Onto-theological debates on value education: socrates and al Ghazali’s perspectives

Education is intrinsically and by definition value-oriented, and value education could be scrutinized through deep understanding of religious dimension as well as philosophical point of view. Ontological or philosophical debates on value education have been initiated since classical Greece through Socrates’theory of value which introduced many things about virtues (arête), knowledge and dialectical method or inquiry for critical thinking. In this regards, Soctares elaborated pillars of virtues which consist of piety (holiness), courage, temperance (sophrosune), and justice. Reason, mind and idea are basic elements to aquire the ultimate knowledge and truth through wisdom, since knowledge itself is wisdom and intelligence (shopia, phronesis).Socratic method of education, which known as method of elenchus or Socratic debate, means as a form of inquiry and debate between individuals with opposing viewpoints based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to illuminate ideas.