The purpose of education in the interpretation of western European thinkers of the twentieth century

The article is devoted to the problem of education purpose. The author refers to the poet, critic and thinker of the first half of the XX century Thomas Eliot and reveals his understanding of education. T. Eliot in his work disputes about the interpretation of the "education" concept considering different points of view. He demonstrates the depth of interpretation of the education phenomenon and characterizes it comprehensively. In his study are touched upon the up-to-date issues of family, universality and accessibility of education, role of culture in the educational activity. Author managed to find common ground in education and upbringing with the famous psychoanalyst Erich Fromm. His social and cultural approach to consideration of education is conceptually similar to the Eliot’s. They, despite the fact of living in different countries and not crossing directly in their activities, wrote about at the same time concerned by relative problems of society in general and education in particular. The study includes an analytical overview and comparison of the mentioned thinkers’ ideas. The analysis allowed the author to come to the conclusion that the range of issues concerning the purpose of education discussed in the middle of the XX century is sufficiently wide. It has not lost its relevance; on the contrary, in the culture transformation environment it gained sharper lines in present-day social life.