Philosophy of Health Education

Philosophy of Health Education

1. Philosophy of Health Education
Prepared By:
Mohammad Aslam Shaiekh
Master of Public Health (MPH)

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2. Mandate Interests
Expectations
•Time ?
Depth of presentation/Discussion
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3. PHILOSOPHY
•THE SEARCH FOR KNOWLEDGE AND
UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURE AND MEANING
OF UNIVERSE AND OF HUMAN LIFE (OXFORD
DICTIONARY)

•WISDOM OF TRUTH

•LOVE OF WISDOM AND LEARNING
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4. By knowing the truth you mean knowing
things as they really are.

The philosopher is in love with truth, that
is, not with the changing world of sensation,
which is the object of opinion, but with the
unchanging reality which is the object of
knowledge. (Plato, 380BC)

And those whose hearts are fixed on
Reality itself deserve the title of
Philosophers. (Plato, 380BC)
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5. •Philosophy proper deals with matters of
interest to the general educated public,
and loses much of its value if only a few
professionals can understand what is
said. (Russell, 1948)

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6. What is a philosophy?

•Principles: individual building blocks of
philosophy

•Mission statement: usually short statement
that conveys philosophy and framework for
organizational actions

•Philosophies, principles, and mission
statements are organic
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7. What does philosophy tell ?

•How you act personally and professionally

•Corporate slogans and mission statements
often convey philosophy of how they
operate

•Quotes by famous people often reflect their
philosophies of life

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8. Why is a philosophy important?


•Links theory and practice

•Helps answer “why,” “what,” “how,” and
“who” questions
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9. Philosophy may help us:

•a) to understand the relations among past,
present and future in a human meaningful
perspective;

•b) to acquire a dialogic habit, i.e. an
instrument of social, ethical, religious and
ethical tolerance and, therefore, of peace;
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10. Philosophy may contd.
•c) to analyze critically everyday speech and
specialistic languages (i.e., political, scientific,
educational, mass-media languages), for the
crical analysis discloses and reduces the
potential tyranny of the words;

•d) to be relativists, but not — as human beings
— indifferent to human questions;

•e) to find our own way in the "labyrinth" of
knowing and socio-political co-construction.


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11. Philosophy must not be taught and
learnt as a mere chronological
inventory of ideas, but as a
dialogic method to compare ideas,
events and speeches.
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12. Education & Philosophy
•Education itself is double-faced:

•result of a historical and social context; on
the other, it is a factor (but not the only one)
of cultural and, sometimes, even social and
political change, according to a dialectical
relation between preservation and
innovation.

• Philosophy itself is or should be harmonious
particularly with the innovating aspect of
education.

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13. Philosophy & Education:
Based on areas

•Metaphysics
•Episiotomy
•Axiology

Based on nature

•Realism
•Conservatism
•Idealism
•Pragmatism

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14. Philosophy & Education Contd.
Based on Major
Problems/Topics:

• Evaluation
• Discipline
• Curriculum
• Pupil

Based on Approach:


• Traditional Vs Modern
• Progressive Vs
Essentialist
• Democratic Vs
Authoritarian


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15. Social support


School
Home


STUDENT




Society
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16. Principles or philosophies for
understanding health

•Health: multidimensional, multilevel, and contextual
•Additional principles help create framework for
understanding what we mean by “health”
–Health symmetry
–Holism
–Humanism
–Wellness

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17. • Health symmetry: physical, emotional, spiritual, and
social dimensions of health are equally important

Holism: mind and body are intertwined and inseparable,
parts of unified whole

Humanism: each person is worthy and deserves
opportunity for self-actualization

Wellness: positive quality that enables person to strive
for optimal health in all dimensions

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18. Philosophy of Health Education:
•Help the people to make right decisions on
the matter of health

•Based on belief;
–Health Problems are created by the people so
they have right and responsibility for solutions.
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19. Leading philosophical viewpoints about
health education

•Self-actualization:
–Invitation to affirm self and develop
individual potential through action and
decision-making (Loren Bensley)
•Organic process:
–Ongoing dynamic process that changes as
individuals and health issues change
(Joyce Fetro)

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20. Leading philosophical viewpoints Contd.
•Foundations and skills:
–Mentoring, networking, and coalition-
building to solve common problems
(Marian Hamburg)

•Empowerment:
–Enabling individuals to achieve personal
freedom (John Seffrin)

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21. Health Education Philosophy
By: Courtney Day

•Behavior Change
–behavioral contracts
–goal setting
–self-monitoring

•Cognitive-based
–Provides information (content and
knowledge) to people so they can make
their own healthy decisions


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22. •Decision Making
Uses simulations, case studies, or scenarios to identify
alternative approaches and problem-solving and coping skills
to help people analyze and deal with health issues and make
best possible health choices for themselves

Freeing/Functioning
Helps people make best possible health choices for
themselves (but not necessarily in the best interests of society)

Social Change
Emphasizes role in health education of creating political or
social changes that benefit individual/societal health



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23. How is a philosophy of health education
developed?
(Experience, education, study, guidance from mentors, interaction with family,
friends, and colleagues)

Steps:
•What’s important and valued?
•How do those values relate to your life?
•Can I write a statement that identifies what
shapes my actions and beliefs?
•Is this statement consistent with being a health
educator?
•If the answer is yes, health education may be a
good career for us!

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24. Right Responsibility
Integral part of
Health Services
Capacity
Health Education Philosophy Contd.
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25. Inputs (Education) Outcomes (Health)
Motivation
Behaviour
Modification
Counseling
Mass
Communication
Information
Practices
?
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26. Health Education is the
most powerful tool
available to Public Health
for the Health Promotion
of the people.
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27. The notion that all these fragments is separately existent is
evidently an illusion, and this illusion cannot do other than lead to
endless conflict and confusion. Indeed, the attempt to live
according to the notion that the fragments are really separate is,
in essence, what has led to the growing series of extremely urgent
crises that is confronting us today. Thus, as is now well known, this
way of life has brought about pollution, destruction of the balance
of nature, over-population, world-wide economic and political
disorder and the creation of an overall environment that is neither
physically nor mentally healthy for most of the people who live in
it. Individually there has developed a widespread feeling of
helplessness and despair, in the face of what seems to be an
overwhelming mass of disparate social forces, going beyond the
control and even the comprehension of the human beings who are
caught up in it.
David Bohm, Wholeness and the Implicate Order, 1980)
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28. THANK YOU !
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