Life Of Comenius Essays - Virtue, Metaphysics, John Amos Comenius

Life Of Comenius In Moravia in 1592, Comenius, one of the greatest educational theorists to date, was brought into life. From his father he received ordinary elementary and grammar school education. While attending school the incompetence of his teachers drove him to become a school reformer. Still today, 300 years later, we find his teachings to be the origins of contemporary or recent trends of thought. Comenius's theories can be seen today through the relatively young philosophy of progressivism. Through Comenius's views on the nature and character of society, the nature of the individual, and the nature of knowledge, one can see how his views on education may have influenced the development of progressivism. One view that must be looked upon is the nature and character of society. Comenius believed that human society is an educative society: though this idea is not explicitly stated until the nineteenth century. In other words society teaches all things to all men and from all view points as well as the fundamental union between the educational ideal and the ideal of international organization. This then proceeds into the nature of the individual. The nature of the individual should also be considered when looking into Comenius's philosophy. Comenius believed in three main issues that cannot be separated. These three aspects consist of Erudition, virtue or seemly morals, and religion or piety. In other words, we comprehend the knowledge of all things, arts, and tongue; under virtue, not only external decorum, but the whole disposition of our internal and external movements; while by religion we understand that inner veneration by which the mind of man attaches to the supreme Godhead (Reisner 24). Comenius states that, In these three things is situated the whole excellence of man, for they alone are the foundation of the present and the future (Reisner, 24). All other things (beauty, riches, strength, long life) only lead to harmful destruction if he should greedily gape after them and overwhelm himself with them. Along the lines of virtue, Comenius believed that the seeds of virtue are born with man. However this belief is bou nd up in a twofold argument. Comenius states, ?every man delights in harmony; man himself, externally and internally, is nothing but a harmony (Reisner 30). In other words, just like a piece of clock work where throughout the whole structure one part depends on the other, and the movements are perpetuated and harmonized; mans body functions in the same respect. Thus we do not forthwith pronounce it to be of no further use if it becomes disorganized and corrupt; thus with regard to man, no matter how disorganized by his fall into sin, he can, through the grace of god and by certain methods, be restored to harmony again (Reisner 32). Therefore throughout life each man strives to keep harmony internally and externally. Without it he would be lost and self-destruction would slowly take its course. Another aspect that Comenius believes is naturally planted into humans is the seeds of knowledge. Comenius also flows the nature of knowledge into his philosophy. In his epistemological view he believes that the seed of knowledge is planted into man. Therefore it is not necessary to have anything brought to man from the outside, but only that that which he possesses rolled up within hisself should be unfolded and disclosed. Comenius explains that since everything in the universe can either be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, and touched, it follows that there is nothing which cannot be compassed by a man endowed with sense and reason. Therefore all things exist in man, and that only if he is sufficiently skilled to strike the sparks to bring out his knowledge will he ever reap the fullest enjoyment of the marvelous treasures of gods wisdom. The truth of this is backed by the early years of childhood where the five senses are in search of food, and in return brings forth the knowledge. Comenius states, ?for an active nature nothing is so intolerable as ease and sloth (Reisner 28). Th erefore man has a natural desire for the wealth of knowledge and even the ignorant wish to be partakers of this wisdom, if they could only deem it possible. For Comenius believes the true