The aim of this paper is to introduce a correction into the notion of self-directed adult learning by way of conjoining it with philosophically elaborated notions of autonomy, self-reflectiveness, and maturity. The basic premise of this intervention is that in andragogical theorizing, learners’ self-directedness ought not to be thought as obvious and thus beyond question. Since adult selves are not transparent but socially, culturally, and discoursively constructed, adult educators are encouraged to think of themselves as facilitators of adult learners’ self-awareness and self-directedness in their learning processes. Adult learners need to be assisted in developing critical skills that can be used to eliminate distortions in their perception of social reality, in understanding their own personalities, their needs and decisions concerning continuing education. The problematization of the concept of human autonomy amid external influences, is first discussed in Immanuel Kant’s idea of maturity as an ability to use one’s understanding without guidance from another. I then turn to Habermas’s philosophy of communicative action and three knowledge-constitutive interests where the human interest in emancipation comes to the fore. Its significance for critical adult learning is further emphasized in line with Stephen Brookfield’s and Jack Mezirow’s association of self-directed learning with empowerment, understood as freeing consciousness from its dependence on hypostatized powers. Drawing on Foucault’s work, I argue that attaining the state of autonomy requires practice in “the care for oneself” which amounts to the lifelong endeavor to create and govern oneself and to learn how not to be governed. The agenda for adult education for citizenship opted for in this paper attributes essential significance to learnable skills of critical reasoning, deliberation, and self-reflectiveness which all operate within three proposed dimensions of adult education: experiential learning, literacy, and vocationalism.

中文翻译：

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自我导向和自主性问题：从假冒教育到批判性和变革性的成人学习

本文的目的是通过将自主性、自我反思性和成熟度等哲学阐述的概念结合起来，对自我导向的成人学习的概念进行修正。这种干预的基本前提是，在语言学理论中，学习者的自我导向不应该被认为是显而易见的，因此是不容置疑的。由于成人自我不是透明的，而是在社会、文化和话语上构建的，因此鼓励成人教育者将自己视为成人学习者在学习过程中自我意识和自我导向的促进者。需要帮助成人学习者发展关键技能，这些技能可用于消除他们对社会现实感知的扭曲，了解他们自己的个性，他们对继续教育的需求和决定。在外部影响下人类自主概念的问题化首先在伊曼纽尔康德的成熟思想中讨论，成熟是一种在没有他人指导的情况下使用自己的理解的能力。然后我转向哈贝马斯的交流行动哲学和三个知识构成的兴趣，其中人类对解放的兴趣脱颖而出。根据斯蒂芬布鲁克菲尔德和杰克梅齐罗将自主学习与授权的联系进一步强调了它对批判性成人学习的重要性，将意识从对实体化权力的依赖中解放出来。借鉴福柯的作品，我认为，达到自主状态需要“照顾自己”的实践，这相当于终生努力创造和管理自己，并学习如何不被管理。本文选择的公民成人教育议程对批判性推理、深思熟虑和自我反思的可学习技能具有重要意义，这些技能都在成人教育的三个拟议维度内运作：体验式学习、识字和职业主义。