Education of a Person

Abstract

In postmodern culture the purpose of education which goes beyond preparing individuals to meet their immediate needs and focuses on negotiating the social contract promoted by liberalism is questioned. The pedagogical crisis relates to anthropological issues and questions about the essence of humanity, going deeper than evolutionist theories with answers that go down to the essence of a person as imago Dei. This text is an excerpt from the book L’Uomopostmoderno. Tecnica, religione, politica (2009, Genova–Milano: Marietti; chapter 4). This work introduces the contemporary context of reflection on man in order to address the issue of education from this perspective. The education is primarily associated with discovering the truth, which is a point of reference for the development of conscience. However, this truth is not produced by man, but discovered in God if the subject relates to Him in an existential relationship. Leading pupils to discover this truth requires educators to return to the idea of Greek paideia. Only then it will be possible to overcome the contemporary model of education, which is oriented towards instrumental goals, and return to proper humanism, which is oriented towards building people.