Education Reform

Ideas swarm around us everyday. They run through our heads and at times they alter our thoughts, believes, and perception. The question is, what ideas, events, or words affect us so that we do the things we do and say the things we say. If we understand the causes and know the effects, we have yet to fully understand the “chain.” In essence, the real question is not “what” ideas, events, or words affected the person but rather “why” it affected them. To understand the why, we must first understand the initial cause and effect.

George Santayana’s philosophies found in his essays, “Intellectual Ambition” and “Intuitive Morality,” were enthused by the rise of education and change in literature during the time. The cause and effect can be as simple as the rise of education and such forth brought Santayana to write these essays; however, with the lack of detail, the lack of evidence, and no answer to why these things affected his writing, it is impossible to complete the chain of cause and effect. Basically, the causes, effects, details, and evidence must first be analyzed then organized in order to understand the question of why.

During the late 1880s and early 1890s, reforms in education allowed for a more open view of education and the world sparking creativity and independence in schools. (America Past and Present, paraphrase) The world, especially the United States, was beginning to understand that through creativity and education beyond the core subjects the spectrum of knowledge known would spread beyond regions imaginable. The curiosity spread through out the U.S and eventually influenced many great people, one being George Santayana. In his essay, “Intellectual Ambition,” Santayana signifies the strength of creativity and...

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...Works Cited

Santayana, George. “Intellectual Ambition.” The Oxford Book of Essays. Oxford University Press. ED. John Gross. 1991. 341-342

Santayana, George. “Intuitive Morality.” The Oxford Book of Essays. Oxford University Press. ED. John Gross. 1991. 342-345

Saatkamp, Herman, "George Santayana." The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2010 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.) .

“Chapter 19: Towards an Urban Society, 1877-1900.” America: Past and Present. Ed. Michael Boezi. 8th edition. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. 538-570

“Chapter 20: Political Realignment in 1890s.” America: Past and Present. Ed. Michael Boezi. 8th edition. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. 572-598

“George Santayana.” Britannica. 2005. 17 Jan. 2006 .