Alfred North Whitehead
(1861-1947)
His "Aims of Education" (MacMillan: 1929) is a classic statement of education in the humanist tradition and therefore should be required reading somewhere along the philosophical trail that begins with Socrates and Plato.
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Education is the acquisition of the art of the utilization of knowledge. His notion of "inert ideas" as that which is received into the mind...without question, or being utilized, tested or thrown into fresh combinations remains as timely as ever in the age of standards and Newt Gingrich. And that schooling, when overstuffed with inert ideas becomes not only useless but harmful Corruptio optimi, pessima. His recognition of inertia as the central problem in education has not changed. And his response is still as vital and accurate as it was posed close to 90 years ago: Eradicate the disconnection between subjects....There is only one subject matter for education and that is Life in all its manifestations.