Ontological and Epistemological Relevance: The Cause for Philosophical Coherence and Excellence in Education

Abstract

The necessity of formulating a philosophical framework to guide education theory, policy and practice justifies the necessity of open-mindedness. A philosophical framework which may serve as the cause for efficacy and the purpose of devising coherence of education remains at the center of a philosophical stadium. A strong philosophy of education poses as an enterprise of responding to the big questions about teaching and learning. Some of the crucial questions are about the aim of education, the person to be educated, the subject to be taught, the methodology to be utilized, and consideration of diversity of interests and abilities in terms of relevance, coherence, and excellence. Any attempt to respond to these interrogations must incline towards ontology and epistemology. In the contrary, these questions have been snubbed for many years in favor of procrastination. In any case, why study questions that never go away? Why not just get on with the task instead of philosophizing and having abstract discussions? It is apt to oppose falling into the anomaly of tedious discussions. Nevertheless, while these objections are understandable, it is notable that those who ignore such questions are in error because whatever is in the society defines the thinking being, the knowledge and the structure of thinking. Thus, the concept of ontology points at the ‘being’ of the learner while epistemology is about the knowledge. Therefore, having a properly articulated philosophy of education is a mandatory venture, nevertheless, many systems of education have flouted this reality. A prolific attempt to respond to the incessant questions about education depends on the corollary of ontology and epistemology in enhancing coherence and relevance in pedagogy. Otherwise, eradicate the epistemology of a people, and thus destroy their ontology.