著者

森田 尚人

出版者

滋賀大学経済学会

雑誌

彦根論叢 (ISSN:03875989)

巻号頁・発行日

no.第383号, pp.1-33, 2010-03

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Izawa Shuji who was one of the leading educators in early modernJapan published a famous textbook on education that has been the firstbook titled “Pedagogy” in Japan. He also the first person who introducedevolution theory by translating T. H. Huxley’s On the Origin of Species. Although these works were frequently referred in textbooks on both historyof education and history of science, their contents and relations betweenthem have never been analyzed nor argued in their historical contexts. In 1875 Ministry of Education sent three young men to the UnitedState to investigate teacher training course in normal schools. Izawa wasadmitted to Bridgewater Normal School and studied under Albert G.Boyden whose transcript of a lecture provided the source of his Pedagogy.Examining Izawa’s handwritten notes, we find that Boyden’s lecture was profoundly influenced by Mark Hopkins’ An Outline Study ofMan. In this book Hopkins discussed psychological and ethical nature ofman from the standpoint of Scottish “common sense” philosophy, so Scot’s tradition of mental philosophy was reflected in Izawa’s Pedagogy.Nevertheless Hopkins who could not keep out of the impact of evolutionrecognized man as a organism and paved the way for Izawa’s acceptanceof evolution theory. After graduation Izawa went to Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard, where he studied a variety of subjects in natural science. Upon his return to Japan Izawa became head of Tokyo NormalSchool. Izawa’s faith in education as scientific thinking as well as morallyuplifting had its roots in contemporary American education. Izawawas expecting Japanese educators for acquiring scientific method and knowledge and applying them practically.