The ideal of education and the emancipation of labour

Abstract

This article discusses the ideal of education in relation to the pursuit of alternative perspectives in education, beyond its currently dominant subordination to the needs of the market. It presents the philosophical traditions of paideia, Bildung and liberal education, with special emphasis on the element they all share - namely, the perception of education as a self value, as an end in itself. At the same time, the article adopts a critical approach to the detachment of the ideal of education, put forward by the above traditions, from issues pertaining to man's material, productive activity, and the alienating relations developing within it. In order to present an alternative perspective, the ideal of education is seen in the light of the Marxist social ideal, with a focus on identifying the educational content of the prospect of labour emancipation. Finally, the article touches upon the future of education, which is presented in association with the possibility of transforming labour into cultural activity.