19th and 20th Century Philosophical Foundations of Curriculum

This chapter explores more recent and more relevant philosophies: Existentialism-phenomenology, and Pragmatism. Existentialism is examined, first of all, in terms of its early roots in the theological philosophy of Kierkegaard and its emphasis on self-reflection in action, then as extended by humanistic existentialism and humanistic psychology. Pragmatism examines the nature of educational experiences, the action implications of “musicing” and “amateuring,” and its critique of traditional aesthetics rooted in Kantian idealism. Both topics are extensively applied to major considerations of curriculum planning. Frequent references to pragmatism continue in the following chapters.