The Art of Education or the Science of Education?

Jacqueline Elton, Sonia Pieczenko and Thomas Feldges

Abstract

This paper focuses upon the possibility and limitation of an Educational Neuroscience (ENS) or Mind-Brain Education (MBE) in a general way. Both approaches seem to nurture the hope that educational efforts in general could be provided with a scientific foundation. By means of the explanatory bracket as provided by Bourdieu’s concept of the field and Luhmann’s system-theory, we provide a conceptual argument to the effect that it appears impossible to achieve such a reductive agenda. Hence, we argue that education remains a ‘verstehen-based’ art and can therefore not be captured by an exclusively natural-scientific approach as envisaged by ENS or MBE.

Elton, J., Pieczenko, S. and Feldges, T. (2017) The Art of Education or the Science of Education?. Educationalfutures, [online] Vol. 8(1). Available at: https://educationstudies.org.uk/?p=7181 [Accessed 19 Apr, 2024].

Keywords

Bourdieu, Educational Neuroscience, Luhmann, Mind-Brain Education, System-theory, system

Volume

Volume 8(1) 2017

Full Text

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