7. Higher Education: Vision, Objectives, Problems and Recommendations I There is no doubt that our entire orientation has to be focussed on the future. We should expect major developments in research, and while emphasis on physical sciences will continue, a pronounced emphasis will come to be laid on biological and psychological sciences. Critical knowledge will also receive unprecedented emphasis. Technologies will invent new techniques, new devices, new gadgets; information technology will not only accelerate the process of diffusion of knowledge but also aid in promoting discovery of new knowled

9. Teacher Education: Objectives, Problems and Recommendations All education is about knowledge and wisdom, about courage and heroism, about art of harmony, and about skill for effective productivity, excellence and perfection. But above all, the central figures of education are the teacher and the pupil, — the teacher, who has the power to inspire and uplift and the pupil who has thirst and who raises his hand for upliftment. And the interrelationship between the teacher and the pupil generates that secret process by which the heritage of the past is transmitted for purposes of the future. Without the teacher, the accumulated experience of the past remain

6. Contents of Education for Character Development Methods and contents of education are interrelated; this is particularly true in respect of education for character development, where methods themselves are in significant measure contents. This is the reason why the treatment of these two subjects tends to have some kind of overlapping. In a sense, the teacher in respect of education for character development has no method and yet every method. Similarly, he has no specific content and yet every content. A simple statement like the one that was given to Shvetaketu by his father, "Thou art that", can become sufficient for the en

Illumination, Heroism and Harmony Preface The task of preparing teaching-learning material for value- oriented education is enormous. There is, first, the idea that value-oriented education should be exploratory rather than prescriptive, and that the teaching- learning material should provide to the learners a growing experience of exploration. Secondly, it is rightly contended that the proper inspiration to turn to value-orientation is provided by biographies, autobiographical accounts, personal anecdotes, epistles, short poems, stories of humour, stories of human interest, brief passages filled with pregnant meanings, reflective short essays writ

Catherine the Great as statesman We can hardly doubt the good intentions of Catherine in the early years of her reign. In her copy of Fenelon's Telemaque were found these resolutions: Study mankind, learn to use men without surrendering to them unreservedly. Search for true merit, be it at the other end of the world, for usually it is modest and retiring. Do not allow yourself to become the prey of flatterers; make them understand that you care neither for praise nor for obsequiousness. Have confidence in those who have the courage to contradict you, ... and who place more value on your reputation than on your favor. Be p

Pre - Contents Cover Page Acknowledgements This monograph is part of a series on Value-oriented Education centered on three values: Illumination, Heroism and Harmony. The research, preparation and publication of the monographs that form part of this series are the result of the cooperation of the following members of the research team of the Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research, Auroville: Abha, Alain, Anne, Ashatit, Auralee, Bhavana, Christine, Claude, Deepti, Don, Frederick, Ganga, Jay Singh, Jean-Yves, Jossy, Jyoti Madhok, Kireet Joshi, Krishna, Lala, Lola, Mala, Martin, Mirajyoti, Namrita, Olivier, Pa

A few anecdotes and events during Catherine's reign I "New Russia" and the journey to Crimea The journey to the Crimea, which Catherine made in 1787, was a triumphal progress of incredible magnificence, marking a splendid climax in her reign. It was intended to impress not only Turkey, but the whole civilized world with the wealth and power of the Empress of Russia, and as planned by Potemkin it more than succeeded. But, while the courts of Europe received prompt reports about this magnificent journey, news of the Russian people percolated¹ more slowly. At this time, in fact, a severe famine afflicted the country. Hungry beggars swarme

The Arrival in Russia On 10 January 1744, the Princess Sophia of Anhalt- Zerhst set out with her parents as though on their annual visit to Berlin. Their departure from Zerbst was unobtrusive, for both her mother and father had taken care to give the impression in the town that nothing special was happening; they had not even explained to their daughter the reason for these hurried arrangements. But Sophia herself knew that she was embarking on no ordinary journey and, although not yet fifteen years old, she knew too, that this was a fateful step in her life. The excitement in the Anhalt-Zerbst family had started on New Year’s Day. Mail had come as they sa

Catherine II (Painting of Russian School, copy after Alexander Roslin) II Reform of the Law Although Catherine did not hesitate to follow self-interest in foreign relations, she took an idealistic view of her domestic problems. She turned from Machiavelli¹ to Montesquieu². When she thought of Courland and Poland she pictured herself as a general on horseback; when she thought of Russia she pictured herself as the Little Mother, Matushka. She and Russia were united against the rest of the world. The Empress wished to make her people happy without making hers elf unhappy. Russia had despotic, conflicting, chaotic laws. There was a printed code

Notes Russia under Catherine the Great Frederick the Great wrote, about 1776: « Of all the neighbors of Prussia, Russia merits most attention, as being the most dangerous; it is powerful and near. Those who in future will govern Prussia will like me, be forced to cultivate friendship of these barbarians." Always, in thinking of Russia, we most remember its size. Under Catherine the Great it included Esthonia, Livonia, Finland (in part), European Russia, the northern Caucase and Siberia. Its area expanded from 687000 to 913000 square kilometers in the eighteen century; its population grew from thirteen millions in 1711 to thirty million in 1790. In 1722,97.7 p