An Examination of the Differences and Similarities of Pragmatism and Confucianism Thought As They Relate to Educational Administration Theory and Practice
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University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 8-1971 An Examination of the Differences and Similarities of Pragmatism and Confucianism Thought as They Relate to Educational Administration Theory and Practice Paul Y. H. Chao University of Tennessee - Knoxville Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss Part of the Educational Administration and Supervision Commons Recommended Citation Chao, Paul Y. H., "An Examination of the Differences and Similarities of Pragmatism and Confucianism Thought as They Relate to Educational Administration Theory and Practice. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 1971. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/3087 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Paul Y. H. Chao entitled "An Examination of the Differences and Similarities of Pragmatism and Confucianism Thought as They Relate to Educational Administration Theory and Practice." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education, with a major in Educational Administration. Francis M. Trusty, Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: J. Daniel Bing, Larry W. Huges, Anand Malik Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) July 27, 1971 To the Graduate Council : I am submitting herewith a dissertat ion written by Paul Y. H. Chao entitled 11An Examination of the Differences and Simi larities of Pragmat ism and Confuciaqi sm Thought as They Re late to Educat ional Admini strat ion Theory and Pract ice. 11 I recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfi llment of the require�ment s for �the degree� of Doctor of Education, with a maj or in Admini stra S i �, essor Accepted for the Council : >�$a� ·· Vice Chanc ellor for Graduate Studies and Research AN EXAMITNAT ION OF THE DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARIT IES OF PRAGMAT ISM AND CONFUCIANISM THOUGHT AS THEY RELATE TO EDUCATIONAL ADMINI STRATION THEORY AND PRACT ICE A Dissertat ion Presented to the Graduate Council of The Univer sity of Tenne ssee In Partial Fulfil lment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education by Paul Y. H. Chao Augu st 1971 PLEASE NOTE: Some Pages have indistinct print. Filmed as received. UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS 9961.03 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer wishes to signify deep grat itude to all per sons who advanced advice and criticism concerning this study during the uncer tain period s of designi ng , organizat ion , and unfolding . Many ef forts were strengthened as a result of this advice. Gratitude is signif ied to the member s of the wr iter's Doctoral commi ttee : Or. Larry W. Hughes , Dr. Anand Mal ik , and Dr . J. Danial Bi ng. Throughout the entire period of reviewing the literature and comparing the philosophies , ·Or. Hughes was mo st careful with hi s sug gestions ; Dr. Malik was most open-hearted with hi s attitude , and : Dr . Bi ng was very considerate toward its achievement. The wr iter is especial ly obligated to Dr. Francis M. Trusty, who served as chairman of the wri ter's Doctoral committee, without who se commendation and mo tivation thi s study would never have been accomplished. His generous and confidential guidance wi ll be remembered long after this dissertation is forgot ten. All individual s assisting in thi s study are appreciated for their cooperation. My wi fe, Helen, due to her pa tience, considerateness, and assistance, and my friends, Dr . Nelson Nee and Mr . Tseng I. Chao; who furnished the opinions necessary to broaden my vista, deserve particular acclamation. In add ition, the writer would like to thank the fol lowi ng educators from who se work s his important inspirations were derived: Dr. H. G. Cree l , Dr . Chi-yun Chang, Dr. Tsuin-chen Ou , Dr. Wen-shan Huang, ii iii Dr . John C. H. Wu , Dr. Wen-yen Tsao, Dr. J. E. Hals�y , Dr . Frederick M, Schultzt Dr . Edward Peter Oliver , !Dr, Ri chard Earl Creel, Dr . Lloyg P. Wi lliams , and Dr. Y , P. Hao , who was espec ially helpful wi th hi s comment s. ABST RACT Purpo $e The purpose of the present stud� is to identify and examine the differences and similarities between the edudational thought s of the two phi losophers , Confucious and Dewey , and to determine if reciprocal relations may exist between them, Al so to di scuss the mo st outstanding contributions of Pragmat ism and Confuciani sm as they might be related to modern educational admini stration. Method Thi s study is a systematic �nd objective review and synthesis of two philosophies in order to make comp�risons and draw