for them; multiple realities can exist at
the same time. Feyerabend (n.d.) indicated that the only absolute truth is that there are no
absolute truths. Postmodernists believe that there is a reality for each group of speakers that
chooses to use the word and accept the usage of it. They rely on concrete evidence rather
than abstract principles and see the outcome of peoples experience as being fallible and
relative rather than certain and universal. In other words, various people will create different
meanings from similar experiences which may not necessarily be the same but instead will
be their bias perceptions of the truth. Ayer (n.d.) posited that without a basis for certainty, all
our claims to knowledge must be suspect.
3. Constructivism
The term constructivism was first coined by Piaget and was later supported by Bruner (1966)
in his effort to describe discovery learning. Constructivism proposes that learner conceptions
of knowledge are derived from a meaning-making search in which learners engage in a
process of constructing individual interpretations of their experiences (Applefield et al n.d).

They therefore are of the view that knowledge is constructed and that even scientific
knowledge is constructed by scientists and is dependent on convention, human perception
and social experience rather than being discovered through strict scientific methods.
4. Positivism
Positivism is the traditional means by which we discover new knowledge. It was founded
by Auguste Comte and is a philosophical position that emphasizes the need for empirical
data and scientific methods as there are regularities in the world which are detectable. They
believe that knowledge can be inferred through observation and is based on general rules.
Positivists believe that the world exists independent of our senses.

Implications for my Philosophy

It is difficult for me to fully commit to any one philosophical approach as I believe that there is
merit in each ideology and as a result, my philosophy will vary as it is contingent on the
experiences, situations or knowledge that I am expected to comprehend and accept at
various times in my professional and personal life. None the less, due to my roles as teacher
and student, I am less reluctant to adhere to constructivists philosophy. I am of the view that
learning can happen inductively and that through our exploration and experiences with
various ideas, we can construct our own knowledge. As a teacher, I encourage my students
to be actively engaged in their own learning and provide them with opportunities to learn
through discovery and their own experiences with the world around them.
I also favour the humanist approach to viewing the world as it encourages creativity and
problem solving as well as provides an opportunity for growth and development and is more
tolerant and acceptable to the views of others. However, one major limitation of this view for
me is that it does not explain phenomena beyond the scope of the human realm. My ethical
values are strongly grounded in my belief in the supernatural and have been largely shaped
by my indoctrination of Christian lore. Consequently, for me a belief in Supreme Being for
whom there is no evidence to support his existence, still play a major role in determining and
shaping the behaviour, actions, experiences and knowledge of many including myself.
I also value the ideas brought forward by postmodernists. In dealing with cases pertaining to
behaviour in my classroom, I am often faced with many sides of the truth. In most of these
cases, to students, their truth is always the reality regardless of what the other person says.
Therefore, I can understand why postmodernists describe knowledge as being subjective. I
too believe that our knowledge is shaped by our interpretation of our reality which is not
always the same as that of others.
I see positivists views as a means to control individuals in society. It does not foster
creativity and critical thinking. If we are all to conform to the laws set by others before us and
refrain from questioning and challenging what already exists, how then is there to be any
improvement in the world? Hence my inability to fully accept this philosophy as my own,
regardless of its value as a traditional view of knowledge and science.

Gaining a better understanding of the philosophies through my reading has helped to realize
and understand the basis for many of my actions and interactions with the world and all its
knowledge. I now have a better understanding of my how I learn as well as how I come to
appreciate knowledge. In turn, I see this as a valuable guide in helping me to ensure that my
outward actions are a more vivid reflection of my inward conversations.

Bibliography
Applefield, J., Huber, R., & Moallem, M. (n.d.). Constructivism in Theory and Practice:
Toward a Better Understanding. Retrieved October 22, 2015, from
http://people.uncw.edu/huberr/constructivism.pdf
Edwards, F. (1984). The Humanist Philosophy In Perspective (1984). Retrieved October 22,
2015, from http://infidels.org/library/modern/fred_edwords/perspective.html

Jacobson, T. (2013, February 14). Theory of Science What is Positivism? Retrieved

October 22, 2015, from http://www.popularsocialscience.com/2013/02/15/theory-of-sciencewhat-is-positivism/

Miller, T. (2011, October 22). Everyone is a Philosopher: Mindset Matters - Pick the Brain |
Motivation and Self Improvement. Retrieved October 22, 2015, from
http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/everyone-is-a-philosopher-mindset-matters/

Nobel, D. (2006). Postmodern Philosophy. Retrieved October 22, 2015, from

http://www.allaboutworldview.org/postmodern-philosophy.htm

Post-Modernism - By Movement / School - The Basics of Philosophy. (n.d.). Retrieved

October 22, 2015, from http://www.philosophybasics.com/movements_postmodernism.html

Sohail, D. (2012, September 12). Secular Web Kiosk: Secular Ethics: Seven Humanist
Philosophers. Retrieved October 22, 2015, from http://infidels.org/kiosk/article/secular-ethicsseven-humanist-philosophers-857.html