David Hume and Education in the 21st Century: Maintaining A Balance Between Rationality, Emotion, And Morality

Marselus Ruben Payong

Universitas Katolik Indonesia Santu Paulus Ruteng

Modern educational practices are deeply rooted in the ideas of earlier philosophers. Some 18th-century thinkers have not been fully explored. One such thinker is David Hume. Hume is better known as a philosopher than an educator or educational thinker. Due to the limited research on Hume's thoughts on education, this paper examines his views on education and their relevance to the educational context of the 21st century. This study uses a qualitative, descriptive-philosophical approach using textual analysis and historical interpretation. The primary sources are Hume's original works, such as A Treatise of Human Nature (1739–1740), An Inquiry Concerning Human Understanding (1748), and An Inquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals (1751). The analysis is conducted by interpreting Hume's ideas within the framework of contemporary educational theory, particularly those related to experiential learning, moral education, and the integration of technology into the learning process. The results of the study show that Hume's thoughts are still very current for educational practice in this era. The influence of Hume's thinking on educational practice is evident in how his ideas are applied in various aspects of education, such as a curriculum based on real-life experiences and social morality; teachers acting as facilitators of experience and moral guides; democratic school management based on social reflection; and authentic and reflective learning evaluation. Hume inspired progressive educational figures such as John Dewey, Jean Piaget, and Carl Rogers, who emphasized experiential learning and humanistic education.

Article link: https://www.asianinstituteofresearch.org/EQRarchives/david-hume-and-education-in-the-21st-century%3A-maintaining-a-balance-between-rationality%2C-emotion%2C-and-morality