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Altruistic Education University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Capstone Projects Capstones 8-1-2017 Saving the World the Right Way: Altruistic Education Supakorn Laohasongkram University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/mapp_capstone Part of the Adult and Continuing Education Commons, Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching Commons, Developmental Psychology Commons, Early Childhood Education Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, Higher Education Commons, Higher Education and Teaching Commons, Humane Education Commons, Other Psychology Commons, Philosophy Commons, School Psychology Commons, and the Theory and Philosophy Commons Laohasongkram, Supakorn, "Saving the World the Right Way: Altruistic Education" (2017). Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Capstone Projects. 112. https://repository.upenn.edu/mapp_capstone/112 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/mapp_capstone/112 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Saving the World the Right Way: Altruistic Education Abstract Intelligence and passion are not enough for humans to become all that they can be. Hitler and the Nazis too had a lot of intelligence and passion. But what they did not have is the wisdom of how to use their intelligence and passion for the good of mankind. Nevertheless, the question of developing how we, humans, ought to use our intelligence and passion is often neglected in modernity when compared with the obsession we have of increasing our grit and wit. This obsession reflects the current state of education whereby the function of education today is often cheapened to: (1) giving away power without ensuring that power is equally matched by responsibility, duty, moral, and obligation to others, and (2) providing knowledge without offering the purpose behind it. The result of giving away power without character has made possible the world where the educated could use the power they received through education to take advantage of those who are less fortunate. And the consequence of teaching the “what” without the “why” has robbed students of the purpose behind their own education. To solve these critical issues, this paper begins its investigation on Aristotle’s axiom that happiness is what all humans seek. Afterward, through scientific esearr ch, it will show how the common pursuit of one’s own happiness backfires. Instead, it will suggest how learning to live for less not more is actually what leads one toward one’s “complete happiness,” growth, virtue, freedom from one’s own desires, being fully “human,” as well as the fulcrum upon which the world can shift from being the world of takers towards a world of givers. This process is called “altruistic human flourishing.” And the education which can facilitate this process of altruistic human flourishing is called Altruistic“ Education.” Altruistic Education is what this paper offers as the solution to bettering the world. It accomplishes such goal by cultivating students who are not only capable but also compassionate, teaching the “why” of education as much as the “what," and to help students gain not only knowledge but, more importantly, how to find the joy and beauty in applying that knowledge above and beyond themselves. Keywords altruistic education, education, altruism, character education, character, nature of happiness, happiness paradox, happiness development, happiness Disciplines Adult and Continuing Education | Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching | Developmental Psychology | Early Childhood Education | Education | Educational Leadership | Educational Psychology | Higher Education | Higher Education and Teaching | Humane Education | Other Psychology | Philosophy | Psychology | School Psychology | Teacher Education and Professional Development | Theory and Philosophy This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/mapp_capstone/112 Running Head: ALTRUISTIC EDUCATION 1 Saving the World the Right Way: Altruistic Education Supakorn Laohasongkram University of Pennsylvania A Capstone Project Submitted In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Applied Positive Psychology Advisor: Alejandro Adler, Ph.D. August 1, 2017 ALTRUISTIC EDUCATION 2 Saving the World the Right Way: Altruistic Education Supakorn Laohasongkram [email protected] Capstone Project Master of Applied Positive Psychology University of Pennsylvania Advisor: Alejandro Adler, Ph.D. August 1, 2017 Abstract Intelligence and passion are not enough for humans to become all that they can be. Hitler and the Nazis too had a lot of intelligence and passion. But what they did not have is the wisdom of how to use their intelligence and passion for the good of mankind. Nevertheless, the question of developing how we, humans, ought to use our intelligence and passion is often neglected in modernity when compared with the obsession we have of increasing our grit and wit. This obsession reflects the current state of education whereby the function of education today is often cheapened to: (1) giving away power without ensuring that power is equally matched by responsibility, duty, moral, and obligation to others, and (2) providing knowledge without offering the purpose behind it. The result of giving away power without character has made possible the world where the educated could use the power they received through education to take advantage of those who are less fortunate. And the consequence of teaching the “what” without the “why” has robbed students of the purpose behind their own education. To solve these critical issues, this paper begins its investigation on Aristotle’s axiom that happiness is what all humans seek. Afterward, through scientific research, it will show how the common pursuit of one’s own happiness backfires. Instead, it will suggest how learning to live for less not more is actually what leads one toward one’s “complete happiness,” growth, virtue, freedom from one’s own desires, being fully “human,” as well as the fulcrum upon which the world can shift from being the world of takers towards a world of givers. This process is called “altruistic human flourishing.” And the education which can facilitate this process of altruistic human flourishing is called “Altruistic Education.” Altruistic Education is what this paper offers as the solution to bettering the world. It accomplishes such goal by cultivating students who are not only capable but also compassionate, teaching the “why” of education as much as the “what," and to help students gain not only knowledge but, more importantly, how to find the joy and beauty in applying that knowledge above and beyond themselves. Keywords: altruistic education, education, altruism, character education, character, nature of happiness, happiness paradox, happiness development, happiness ALTRUISTIC EDUCATION 3 Table of Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 2 Question not Asked Enough: How do We Save the World? ..................................................... 5 Human Proclivity for Good and Evil ......................................................................................... 7 Altruistic Human Flourishing .................................................................................................. 14 Small Choice, Big Difference .............................................................................................. 15 “Human” or “Beast” ............................................................................................................ 17 “Freedom” or “Slavery” ....................................................................................................... 18 “Complete Happiness” or “Incomplete Happiness”: The Happiness Paradox .................... 20 Happiness Works like a Cup ................................................................................................ 24 How Happiness Defines the World ...................................................................................... 26 “Growth” or “Decadence” ................................................................................................... 28 Power Without Character and Knowledge Without Purpose .................................................. 33 Modern Education ................................................................................................................ 34 Positive Education ............................................................................................................... 38 Success for What? And Well-Being for Whom? ................................................................. 40 Beyond Wit and Grit: Altruistic Education ............................................................................. 44 Altruistic Education as an Education Which Strives to Teach the Joy and Beauty of Living Life Above and Beyond Oneself. ......................................................................................... 45 Altruistic Education as an Education Which Strives to Give the Best Thing Humans Could Achieve and Become. .......................................................................................................... 48 The Need for Altruistic Education ......................................................................................
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