John Locke: a evolução do modelo do cavalheiro e a formação da virtude através do hábito

Abstract

We aim, with this study, to rescue the educational theory of the English thinker John Locke, in order to understand what he designates as education of virtue based on good habits. As a hypothesis, it is adopted the idea that Locke, once understanding political, psychological and epistemological aspects of men of his time, He believes that the habit is the instrument capable of educating virtuously the young man who was born in bourgeois or aristocratic family so that he can live fully and productively in society. The importance of such redemption is contrasted directly with the current lack, on the part of education, to offer to the students a moral and ethical education. The Lockean problematic works moral education at the same time it is questioned about how it is possible to educate at the same time it is questioned about how it is possible to educate moral and ethical values as complex as the aforementioned just with words. Thus, we opted for a reconstruction and analysis of Locke's texts, conducting a historical review to help understand the investigated concepts. The study is anchored in bibliographic research methodology, with an hermeneutics lineage, in an attempt to make the text reveal the real meanings of the concepts of virtue and habit proposed by Locke. The work is divided into three sections. It is reconstructed, in the first of them, formative models that preceded Locke's gentleman, as medieval knight and courtier. Thus, we intend to compare what were his virtues, vices and training methods, in order to understand, by the end of the chapter, who is the Lockean gentleman, if he – whether or not – is a genuine invention of thinker and which moral and ethics Locke attributes him. In the second chapter, it is rescued the tumultuous period of English politics, trying to understand the meaning and role of parents in their children's lives, and, concomitantly, the role of government in relation to the people. In this chapter are also discussed the bases of the theory of learning, developed by Locke, demonstrating that, in orther to happen Lockean education, is required, on the one hand, the existence of a free society, and, on the other, an adequate understanding of how knowledge is made. Finally, in the third and final chapter, the Lockean pedagogy itself, investigating the themes of habit education in relation to body and spirit; forms of education and taught content; the debate on whether or not corporal punishment is needed; the importance of parents’ and preceptor’s example; culminating in the reading of the influences of Lockean theory to the current education and questioning the importance of education (instruction) in relation to education.