Liberal education in selected Polish pedagogical concepts : in comparison to English-language concepts : with particular reference to the enlightenment period (part 2)

In the English language, although the term liberal education has multiple semantic meanings, it may still be interpreted in the new sense of the meaning. The idea refers to an ancient and medieval model of education within the liberal arts (artes liberales), developed in the era of Enlightenment philosophers’ theory to promote knowledge, self-dependent and critical thinking as a path to individual freedom, political and civil liberty and social progress. It seems that this is one of the ideas that could build the European identity. What is its perception and understanding in Polish philosophical and pedagogical theory? In Poland, this term, if it is translated directly as “edukacja liberalna”, directly evokes liberalism as political and social doctrine. Thus, “kształcenie ogólne” is more often used but fails to reflect the meaning of liberal education in its entirety. It ignores in fact the relation between knowledge, understanding and freedom/liberty, critical attitude, openness to the plurality of reasons, independence, tolerance for diversity of views and models of good life. The main objective of this presentation is to trace selected Polish educational concepts and the presence of elements of Anglo-Saxon tradition of liberal education in them, with particular reference to the Enlightenment.