Theories on a Personalist Philosophy of Education : A Phenomenological Inquiry on the Human Person

Man's search for the truth about himself and the world is a task that he had assumed and will continue to do so throughout his history. With the assistance of philosophical thoughts, education had empowered him to pursue this human quest. It is amidst a fast advancing technological epoch such as what we are currently immersed in, does man gain a greater self-awareness and speaks more of his dignity, his expressions of freedom, and a greater recognition of his human rights. Such an era is also a propitious time to look at the relevance of a Personalist Philosophy of education which opens new horizons in learning especially in making a person himself an active principle and subject of learning. Educating persons means forming and enhancing the totality of his personhood and this in a nutshell is the aim of the integral education of a Personalist Philosophy of education. To achieve this integral (holistic) education, the Personalist educators give primordial importance to the subjectivity, uniqueness, interior freedom, and expressions of creativity in the process of learning of each individual. This then presupposes a deep and incisive comprehension of the nature of the human person.