노엄 촘스키(Noam Chomsky)의 비판적 교육론에 대한 반성적 고찰

Abstract

Noam Chomsky is a world famous linguist and thinker who advocated rationalism and mentalism most persuasively in various fields of philosophy and psychology etc. However, he has been evaluated as a practical intellectual as well as political commentator that challenged against not only the foreign policy of the America government but the control and oppression by corporations and the media. In particular, recently he criticized the education reality of the America that had been distorted by the pressure of the dominating ideology and claimed for recovering the nature of education and the inherent role of schools. According to him, the government enforced obedience and degenerated schools to enlightened institutions to enforce obedience and inhibit the possibility of independent thought; and teachers serve sincerely to pass over knowledge decided by a small group in a way of civilization rather than tell truth as middle deliverers of culture. He criticized that schools raised students who conform to society accordingly and suggested the practice of democratic education. His beliefs are based on rationalistic tradition, which were inherited by Kant and Humboldt from Plato through Descartes, and the trust on human nature, which was formed influenced by classic liberalism. Accordingly, He strongly argues that the purpose of education should be the development of mind as innate nature, and raise students as active participants rather than bystanders by encouraging creativity and criticism in a way of democratic education. He especially emphasizes Russell's human-centered education and Dewey's practice of democratic education. Chomsky's suggestion may provide many implications in reestablish the genuine direction of Korean education that is stained with college entrance focus, achievement priority, and limitless competition.