The aim of this essay is to show that Plato's educational theory of “Politeia” is based on his ontology and epistemology. With regard to “Politeia”, this has been considered by many Platonists of all ages is a treatise on “Justice”. However, I take the position that this is Plato's theory of education. Teleologically it is “Justice” (δικαλιοσυγη), methodologically it is “Education” (παιδεια), but both are joined together in the metaphysical idea of “Good” (η του αγαθsym;ουιδεα).
Proceeding from the above mentionned inner structure, I considered and analysed first of all what shape of system and method education takes in the “Ideal State”. For Plato the concrete basis of man's education is his nature (φυσιs). In the long process of education of his Ideal State everyone is chosen according to his virtue (αρετη) and assigned to the various classes of citizens. Thus the custodian who having attained wisdom (σοφια) belongs to the highes class is the philosopher-king. In him philosophy and politics are perfectly one.
The establishment of the Ideal State presupposes the formation of the man of the “Polis”, i. e. the citizen, and only by that becomes possible. Consequently, in the Ideal State education has to become a main subject, and in it the education of the custodians takes the central place. The characteristics of their education are : (1) all mathematical sciences are considered important as training the power of seeing things as they are ; (2) philosophy which contemplates the ideas is placed in the uppermost rank. At the base of the curriculum is hidden the big aim of education the “transformation of the soul” (ητεχγητηs περαθsym;ωγηs). From this Plato leads to the comprehension of the “Idea of Good”, and thus aims at man's logos-perfection. In this, it would seem, the foundation of Plato's educational theory consists.

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A. N. Whitehead contends in his “Universities and their Function” that the special function of the university is to impart knowledge imaginatively. In this essay, therefore, I tried to explain his “function of teaching knowledge imaginatively” in the context of his metaphysical cosmology.
First of all, by a chronological consideration it is established that his theory of education antedates the formation of his metaphysical cosmology, and that the principle of concrescence is at its bottom. Secondly, the author proceeds to show that, according to the analysis of experience, knowledge explains experience which belongs to an inferior stage, and that this serves as datum for a new experience. Thus, finally, the author goes to show that the “imaginative power” is an activity which aims at enlarging the contents of experience. This is because in his metaphysical cosmology it is one of the propositional feelings, which has experience (knowledge) as its object.

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Generally, the purpose of education is said to be the formation of the “good” man. If this is so, it is, first of all, necessary to know what the “good” man is. At one time, Bertrand Russell, under the influence of G. E. Moore, thought that “good” could not be defined. But then he saw that love is the potent contents of “good”. With Russell love is a concept which transcends the search for both knowledge and beauty. Love is the fundamental principle of ethics, relating to the whole of human existence. For this reason, education with Russell has love as its foundation, and aims at the formation of the autonomous person who works for the realization of love.

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Drechsler took self-realization by placing reflection in its center. But in this there is no self-realization in its original sense. On the contrary, Jaspers whom Drechsler misinterprets speaks of self-realization in its original meaning. He interprets the original self as potential existence (mogliche Existenz), which by its decision earns its existence or not. Moreover, this potential existence when faced with an extreme situation (Grenzsiutation) in which a decision has to be taken, and when it chooses its own existence in this situation of existential freedom, in reverse, receives itself from a transcendence which is absolute reality enveloping and surpassing it. Here self-realization in an existential sense can exist.

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今まで学んできたドイツ教育理論を、一度、その理論を生み出した基盤の上に立って見なおしてみたい、特にその際、それを理論と実践との関連において把えてみたい、そのためには、単に伝統に生きているところよりも、むしろ伝統をうちにはらみながら近代化のなかに揺れ動いているところの方がいいのではないか。これが、私が留学の地にハンブルグを選んだ一つの理由でした。この点ハンブルグは、自由ハンザ同盟以来の古い歴史的伝統と、アルスター湖およびエルベ河に象徴される自然の美とを誇り、それらを保護し、生かしながら、そのなかに若々しく活動する近代商業都市として形成されており、私の念願にかなっていたことになります。そこで、大学に出席するかたわら、できるだけ多くこの地の教育の現実に膚でふれてみたいと、つとめて各種の学校や教育施設を視察しています。
しかし、ハンブルグを選んだより大きな理由は、この大学に、かのSpranger, Litt, Nohlなきあとの西独教育学界の重鎮Wilhelm Flitner (1889.8.20生) 教授と、Spranger高弟であるHans Wenke (1903.4.22生) がおられることでした。しかしここに来てみると私の期待は裏切られ、Flitner教授は老令のためにすでに退官、チュービンゲンの息子さん (Andreas Flitner) のところにいってられるのか、ここしばらく音信不通で、とても面会はできないだろうとのことです。Wenke教授に関しては、この大学でも前ゼメスターには相当にはげしい学生の動きがあり、先ずねらわれたのがWenke教授。なんでも戦時中にヒットラー体制に迎合する行動があったことを、急進学生によって糾弾され、それにいやけがさしたのか、本ゼメスターから退官された様子。今は、Spranger全集の編集と大学に付設されたハンス・ブレドウ放送研究所の所長として多忙のようで、出張がちで、彼を助けてSpranger全集の第五巻Kulturphilosophie und Kulturethikの編集にたずさわったKlaus Schleicher助手が、なんとかして私に会わせる機会を作ろうと努力し、また、Wenke教授からも日本のSprnger研究の動向などを知りたいから是非にという返事を受けてはいても、いまだにその機会に恵まれません。さらにKleine pädagogishe TextやZeitschrift füt Pädagikの編集者として知られていたGeorg Geissler (1902.11.22生) 教授もすでに退官。Doktorande-kolloquiumだけはすることになっていますが、殆んど大学には顔を見せず、面会も難しいようです。そのようなことで、ここに来た当初は、いささか失望したことは否定できません。
しかしその後、あとで述べるHansmann, Scheuerl両教授と、ベルリン大学でSpranger教えを受け、現在、演習でその著作を読むLotte Lipp-holscher講師、前述のSchleicher助手、それにSpanger初期の思想を学位論文としてまとめつつあるMichael Loffelholz助手らとの出会いによって、この大学に学べることに喜んでおります。
こちらに来ましてから、まだ四ヵ月。知りえたことはごく僅かでしかありませんが、この大学の教育学科の特色や学風について、いくらかなりとも御紹介したいと思います。

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