Pedagogy in German Enlightenment in the History of Philosophy: Moses Mendelssohn and Johann Bernhard Basedow

Aim. The issues of perception of the ideas of Moses Mendelssohn (1729-1786) and the sources of the founder of the promising gymnasium “Philanthropin” Johann Bernhard Basedow (1723–1790) are being investigated. The origins of Mendelssohn’s philosophy in pedagogy and in pedagogical experiments as practical logic in the German Enlightenment of the 18th century are considered.

Methodology. Sources of Mendelssohn’s philosophy are revealed in the pedagogical experiments of Johann Bernhard Basedow, Reimarus and Rousseau. Basedow applied interesting, up-to-date methods in pedagogy and training, for example, the study of a new subject he began with mastering it in practice, tactilely, and only after that the study of this subject was continued in textbooks, through teaching literature, according to the instructions.

Results. It is discovered and shown that Basedow observed how new knowledge is acquired through the experience of interaction with objects; different sides of new and familiar objects are discovered; knowledge and values of objects in a person’s mind increase. Similar to Basedow’s method was the method of teaching by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the French enlightener of the 18^th century, who was very highly appreciated by Basedow and Mendelssohn. Particular attention is paid to proving the importance of Basedow’s methods influence on the formation of Mendelssohn’s critical philosophy.

Research implications. It is shown that Mendelssohn, as a true admirer of the progressive method, in his last lifetime work, in “Morning Hours or Readings about the Existence of God” (1785), followed Basedow’s method, that is, some “co-practice” or “co-work” as certain pedagogical techniques. It is concluded that Mendelssohn, even before Kant, began to build his kind of critical philosophy and, thus, the idea is substantiated that a critical approach in 18^th-century philosophy was characteristic of many thinkers of that time.

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