Pedagogics in Search of Itself. A contribution to discussion on a lecture by W. Brezinka

The first party of the essay is inspired by W. Brezinka's lecture on the theme of the risks arising from what is known as the scientification of pedagogics. It offers views of Brezinka's conception of the goals of education and the knowledge that are supposed to assist in the achievement of these goals. The second part turns attention to the Czech situation, specifically to the development of efforts to establish pedagogics as a respected science. These efforts are associated with the academicisation of pedagogics and teacher training. The author then draws attention to the danger of the weakening of the humanising ethos of pedagogics attendant on the scientistic conception of science. He points out the tendency to practice what are known as two pedagogics: a pedagogics ofscientis-tically orientated research and a pedagogics of practical service. Finally the third part of the article consists of discussion on the theme of the essential mission of pedagogics. This is understood as a response to the elements of humanity-threatening crisis that man is himself generating through his way of life. This response is finding concrete form in what is known as the pedagogics of the human turn, or the pedagogics of concern for the human.