Education has always held the attention of philosophers. Suffice it to refer to the example of Socrates teaching the public in open spaces. His activity was an invitation to learning. The German philosopher G. W. F. Hegel (1770-1834) also was not indifferent to this issue, even though he did not refer to it in detail in his works. However, Hegel always held positions or carried out functions related with education. Therefore, one can point at this concern in his philosophy and suggest what his possible contributions to the field were. As far as Hegel is concerned, no society can survive without education, as it is the expression of reason trying to both establish freedom and implement it as a common practice. This is what the Hegelian idea of man derives from, its being characterized by the construction of the self with its peers throughout history. This man is responsible for his destiny and for his happiness, which is not identified with any material structure. In this sense, Hegel attributes centrality to content rather than to methods and techniques. Content must be offered as a right and a need, because it is through content that man learns to be free, i.e., rational. Freedom as the purpose of education can only come about across the totality of the community, which implies in overcoming individualistic positions.
Philosophy; education; freedom; concept development