conclusions by tracing past concepts. Realizing that a study of the comparative educational phi losophy is broad at best , it was decided that in the com• parison of principles, this study wo uld be limited to the ten basic principles of the two scholars whi ch related to theories of educat iona l admini stration . The ten principles are democ racy , humani sm, science, socio-economi c view-,po int , education, history , religion , anti-dualism, Change , and the Mean. Conc lusion Present-day views of organizat ion general ly represent some kind of synthesis of earlier concepts. In studying philosophies of educa tional administrat ion , one realizes that the issues are mo st l� old ones. Pragmat ists believe that the universe is in a constant state of change iv v and mo tion . Al l things flow , no thing remains the same . Value systems change in terms of environment change . Confuci4nists believe that these remark s are true but there are certain theories in any educational admini stration--Eastern and We stern , ancient or mod ern time s--that wi ll always be unchanged . The fundamental views held by Dewey and Confucius remained irreconcilable. However , many conceptual sim�larities are evident . Both ph ilosophers are forerunners of democracy. Both have been considered great phi losophers for the same reason--that they are great synthesizers. Bo th aimed at social reform. Whi le Confucius was ethical--oriented, Dewey was scientific-oriented . O ne was a liberal conservative, the othe� was a conservat ive liberal . One belief they held in common was demo cratic commo nwe alth, Whi le Confucius was a humani st , Dewey wa s a pragmatist . Wh ere the content of human relationships is taught , Co nfucius is valuable; wherever the manipu l ation of things �s primary , Dewey is useful . Confucius' teaching i s espec�ally signi ficant for an admini s- trator . Dewey's education emphasi zes concern for children and thei r devel opment . If the Confucius schoo l is proficient in general education , the Dewey school is efficient in specialized education. Though they both had strong feelings toward hi story , they differed in nature . For Confucius was a hi storical ly-minded phi losopher , Dewey was a social biologically-m inded scholar . Are they no t necessarily exclusive? Could they be mutually conducive? TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION . " . � . 1 II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 11 III. COMPARISON OF BASIC PRINCIPLES 108 IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 153 BIBLIOGRAPHY •. 163 VITA ••... • • • p 171 vi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Many studies have been conducted and much has been written concerning educational phi losophy, but few have compared the traditional Eastern educational thought wi th that of the modern West . It seems that the wor ld today has entered an era when the gap of mi sunderstanding is getting deeper and wider , that menace and denunciation are everywhere and even a "cold or limited" conflict may develop the seed of univer sal destruction, The ti�e for reflection is pressing as the situation is getting c;:ritical . Mutual exploration and better under standing between people of different cultures would , therefore, be mutual ly advantageous. Some sinologues feel that there can be no true unders tand ing of contempo rary China without a basic knowledge of the tr�ditional Confucian culture which they deem as the br illiance of every Chinese . This tradition is surprisingly indestructible and the expected task of the present Chinese generation is to comprehend the high-minded traditions of humanity whi le at the same ti�e glean ing from the Western wo rld what ever can best help upho ld China's lasting values . American scholars have long devoted time to exploring the Chinese traditional learning in order to ident ify those tenets which can best aid the West in surviving the strai ns and contests of today' s pressure. From their point of view it seems they feel that the West has yet something to acqui re from Chi na , and particularly from Confuciani sm. "Hi storical paral lel s can never be drawn without risk9" says Trevor-Roper9 1 2 "but general lessons can be extracted even from societies distant in time as in place ." There �re far more lessons , for tho se who care to read them , in the long annals of hi story than the few publi shed management case studies. And so thi s is an attempt to detach managers, if only briefly, from their preoccupation wi th inventory management , · proj ect evaluat ion , and review techniques, and link them up with their true predecessors , the kings and princes and prime mi ni sters and general s, .•.who have been trying to cope with the same 1 problems for the past two and three hundred years.