Herbart's Collected Works (Vol. 1-6)

Author: Li Qilong, Guo Guanyi, et al.
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-12-01
Features: The Chinese education academic community is not unfamiliar with Herbart, and we know that he is the founder of scientific pedagogy. However, due to language and resource limitations, most of us understand and recognize him through his General Pedagogy, and our understanding of his philosophical and psychological thoughts is limited, just a glimpse here and there. This has affected a comprehensive understanding of the education master—Herbart. Moreover, without his philosophical and psychological thoughts, it is difficult to grasp his pedagogical ideas accurately and profoundly. Precisely because Herbart's philosophy and psychology provided a certain purpose and foundation for his pedagogy, his philosophical, especially his practical philosophy, is the key to understanding his educational goals. Psychology, on the other hand, is the foundation of his pedagogical theory. It is from this perspective that we regard Herbart as the founder of scientific pedagogy. To connect Herbart's philosophy, psychology, and pedagogical ideas, and to comprehensively understand Herbart, has only become possible for most education researchers today. Zhejiang Education Press has published the six-volume Collected Works of Herbart, with two volumes on philosophy, three on pedagogy, and one on psychology. With this, the image of Herbart in the text has become concrete and tangible, allowing us to appreciate what a true educator truly is. A true educator is one who cares about practice and possesses a strong experimental spirit. Herbart believed that pedagogy should not merely remain in theory but must be demonstrated and practiced. He regularly reported his practical work to relevant educational authorities and received high attention. Volume III of the Collected Works of Herbart on pedagogy also showcases Herbart's achievements in educational experiments, fully enabling us to recognize what a great educator is and well reflecting Herbart's comprehensive pedagogical thought, demonstrating the high professional standards of the compilers. Additionally, the translators of the collection are experts in pedagogy and philosophy, with excellent German language skills and cultural knowledge of Germany, making the translation highly proficient. Even the relatively challenging philosophical volumes are nearly as faithful, elegant, and accessible as possible, making the originally obscure Herbart more approachable. Heidegger said, "Language is the house of being." Herbart has now entered and exists in the Chinese world from the German-speaking world, which is a significant and fortunate event for the field of education.