Jean Piaget quotes - page 2

I could not think without writing. (Jean Piaget)
Alongside of the rare cases of true conversation where there is a genuine interchange of opinions or commands, one can observe in children between 2 and 6 a characteristic type of pseudo-conversation or "collective monologue", during which the children speak only for themselves, although they wish to be in the presence of interlocutors who will serve as a stimulus. Now here again, each feels himself to be in communion with the group because he is inwardly addressing the Adult who knows and understands everything, but here again, each is only concerned with himself, for lack of having dissociated the "ego" from the "socius." View quote
Jean Piaget
Thus we see that the child is almost led to tell lies - or what seem to us lies from our point of view - by the very structure of his spontaneous thought. Given this situation, what will be the result of the laws laid down by adults about truthfulness? On the occasion of the first very obvious lies, or of those connected with some offense or other and told therefore with the object of averting punishment or scolding, the parents point out to the child that he has just done something very wrong and thus inculcate in him the respect for truth. View quote
Jean Piaget
As you know, Bergson pointed out that there is no such thing as disorder but rather two sorts of order, geometric and living. Mine is clearly living. The folders I need are within reach, in the order of frequency with which I use them. True, it gets tricky to locate a folder in the lower levels. But if you have to find it, you look for it. That takes less time than putting them away every day. View quote
Jean Piaget
The current state of knowledge is a moment in history, changing just as rapidly as the state of knowledge in the past has ever changed and, in many instances, more rapidly. View quote
Jean Piaget
Scientific knowledge is in perpetual evolution; it finds itself changed from one day to the next. View quote
Jean Piaget
Childish egocentrism is, in its essence, an inability to differentiate between the ego and the social environment. View quote
Jean Piaget
The self thus becomes aware of itself, at least in its practical action, and discovers itself as a cause among other causes and as an object subject to the same laws as other objects. View quote
Jean Piaget
In genetic epistemology, as in developmental psychology, too, there is never an absolute beginning. View quote
Jean Piaget
The practice of narrative and argument does not lead to invention, but it compels a certain coherence of thought. View quote
Jean Piaget
To express the same idea in still another way, I think that human knowledge is essentially active. (Jean Piaget)
Reflective abstraction, however, is based not on individual actions but on coordinated actions. View quote
Jean Piaget
Our problem, from the point of view of psychology and from the point of view of genetic epistemology, is to explain how the transition is made from a lower level of knowledge to a level that is judged to be higher. View quote
Jean Piaget
In other words, knowledge of the external world begins with an immediate utilisation of things, whereas knowledge of self is stopped by this purely practical and utilitarian contact. View quote
Jean Piaget
Logical positivists have never taken psychology into account in their epistemology, but they affirm that logical beings and mathematical beings are nothing but linguistic structures. View quote
Jean Piaget
When you teach a child something you take away forever his chance of discovering it for himself. View quote
Jean Piaget
Children require long, uniterrupted periods of play and exploration. View quote
Jean Piaget
Are we forming children who are only capable of learning what is already known? Or should we try to develop creative and innovative minds, capable of discovery from the preschool age on, throughout life? View quote
Jean Piaget
Teaching means creating situations where structures can be discovered. View quote
Jean Piaget
Experience precedes understanding. View quote
Jean Piaget
How can we, with our adult minds, know what will be interesting? If you follow the child...you can find out something new. (Jean Piaget)
What is desired is that the teacher ceased being a lecturer, satisfied with transmitting ready-made solutions. His role should rather be that of a mentor stimulating initiative and research. View quote
Jean Piaget
We learn more when we are compelled to invent. View quote
Jean Piaget
To understand is to invent. View quote
Jean Piaget
Equilibrium is the profoundest tendency of all human activity. View quote
Jean Piaget