Abstract: In the course of western educational historical development, there have been rationalistic and sentimental cognitive routes in the curriculum and teaching theory since ancient Greece. The paradoxical movement of disunion and union between the two kinds of curriculum and teaching methodology goes throughout the whole history of western education. The study on their disunion and unions historical origins, contradiction movement and historical law not only can help people grasp the essence of curriculum and teaching theory from the macro and the whole point of view, but also can push the currently Chinese curriculum and teaching reform.

Key words: rationalistic curriculum and teaching theory, sentimental curriculum and teaching theory, disunion and union