Praxis (process) facts for kids
Praxis is a fancy word for putting ideas or skills into action. It's about taking what you learn and actually doing it. Think of it as the link between thinking and acting. Many famous thinkers, like Plato, Aristotle, and Karl Marx, have talked about praxis. It's important in areas like politics, education, spirituality, and even medicine.
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Where Does the Word "Praxis" Come From?
The word praxis comes from an ancient Greek word, πρᾶξις. In Ancient Greece, it meant activities done by free people. The philosopher Aristotle said humans do three main things:
- Theoria: This is about thinking and understanding.
- Poiesis: This is about making or creating things.
- Praxis: This is about doing or acting.
Aristotle also thought that praxis helped us learn about ethics (what's right and wrong), economics (how money and resources work), and politics (how societies are governed). He even had words for good actions (eupraxia) and bad actions (dyspraxia).
Praxis in Marxism
A philosopher named August Cieszkowski was one of the first to use praxis to mean "action aimed at changing society." He believed that deep problems in human thinking could only be fixed by actually doing things that change society.
Karl Marx used "praxis" to describe how humans freely create and change their world and themselves. For Marx, praxis is a special human activity. It's how we make history and become who we are. He believed that problems in theory could only be solved by practical action.
Marx famously said:
Philosophers have only tried to understand the world in different ways; the important thing is to change it.
This means that just thinking about the world isn't enough. We need to act to make it better. Marx thought that society could only be changed by people taking revolutionary action. Later, thinkers like Antonio Gramsci and the Frankfurt School also used the idea of "philosophy of praxis" to describe Marxism.
Jean-Paul Sartre's View
Jean-Paul Sartre, another famous philosopher, saw individual praxis as the base of human history. He believed that our actions are an attempt to deal with our needs. Sartre thought that when resources are scarce, people compete. This can lead to exploitation and class struggles.
Sartre also talked about "group praxis." This is when individuals come together for a common goal. He saw successful revolutions as a great example of this "fused group" action.
Hannah Arendt and Action
Hannah Arendt argued that Western philosophy often focused too much on thinking (the "contemplative life"). She felt it ignored the "active life," which is about doing things. For Arendt, praxis is the most important part of the active life.
She believed that more philosophers should get involved in everyday political action. Arendt thought that our ability to think, struggle with ideas, and engage in praxis is what makes us truly human. She saw action as a way for people to come together and realize human freedom.
Praxis in Education
In education, praxis describes a cycle of learning by doing. It's like a loop where you experience something, think about it, and then change your actions based on what you learned. David A. Kolb helped make this cycle popular.
Paulo Freire, a well-known educator, defined praxis as "reflection and action directed at the structures to be transformed." He believed that through praxis, people who are treated unfairly can understand their situation better. Then, they can work with teachers and students to fight for freedom.
Praxis in education means:
- Taking an action.
- Thinking about what happened because of that action.
- Looking closely at the results.
- Changing your ideas and plans based on what you learned.
- Putting those new plans into action.
This creates a continuous learning cycle for students and teachers.
Praxis in Spirituality
Praxis is also very important in meditation and spirituality. Here, the focus is on gaining direct experience of concepts. For example, understanding a "union with the Divine" can only be explored through praxis. This is because our minds and language can't fully explain something infinite.
As Matthew Fox said, wisdom is like tasting something. You have to experience it yourself, not just read theories about it. It's about "tasting life" and trusting your own experiences.
Praxis in Medicine
In medicine, praxis refers to the ability to perform voluntary, skilled movements. For example, being able to tie your shoes or write your name. If someone has trouble doing these movements, even if their muscles and senses are fine, it's called apraxia.
See also
In Spanish: Praxis para niños
- Christian theological praxis
- Hexis
- Lex artis
- Praxis Discussion Series
- Praxis (disambiguation)
- Praxis intervention
- Praxis school
- Praxeology
- Practice (social theory)
- Theses on Feuerbach
- Orthopraxy
- Apraxia
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