Personality education: Between external determinism and freedom

Abstract

This paper discusses the understanding of personality from social, psychological and philosophical aspects. It is emphasized that a person is a unity of unique and universal properties and has the right to freely develop his/her potential and live in accordance with the needs of his/her spirit. There are some contradictions between personal needs and interests of society. Education is an area that should help every individual to express his/her unique individuality. Education, however, acts between the two poles - free decision making, on the one hand, and social (state) coercion, on the other. Externally imposed determinism and the instrumentalist-market approach to education significantly restrict freedom of an individual to self-develop in accordance with his/her needs.

Keywords

• personality
• education
• development
• freedom
• determinism
• instrumentalism