The concept of the "educable" in the French Enlightenment

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20243
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: :Education and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokiwa University (2023); Waseda University (2021-2022)
• Principal Investigator: SUGIYAMA Daiki 常磐大学, 人間科学部, 助教 (60906692)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 感覚論

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of this study was to identify the characteristics on the “educable” in the French Enlightenment, with a particular focus on the influence of natural history. The study examined the educational theories of the naturalist Buffon.
The main findings are as follows: (1) The theme of education was not questioned out of an interest in education itself, but as one of the issues in an inquiry into the 'nature' that characterises humans as different from other animals. (2) In order to understand the relation between the debates on the 'boundary between humans and animals' and ideas on the “educable”, further research is needed, particularly on Buffon, who was often referred to by his contemporaries as a major theorist. (3) The characteristics identified in Buffon's concept of the "educable" can be attributed to his view of the human being and require further examination in comparison with the theories of his contemporaries, namely the sensationalist philosopher Condillac.

Free Research Field

教育思想史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本の啓蒙期フランスの教育思想史研究において、もっとも注目を集めてきたのはルソーであり、そのほかにはわずかにコンディヤックやエルヴェシウスらによる感覚論的教育論が研究されてきたにとどまる。フランスにおける教育思想史研究の現状も大差ない様子である。こうした中で、当時の自然誌学者は教育のテーマについて何を語っていたのか、その一端を明らかにした本研究は、研究の裾野を広げる意義あるものであったと言える。