Koers (E-Journal)
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The Achilles’ heel of positivism
Get PDFThe 20th century encompasses philosophical trends as wide apart as (neo-) positivism and postmodernism. The assumed objectivity and neutrality of the former and the radical relativity claimed by the latter both have difficulties in accounting for the nature of universality. Since sense experience is directed towards concrete entities and events, the universal scope of law-statements remains problematic – particularly exemplified in the universal scope of modal terms (what will be designated as modal universality). Not even postmodernism can side-step this fundamental ontic dimension of reality. Insofar as the positivistic ideal of an objective and neutral science still dominates the thought-world of many practising (natural and social) scientists, a critique of the Achilles’ heel of positivism may render a service to the ideal of Christian scholarship, since it is argued that such a critique highlights the inevitability of a distinct theoretical view of reality which ultimately emanates from a person’s deepest convictions. The contributions of Popper and Stegmüller are contextualized in the argumentation. Popper realized that rationality needs a more-than-rational foundation and Stegmüller acknowledges that one cannot justify something without a prior trust. The inability of sense experience to account for the functional properties of natural things and their accompanying concepts indeed reveals the Achilles’ heel of positivism. This view is explained with reference to the uniqueness of function concepts employed in the historical development of the concept of matter. In the final part of the article Popper’s idea of falsification is assessed by taking into account the criticism raised by Stegmüller. In the course of the argumentation the relevance for the South African context is mentioned with reference to the idea of neutrality as it is advanced in the current debate about the teaching of religion at school
Preventive or punitive disciplinary measures in South African schools: Which should be favoured?
Get PDFRecent research shows a major paradigm shift towards preventive and positive rather than punitive disciplinary measures. Since the essence of learner discipline is correctional and educational rather than punitive, this approach seems to be the correct one – especially after the abolition of corporal punishment in South African schools. However, the question remains: is there still room for punitive and reactive learner discipline in our schools? And if so, which is the better approach, and where should the emphasis be? This article endeavours to evaluate the two approaches by means of a normative framework. Rather than ruling which approach is the more successful one, the authors argue that it is not the one or the other, but rather a combination of the two approaches. One of the guiding determinants for correct decision-making is vested in maintaining a safe, harmonious and orderly environment conducive to education and learning. The decision regarding the most effective form of discipline in a particular instance should therefore be determined by the context of the situation. For example, it depends on the seriousness of the misconduct, the attitude of the learners (e.g. was it as a result of intent or negligence?), the age of the learner, the influence it had on the teaching-learning environment, et cetera
Drug testing in American schools
Get PDFAs the use of illegal drugs has reached epidemic proportions in schools, educational leaders in the United States have turned to drug testing in attempting to maintain learner discipline. To this end, the United States Supreme Court has addressed the issue twice in the past eight years. In 1995, the Court permitted drug testing in Acton v. Vernonia School District 47J. More recently, in Board of Education of Independent School District No. 92 of Pottawatomie v. Earls (2002), the Court upheld suspicionless drug testing of learners who wished to participate in extracurricular activities. Even though drug testing has yet to emerge as an issue in South Africa, Earls is significant for educational leaders and policy makers in South Africa since it involves concerns under the National Policy on Privacy. More specifically, under Items 20 and 21 of the South African National Policy on the Management of Drug Abuse (SA, 1996b) searches and drug testing should only be used where there is reasonable suspicion, the same standard applied by American courts. However, unlike the United States, the South African policy prohibits random searches and/or drug testing. Thus, due to constitutional and educational issues that drug testing raises, a timely discussion of this matter should be of interest to educational leaders and policy makers in South Africa
Understanding the encounter between Africa and the West in a profound way
Get PDFVAN DER WALT, B.J. 2003. Understanding and rebuilding Africa; from desperation today towards expectation for tomorrow. Potchefstroom : Institute of Contemporary Christianity in Africa. 553 p. Price: R150. ISBN: 1-86822-419-8
Editorial
Get PDFIn a volume of Koers largely dedicated to emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the following extract from the commendatio deserves special attention: He never failed to emphasise that forgiveness and reconciliation can never be cheap, but can only be achieved through equal justice for all citizens. This was the reason why he fought with his whole being and all the means at his disposal against the unjust, inhuman and unbiblical ideology of apartheid. He did so long before this university distanced itself from apartheid, first through some lonely voices in the seventies and finally in 1996. The Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education has the greatest respect, appreciation and admiration for the way in which this fellow-Christian consistently, openly, boldly and unashamedly lived out basic Christian principles like justice, truth, reconciliation and peace
Die Christelike lewensvisie van aartsbiskop Desmond M. Tutu: ’n Algemene oorsig
Get PDFThe Christian worldview of Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu: A general review In the light of the sad fact that Archbishop Tutu’s writings are often neither known nor read by the Afrikaans-speaking community, this tribute intends to be a brief, academic but accessible introduction to his thought – especially in the light of the fact that the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education recently honoured him with an honorary doctorate for his significant contribution to Christian thought and life in South Africa and the rest of the world. The focus of the article is not on Tutu as a person or his theology (which has been characterised in different ways), but provides an overview of his Christian worldview. Firstly, the different sources of his worldview are investigated. Secondly, an exposition is given of its six basic components: (1) Tutu’s idea of God; (2) of God’s laws for creation; (3) of time and history and (4) of our natural environment. The second article will deal separately with the two remaining components, viz (5) Tutu’s view of being human and (6) of society, because they should be regarded as his most important contribution in shaping a genuine Christian worldview. The preliminary conclusion is that, because Tutu listened carefully and obediently to God’s threefold revelation, he succeeded in proclaiming both an integral and a relevant Christian worldview. This worldview is not dualistic in nature, dividing life in secular and sacred domains; it emphasises God’s sovereignty over everything and religion as an all-encompassing service to God and our neighbour. The relevance of Tutu’s worldview can not be confined to the apartheid era – it offers valuable perspectives and directions for Christian life in our increasingly secularised contemporary world
The role of values in school discipline
Get PDFDespite the fact that the Constitution of South Africa uses language that could be described as “value-language”, our country is experiencing an intense moral crisis. There is an urgent need to establish ways of finding answers to the value crisis in South Africa. Morality has been and is part of education. In this article the relationship between values, education and discipline is addressed from a Biblically-based (in this case, reformational) perspective. The teacher as secondary educator plays an important role in the establishment of values among learners. The Department of Education has made clear its intention to establish values in schools in its Manifesto on Values, Education and Democracy. The values emphasised in this document concur with the ideals of nation-building in the new democratic South Africa. Unfortunately, the absence of discipline and self-discipline among learners and educators implies that these ideals cannot be realised. The main cause of discipline problems can possibly be ascribed to the absence of a value system rooted in a specific life and worldview, for without such a perspective the management of discipline problems can only be symptomatic