Abstract: In exploring humanized education, researchers tend to look at education problems from the perspective of anti-humanization, without a further analysis of the concept of anti-humanized education. The difference among anti-humanization, dehumanization and weak humanization in education is obscure. Using the category of purpose–means, we seek to reveal and clarify the connotation of the three, their boundaries and interrelationships. We argue that the core of the anti-humanized education is domestication of education，which violates humanity; while the core of dehumanized education is the materialization of education, which is separate from humanity; and the core of weak humanization is alienation of education, which deviates from humanity. Therefore, education should develop towards truth–breaking away from the fetters of domestication, towards harmony–evading the snare of materialization, and towards freedom –getting rid of the fence of alienation.

Key words: human nature；humanized education；anti-humanized education, dehumanized education, weak humanized education