Is Pedagogy a scientific discipline? Some remarks arising from the current italian debate

Commencing from some considerations within the current Italian debate on pedagogical epistemology, this article focuses on the criteria according to which pedagogy can be considered a science. In particular, it deepens the original meanings of terms “pedagogy” and “education”, from their etymological origins and cultural meanings to the complex contemporary interpretations. The clarification of pedagogical lexicon is the prerequisite for conceptual clarification and, consequently, to guiding practice and organize the best possible educational situations. This article devotes specific attention to the transition, in the Italian debate and in Italian universities, from pedagogy to science of education: the latter expression, in fact, reflects not only the scientific research, but also the plurality of issues and approaches to education. Finally, it explores the idea/hypothesis of a science of education, as a united and, at the same time, multifaceted discipline, and its key features: a) Laity and autonomy; b) Creative identification of subject of research as a concept; c) Specific lexicon; d) Scientific method; e) Interaction between theory and practice; f) Research and experimentation. This article attempts to elucidate the conceptual issues of scientific research on education, transcending the specificity of the Italian situation (lexicon, research fields, issues, debates), and with explicit awareness of the challenges faced by translation into other languages of discipline keywords. Subsequently, in the light of universalistic and democratic improvement instances, the article proposes a concept of education as an inclusive entity, which refers to all humanity and to its needs/desires to improve the quality of life as a whole.