Foundation for Integrated Education

Primary tabs

Pages

Sorokin_IX_F_7_133
Dr. P. i. KunzThe Foundation forIntegrated Education, Inc.2U6 East U6th StreetNew YorK 17, Hew TorkDear KunatI am enclosing my thesis about Trie Foundation for Integrated Education. As yourself andothers stressed cany other points of the Founda*-tion, in this write-up I stressed mainly onepoint, namely, "Integrated Education of theTotal Han." -Hith beat Wanes,Very sincerely yours.Pitirim A. Sorokin
Sorokin_IX_F_7_134
- Dr. Sorokin:I write to thank you very much indeedfor your letter of May 20th, enclosing your excellent statement on "Integrated Education of theTotal Man". All of us here in the office haveread it and feel it gets at the root of the probleireally the central problem of our time.Cordially yours,Executive SecretaryDr. P. A. SorokinHarvard UniversityResearch Center in CreativtCambridge, Mass.
Sorokin_IX_F_7_135
June 10, 1953Dear Professor Sorokin:Mrs. Kunz and I will be at Orono a day ortwo early and shall look over the arrangements with aview to making you and your party as comfortable aswe can.Registrations as of today are thirty in number.This does not count the wife of a principal, and we can,I think, confidently expect that there will be about fiftyfrom the New England district plus a substantial number offaculty of the University of Maine. The number may, ofcourse, go higher, but we shall be glad if it does notbecome unmanageable for discussion purposes.I have been struggling, perhaps not very successfully, to trace out a thread that might tie the entireconference together. I enclose a rough copy of my effort,with which I am still very dissatisfied.If you think that it might be a good thing tohand out something of this kind, and if you think thatwith your corrections and additions the enclosed is worthwhile, we shall be glad to put it on stencils.Please do not hesitate to be frank if you thinkthat what I have done is unsatisfactory and the idea itselfnot worth pursuing.I am also consulting Professor Lindsay on thispoint, ouo uhlCJL ulq. ^A.i-La>Ji(H I«i£aS .Kunz SF. L. KiExecutive Vice PresidentProfessor F. A. SorokinDirector, Harvard Research CenteIntegration and CreativityHarvard UniversityCambridge, Mass.
Sorokin_IX_F_7_136
[nteorated Education, Inc.In setting up the program of thepresent Workshop at the Universityof Heine, June 28 to July 2, anattempt was made to arrange thesessions according to one possiblenature] sequence.The following remarks pursue thatoriginal sequence. They are issuedonly in the hope that they may be ofsome small use to participants.They sre intended to ba provocative,of course, and not restrictive.It is the discourses and discussionswhich will prompt a chain of thoughtand provide that substance for whichthe occasion has been set. F.L.K.Al The history of human societies makes clear the persistence inman of cultural resources. Scientific achievements should bea natural part in a harmonious cultural whole.A2 Until fairly recently practical interests and specialized activities in science led rather more to applications than to under-atanding of the manner in which science can enrich a philosophyof the whole of experience.A3 Developments within science now make possible a restoration ofa proportionate estimate of man's cultural resources, on termsfair to both science &. the humanities.A4 The alarming deterioration of modern societies,and the relationsof East and West, make such a restoration imperative business.A5 In anticipation of a more effective alliance of world scholarship and materiel resources
Sorokin_IX_F_7_137
it 1b desirable to examine the roots of human nature aad the essentials of tnsknowing prooesa, to that - *w»JUn us trio do logy nay come into use.Bl Certain speolfio developments in science (see A3) mow mice possible a deliverance of the concepts of soienoe Into the oultural stream, aa a natural partef a whole mail In a wholesome society.62 These de volopuents are connected with tho proper balancing of doduotlve-exaat methods in soienoe with other methods, inductive and correlational, for example.BS Deductive exact soienoe oall» Tor oreatlvity In the soieutist and thua displayain him that which is finest and freest In man, giving him