(February 17, 2014 at 4:45 pm)rasetsu Wrote:
I think something that may be missing here is the difference between the learning done by a child in the context of a family and the learning by an autonomous adult. Because of the context, developmental psychology of children, and the incentives for both parent and child, much of the early learning of a child will fit the dictionary definition of indoctrination. And this definition doesn't communicate well that indoctrination is often viewed in a bad light, as something unhealthy. If we put the two together, we end up passing a blanket judgement that this early learning is unhealthy, and I think that's absurd.
As to my own view, I stopped believing in the virtues of my Christian upbringing at an age which I don't remember what happened. I do think that a factor in my abandoning Christianity is that my religious education was neglected. My sisters were confirmed, and once that had been accomplished, my mother no longer bothered to educate me in the ways of Christianity. I think it's natural to think that likely influenced my desire to continue learning and remain in the faith, but I just don't know. I simply don't remember. Though I was a willful child (am?), so it's possible that my thinking became autonomous in character earlier than that of most.
My own bias is that while indoctrination is acceptable to some degree for children, it is always regrettable. One must decide where to draw a line. I wouldn't try to explain to a young child that there is a spectrum of behavior from violently asocial to selfless, over-socialization and lay out the costs and benefits of each approach. I would coerce to some degree but I wouldn't want to do so beyond what I felt necessary.
