L’évolution de la question éducative chez Fichte : de la posture pédagogique à la gouvernance scolaire

Cuneen, Nicolas [UCL]

This text explores how the idealist philosopher J.G. Fichte’s approach to the issue of education evolved over the 20 years of his philosophical production. Indeed, the issue of education is at the center of his reflections from his first public classes in 1794, and continues to animate his work up until his last writings, published in 1813. This thematic continuity may however obscure a radical shift in Fichte’s approach, one that is as ahead of its time as his early interest in “active” learning. Over the years, the German author gave less of his attention to the issue of pedagogy and more of it to that of governance: school governance itself and the relationship between education and state governance. After an overview of this philosophical progression, we draw out some lessons for thinking about education today.