The Philosophy of Education: An Introduction

Scholarly Collection of Essays in Philosophy of Education

  • Gathered essays discuss key issues in contemporary philosophy of education
  • Highly recommended by prominent scholars:
    • Professor James Arthur - Editor of the British Journal of Educational Studies, UK
    • Fintan O’Toole - Professor of Education, University College Cork, Ireland
    • Mike McNamee - Professor of Applied Ethics, Swansea University, UK

Innovative Approach to Philosophy of Education

  • The text models the act of philosophizing in education
  • Contributions from internationally esteemed philosophers
  • Provides conceptual tools for exploring contemporary educational questions, policies, and practices

Engagement and Structure of the Text

  • Each chapter:
    • Focuses on a specific area of debate
    • Explains main concepts with historical context
    • Includes philosophical extracts and guiding questions to foster critical engagement
    • Suggests further reading and challenging sources for counter-arguments

Audience for the Text

  • Targeted at:
    • Education students
    • Trainee teachers in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes
    • Practicing teachers and educationalists interested in philosophical aspects of education

Author Information

  • Richard Bailey: Writer and theorist on education, former teacher and trainer, and professor at UK Universities (Canterbury, Roehampton, Birmingham).
    • Blog: talkingeducationandsport.blogspot.com

Publication Information

  • Title: The Philosophy of Education: An Introduction
  • Edited by: Richard Bailey
  • Publisher: Continuum
  • ISBN:
    • Paperback: 978-1-84706-019-8
    • Hardcover: 978-1-4411-2685-6

Table of Contents Overview

  • Information about the publication and contributors.
  • Introduction by Richard Bailey
    • Discussions include:
    • What is the philosophy of education?
    • The role of philosophy in education
    • Ethics in education and the challenges thereof.

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1: What Is the Philosophy of Education? (Paul Standish)

  • Key questions about the definitions of philosophy and education
  • Writing philosophy of education
  • Fundamentals of different types of philosophical theses
    • Worked examples are provided
  • Concludes with the practical importance of philosophy and further reading suggestions.

Chapter 2: Does Education Need Philosophy? (Richard Pring)

  • Introduces the necessity of philosophy in determining educational aims
  • Discusses cultural and community impacts on education
  • Examines recent historical contexts influencing philosophy in education
  • Concludes with learning and teaching considerations, including useful website references.

Chapter 3: What Is Education For? (Roger Marples)

  • Engages with the aims of education
    • Discusses concepts of knowledge for its own sake.

Chapter 4: Can We Teach Ethics? (James C. Conroy)

  • Explores the controversy surrounding teaching ethics
    • Key themes:
    • The complexities of teaching morality
    • The disparity between moral teaching outcomes compared to other subjects like math
    • Asks profound moral questions connected to real-life situations, such as the obligations of teachers and the moral integrity of society.

Discussion of Ethical Education

  • Complexity of agreeing on moral education in liberal societies
  • Need for a universal definition of 'good' and the historical struggle for this definition
    • Reference to biblical texts (The Decalogue), implications for morality, and societal rules.

Philosophical Influences on Ethics in Education

  • Historical perspectives on morality, including significant changes post WWII
  • Detailed exploration of Immanuel Kant's moral philosophy and its implications in educational contexts
    • Kant's Categorical Imperative: base moral actions on universally applicable maxims.

The Importance of Reason in Moral Education

  • Discussion surrounding the challenges of instilling moral reason versus convention in education, examining Kohlberg's theories on moral development stages.
  • Stresses continuity between moral education in societal and educational contexts.
  • Questions about rational arguments versus emotional considerations in moral development.

The Role of Virtue and Character Education

  • Commentary on Aristotle's ethical focus on cultivating virtues through habitual practice.
  • Emphasizes the morality of actions based on virtuous disposition rather than just avoiding wrongdoing.

Suggested Reading

  • Highlights key philosophical texts such as Kant's and Aristotle's works on morality.
  • Mentions significant contemporary texts questioning moral education principles, including Stephen Law's discussions on children's moral development.

Further Resources

  • Provides a collection of resources for deeper engagement in moral education.
  • Notable website links for journals and materials related to moral educational theory.