oomnoa Kround withgreatness aa shown in any,other human activity.B4 The materials upon which this kind of creativity goes to work ia, however, mJRXsMM very stuff of reason itself, namely, potulutions/ and constructs. Furthermore,leading to exact results and depending ultirsataly upon •uprival verifioatioa forits realism, deductive method contribute* tcf signifi oaiit publlo 11 SSjaS It, SJmSaW*SnW3Sld<iiven», Hence It la an indlspensible part of any pregnm for world understanding.If i- ,i understand how this klnl of knowing -.forks In salenon we can begin to davelopea similarly internally authoritative ooraHuniontlon In other fields than soienoe.S- Here lurks « fascinating theme. The so-well-id oreativs artist works withphysical and biological materials and laws primarily determined by nature, but hisinitial operative attack en his problem must perforoe he not lntellectlm butaffective and aotive, although if he is to grow he must brint, all forces of reaaoato bear on his work at one time or another. The creative soieutist likewise worksno less with materials and laws given in nature. His initial operative attack isthrough logic and ijsafchematloa and he has therefore from the beginning to use Ideasas tools and as materials. Is there not an aesthetic ooinpulalon in Hits basicapprehension of postulates which is frerjuently exercised (as in non-iSuciideangeometry) against what ■•ems to be oouiaon sense JCI The principal mental Instruments of the creative scientist ars logia emdMaths met las.J.C2 In both induction and deuotion are to be found.jrecant years fiiere have been rer.arku.ble or eat ire developments in bothlogic aad mathematics, and oa account of their highly specialised character It ladesirable to review what has thus far endured in such development a/ asiforexample^ symbolic loglo.InU<
Sorokin_IX_F_7_138
04 fTithl» mathesKtlos "nd logic various self-son si stent Important groups haveemerged, for example, differential equations and the lime,06 It is notable that such self-conaistent blocks tend to have applicationsin nature, and Oms we arrive at means to enrich philosophy, ana are challenged tore-organlm education in such n. way as to rtSort knowledge of natural law as abasis fcr soaial thoujrt and individual coniuet, and to JLvt> ju-iper place tologlo and mathematles not for practical purpose alone or largely. The currentcomparison of SfttnVft* calculating machines with the human brala points up thisEU The foregoing disousalon of soienoe derives ohoifly from physios, a domain iawhich feeling or ever, burs sentience (irritability eto) ore supposed to be absent.D2 In the evolutionary series, betweai tho appearonoe of energy and un.tt»r and theappearance of man, unselfgoonaoloua life appeared, tfe ran to BSiMSMsaSaamsmiaccount for the occurrence of life In terras appropriate to our present-day dataand understanding before we aa: sWely move on to the formulation of any exceptworking ideas about the nature of men,D3 Owing to reoent changes In out^look about energy and matter earlier definitionsof life have Ion , since bean abandoned. Their oiroulatity showed their def icieaeles, ,fer example, tliat what Is made of protoplasn is alive, and what is alive 1* builtof protoplasts. He confront an entirely new situation in whloli reduotionlsm (of lifeto satter and energy, as now known) asm is no longer necessary because of new waysof -Slinking in physics itself, and it wsoemss possible to werk toward a philosophyof biology in which the prpper toplos of biology Siail be SsHr central subject matter,Di ■■■hen this situation is confronted It is evident that the gains lathe at noeptua*structuring of physical science (remarkable Indeed, though far from ooiaplete) arenet amtcbed in biolo^.1/5 A dose examination of niooeas with genetic theory of inheritance and therelative failure in the theory of morphology shows how much study has yet to be deneneed for research before we can balunoe up ourefith the smta oonoepts of physios,ia In present olrou|pt«r.oes It is prenature to sxpec* that the teacher ofpsychology oan do SSavS than make a beginning with tti* vast study required Ifwe are to understand that in man which is chiefly anluml jJrttwMA* and thatwhich ia dlstlncly hunmn.
