Caring for Ideas

Education as cultural cultivation includes the practice of caring for ideas. But what is the nature of ideas and what is their role in the educational process? How do ideas relate to ideals? And should (educational) ideas be “put into practice”? Is this possible, and desirable? It is argued in this contribution that we should we be more careful about the role of ideas in the process of education and our lives in general. The paper starts with commentaries on philosophical and etymological backgrounds, and then addresses the question of what makes ideas “successful”. Two apparently successful ideas are exemplary discussed, namely, the idea of the nobleness of the heart, and the idea of authentic living. Additionally, the topic is raised how to deal with educational ideas appropriately, and a plea for “modest ideas” is expressed.