The transcendentals give us an experience of what it is to truly be human , and though our human sensibilities allow us to experience them , socially , morally and spiritually , they draw us out beyond ourselves . They are ideals universally recognised as significant and important . Philosopher and theologian , Augustine of Hippo ( 354-430 ), based them on the biblical insight that we bear God ’ s image ( Genesis 1:27 ).
Many others after him , like Blaise Pascal and C . S . Lewis , recognise we are able to use the deep human longing for beauty , goodness and truth to help orient ourselves towards humanity ’ s ultimate origin and goal – what they believe to be the living and loving God , the source of all beauty , goodness and truth . In principle , atheist philosopher Iris Murdoch would agree ( except for her ultimate origin and goal , of course ) arguing that the transcendent notion of goodness is essential , if defensible human notions of ‘ right ’ and ‘ justice ’ are to be maintained . If she ’ s right , our longing for justice is itself a deep clue to the meaning of things . 4
Beauty , goodness and truth put us both philosophically in touch with the deep meaning of things , and pedagogically in touch with the dispositional component of education . The pedagogy of dispositional development is of a different sort than that of knowledge acquisition and skill attainment . For instance , even the best lesson on beauty is no substitute for its experience . 5 Music , art , literature , the Mandelbrot set , one student doing the right thing by another , all develop and elevate the human spirit , transformed by the experience , perhaps even orientating ourselves towards humanity ’ s ultimate origin and goal – the living and loving God .
I guess these things can ’ t be mandated by policies as much as they can ’ t be measured by assessment , but they can still be agreed upon and entered into , as a shared vision and purposeful endeavour for ennobling the affections , inclining them towards the good .
3
Thomas Aquinas , Summa Theologica , 1a . q . 5 . art . 4 . ad 1
4
McGrath , A . E . ( 2012 ). Mere Apologetics : How to Help Seekers and Skeptics Find Faith ( pp . 103 – 108 ). Baker Books .
5
Gramenz , G . ( 2015 ). Truth , Goodness and Beauty : Revisiting the Classic Common Core Standards . ICCTEJ , 10 ( 2 ), ( p . 9 ) www . scotch . vic . edu . au Great Scot 11