Sorokin_IX_F_7_139
SZ In respest to the psychology of the individual )U( oan at least make abeginning with the study of consciousness and the n t ure of ths cognitive jroblen,and thus make available to the student whatever psychology has to offer about, the msw creative resouroes of soienosyoalaa *v \. e.£3 aisinociHi btl*, Owtoiiiifaijststtneslfiysriy-ia bringing about an understanding ofths knowing proeess as a whole, and thus provide an understanding of the basisorigins of cultural diversity in various societies*SiBW*i*«a*K4 Ifcny concepts in modern ^olenoe are finding expression in (ui&ie forms inpsychology, field theory, for exatlple.~T fhtfOU kCd^c'vo istit&i^^ (uv*- WO. -J**.B5 In the oase of sor.-r branches of psyoholorjy, Gestnit, for exariple, the notionsLt*n (laUW. ^j_ef wholeness In meanings J*e* arrived •*, *6BeliTQiitlrVlya) the evidsooe is thereforethat tho psychologist oan go at integration on his own aocount with everyoonfidencettiat he oan re-ke maVrnpnanu* important oontributloms beoaus*very sourea. 'i» •*■ fc vajjmt^a =y- fcykaAjJUajJ-^in^jcfij 9 VJ^-ortltv-ti--j, 'w-6>* .Fl A major problom confronts the teacher In the humanities, namely, the relatiee^aJSMalaiiaiSjfcae,.of the cultural moods/ which emphasise,the affective and the intellective aspsats ofhuman psychology. Art and science oonstituto this/apposition.72 la its outwoikings art is conosrned is siiiSi lj| with the exaltation of humanlife above onimality, a good use of ths materials and the leisure which a soientifletechnology srould rake abundant, a aeinoem *dth loveliness and love aad a constancyin its devotee no less significant than the oomjltment aep^irutb-seeking essentialJo science.FS In its development the aesthetic mood Is not without its paroiaeterst there issuch a thing as aesthetic; measure. But two fori is of a single cjusstion haunt uaiF4 I, the context of art is the meaning of the words creative froedco not thesams as in the context of soienoe 1FS Is there not. In the arts, some kind of aasralen and some kinds of criteriaequivalent to the emprioil standards of soienoe 7 TW r-^OoAc -*j AtWm-.A . h Ttaaa. fWu». *\ <& , * -, —-j <T
Sorokin_IX_F_7_140
01 la the methodology which the Foundation for Integrated ..duration has beenpursuing with a view to establishing a verbal discourse approximating In exastnesithe discourse of methei.iatice,the foregoing and other considerations are keptconstantly inview. This laettiod balances inductive and deductive proseeaes,02 la Immediate sensate experience there is almost invariably aa aesthatleai* sense perception oould be restricted te the phenomenalGS But In fast the cultivatsd person almost instantly intraduees eanoepts,by the mere flvst of reeegnitien* It is impossible to denoitdnet* aa objectby nsans at" a ■ubstsntlve ward without classifying. Thus even so a triple aaexperience as seeing, a blue involves the concept bluemsss, and tor pwpososef discourse and hence at' aeianunlty life Matural to is-n, we are actually eperat tagIn a esnoeptual field.04 In tlie case of the saieneas the concepts ean be ratler preeisaly statadbut the, more exactly the> are formulated the more^he aesthetlo (Koaponent tu-tu*^l shadowy,05 Cultural anthropologists realise that ooioaen ^eund within out aoolsty isdspeadent upon conventional formulations of non-ssientlflo concepts, and thatvariations In convent leas between societies as wholes leads to direr sit-/.We ha ve therefore tsumderatand and toaoli thoroughly SmiieawSfcsnl Sisaveral levels oi meaning possible in hurasn understanding aad human dissocrsoaHI A prirmcry requirement in the teaching of teachers is therefore a thoroughunder staiadint af the proeess of knowing Itself, in all Its areata, si Hoe an agreesse haw we knew is a besio oernponant in arriving at an agreement as to what we knowi\ jyrwL^-AtCU/i. lajiWrH2 Reseat ohamges in soienoe are etch as to mice possible the restoration ss?~Inherited, and eapeslally ilssnifial smdrl jj^rsfarir rtBsvnrvs milturs, in contrastwith the alienation anfersed during the prevalenoe of materialism, rasohonlanamd determinien of tne |M century, "TW. iv«cJ Tw_lus>£*£^, »W "»*#»», ■***•""if ore the faculties of sshools of education ia the■~~-O^Q-'yMX*i£U*J tw^PU talc* r^j^KT'iX •\IL***J9-La_ &&jA~~ .Gonsrdsrable labor is befurtemparanDnt at* sailed upon to cooperate.hudlugy, a task in whloh seisntists of philosophicalfeand funaing bodiss mo** asaist generously.
