Axiological foundations of religious pedagogy

Authors:

• Krzysztof Stachewicz,
• Zbigniew Marek

Abstract

DEFINITION OF THE TERM: Axiology is abranch of science developed within philosophy that deals with values; sometimes the terms “value theory” or “the theory of value” are used as synonyms for axiology. The Greek word aksios means what is important, worthy, valuable, right, and worth the effort. Thus, axiology is ascience that studies this particular dimension of human experience within different areas of life. Although it is primarily aphilosophical science, axiological studies can be conducted within the humanities (literature studies, art theory and history, cultural history, theology) and social sciences (sociology, economics, psychology, pedagogy). The term axiology is also used in everyday contexts to denote agroup of values that orga-nise aparticular living space. HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF THE TERM: Ancient and medieval considerations were based on the categories of goodness and beauty, and the transcendental qualities of being (transcendentalia). The notion of value is amodern one; it was originally used within the framework of political economy (Adam Smith) and was later transferred to philosophy (Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche). Axiology as avalue theory emerged within neo-Kantianism (the Baden school), which attempted to establish the foundations of duty detached from being (the sein­sollen problem). However, it was the phenomenologists (Edmund Husserl, Max Scheler, Nicolai Hartmann, Dietrich von Hildebrand, and Roman Ingarden) who gave the most coherent form to axiology by embedding the existence of values in aspecific axiological experience. The phenomenological value theory relates to experiences in which consciousness reveals values, constitutes them, and exposes their “duty” aspect, which obliges us to act. Thanks to this, “value” becomes not only an ontological or epistemological category, but also an existential one which is incorporated into ethics, aesthetics, and pedagogy. DISCUSSION OF THE TERM: The current philosophical discussions on axiology concern its validity and methodological status. Following recent 20th­century criticism of the term “value” (Martin Heidegger, existentialism, neopositivism, etc.), many thinkers do not see any grounds for using this category in ethics, aesthetics, etc. It seems, however, that this term carries considerable theoretical and practical potential, which is clearly visible in the field of pedagogical science. Axiology appears to be an important and largely inalienable reflection on values from the point of view of many sciences. SYSTEMATIC REFLECTION WITH CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: As abranch of philosophy, axiology has many implications for research conducted within both the humanities (theology, literature studies, art theory and history) and social sciences (sociology, psychology, pedagogy, catechetics). In some philosophical perspectives, it works both ways, i.e. axiological research adopts findings regarding values obtained in studies conducted within the aforementioned sciences. It seems that many phenomena discussed within religious pedagogy can be creatively interpreted only when they are analysed in close cooperation with axiology. this results from the inalienable existence of values in the religious sphere. the results of studies conducted within axiology (understood as the general value theory) appear to be aconvenient starting point for developing atheory of religious values. Such atheory is part of the theoretical foundations of religious pedagogy.