Sorokin_IX_F_7_141
84 Three orltioal points of attack seem to be available, the first being at thegraduate level, ainae here is found ti.e maturity rehired i'cr the taaK, and here UsJfcttiafiJ a c^o-JiLitWiAAi tWAssW* o-»*«j<XitiSi&4±i)imM^teax^'uJ^*k4rt9>£ier levels of -sduoatioa.H5 81bs_araBU aim ia tc make those changes which will benefit the child In theearliest years, and aoconpany him all ths way through his formal education.11 Ths high school Is the third, and at present the moss erltloal point of all.Hers the relatively Integrated education of elementary schooling is supplantedtry the beginnings of that specialisation whidi has led to the present breakdownof stsndards and conduct.12 The adolescent years vdtueus ths eiaergsnoe ol' special needs whioh lio deeperthen o«i be rcaohsd by present education.13 Ths moral and ethical problems ereated by the phllsophical failures laeoueatian are aoute at the hlji school level.Ii Assuming that colleges ore at work on the effeotivs conversion of generalstudies into genuine integrative evocation, the cjuostlon arisest fliat willbe the rels of the high school aa preparation for sioh study 7-T-r^aovjJIS Can a core course be devised for the high sohiiol student nhich will restore tohim on interest in and a knowledge of natural uora.1 law as part af a moderncosmology 1Jl Turning to the world sssme, India affords tho most interestinc, cxaupls of asociety In which integrative studies could be counted upon to have a saximum offset,■IE The people of India possess a superstructure of Indo-tiuropsan (ijryen) languagessnd cultural heritage, including several basic elements which have made Westernssienee possible, among then the ijivimtion of awo and other mat haunt ioal devises.The basic Btruoturss, however, arc of pro-Aryan origin, and thus India is thsiskey to Asia in more senses tlum Mess evident from geography and recent history.■13 A oonar. ieuuus ft-ct about Indian thought is its oonsonianow with recanteslantifio developments, espeslally thas„of ajri dsductive-exaot charaoter,|4 Indingonoua Indian thought ia still olive, though not very vital among thsisas and women educated In the Suropsan university system importsd to India, andthus we have opportunity to make ocntaot with the point of view prevalent indJdaeslsal antivftifcy, and now a> difficult to reconstruct front literary anda reimvlns of Ruioue.H -Inought is systainaticisysteumtioally ^^uilied, and thaiefore readily outlined.
Sorokin_IX_F_7_142
It presents itself in thru- parts* the soientifis aspect of atomism, tlw soisntifisaspest ef life sciences, and the scientific out work lags of human cognitive powers.The whole was reflected into a social theory in ths usual way In which a society'sesneept of nature snd of man leads to social structures,II modern sociologists ore In-wiring Into ths possibilities of formulatingsocial thou^it upon the basis of thus far well established soienoe,AS Beeause ef the achievements in physics, it is natural that the first stages ofsuoh an inquiry hav. proaeeded mostly in terms of physios.K3 As the Btruoturint, of biology and pa«y oho bio logy are achieved, no doubt thosegains will be reflected also Into the soooiology now faming.X4 Thus wo perceive the beginnings of a vast undertaking, ths elucidation ofvalid methodology of knowing, gpod for all forms ol' experience, and agreeable toreasssmble froo minds, and intended to ba good the world over.KB And the forinilation of a social polity of global scope which will inorrpsnotaInto ltaolf the authority of soienoe.
Sorokin_IX_F_7_143
An InvitationToA Summer WorkshopSponsor: The Foundation for Integrated EducationCo-Sponsor; The University of MaineDates: June 28-July 2, 1953Place: Orono, Maine (near Bangor)A summer workshop. ci>-s|Hinscircd by the University of Maine and the- Fouiitlanuti for IntegratedEducation, will be conducted on the UniversityCampus at Orono (near Bangor), Maine, fawn the(.■veiling (it June sStli to July mid, noon.The ThemeThe central theme will be die nature of creativity in science, and its significance for tlic cultural linking ol tin: sciences wiili the humanities.Since the workshop ihcine is obviously of majorimportance: to others besides teachers and educational administrator'., registration will be o[icn tolaymen. The conference topic lias immediate bearing on the conicmjrorary imrlel scene and on thehistoric :i[ background of that scene.It is now abundantly clear to teachers that, ifwe arc to assemble- iin-aihn<;fiil knowledge, wemust first establish a valid method. Then it isnecessary to reassess im pi ma lit landmarks in learning in terms of that method, so as to restore proportion, values, and credit to education. It isclear to laymen that world settlement is notachieved by the imposition of the ideas of one-society on the world, nor by an attempt to solvephysical problems vvitlioiit reference to philosophy.A common understanding cil nature, of man anddepends iinsight.Particular emphasis will lie put on the roleflayed by deductive method in increasing the[lower of science during the: last eighty years, andon the singular meaning of these developmentsto psychology, personal and social.By creativity in science is meant the ability ofman, as a self-conscious being, to originate assumptions and then to devise rational systems, thusarriving at interti.illv logical and increasinglysimple and elegant structures of thought. These1, of cningndeductive-exact structures in science, following theigth century prc|ioiidci,incc of work in the preliminary inductile and correlational phase of science. These deductively form dialed structures callincreasingly upon creativity and constitute ordersof experience not unlike- those e\piessed throughdie arts and in living.As in die six previous summer workshops ofthe Foundation, continuity will be provided byregular sessions each morning and evening. Afternoons will be allotted to voluntary sub-group discussions, and to recreation. The region is one ofmuch beauty and interest, and families will findop|iorltmity to enjoy it.Under the general supervision of ProfessorCharles Virtue, Department of Philosophy, University of Maine, and Mr. F. L. Kunz, Foundationfor Integrated Education, the theme of the conference is lieing planned to expand systematically.as outlined helow.As each day is allocated to a topic of broad import, there will be a chairman lor each of theseoccasions, customarily the first speaker in themorning. The expriic-iu eel -uielaiiec elf Dean MarkR. Shibles, the School uf Mucin ion, University ofMaine, as well as that of scheduled speakers, willbe afforded to us on matters educational.As is customary in the Foundation Workshopplanning, some time is being reserved. F.ffort willbe made, beyond laiiviiii through the schedulebelow, to provide also some llescibility needed tomake use of re-sou reel ul participants who will befound in the final registration list.The ScheduleA firm outline of tile broad considerations willbe provided in the opening address on "Creativityin Science and Oilier fields," by Professor P. A.Sorokin (Harvard). He will discuss the total process of creativity ami (In- spe-cHii- role which thesit praconsc ions intuition anil dec 11 naive and inductive thought play in it. Opportunity i5 providedthe following afternoon for continuing informal
Sorokin_IX_F_7_144
THENATURALSCIENCESWORKSHOP SCHEDULE}:00 - -j CcmcH/iorary Deductive - Exact Science — its a,10:15 a.m. _£. mints in mvdtrr, plm;,> and its significance for i—R. B. Lindsay, Brown University10:30 - / The Place of Mathematics and Logic in the cum11:45 aan. C- toward creativity in sciencePSYCHOLOGY,THEARTS,LANGUAGEPRACTICALCONSEQUENCESFOR RESEARCHANDEDUCATIONchology and to the psychology of education—NormanL. Munn, Bowdoin College3:30 - ,--, Juncture between Creative Arts and Creatine Scien11:45a.m. >f A. Bcrtocci, Boston University9:00 p.m. ^ Levels of Meaning—Cecil J. Reynolds and Charles F. Vii^) University of Maine9:00 - Tddtrfi /e7(iieir<.m<.n.'i m Education—Ruben Ulich, Har-10:15 u 11 Universityn Secondary Schools—Herbert Espy, CommiJiu-alioii of the StB"with Robert Ulich>/ India in the Meett, Foundation feir Integrated Education9:0010:30■& Social Physics: the Deductive Approach—John Q. Stewart,15 a.m. r\ Princeton University

Pages