Description

This textbook seeks to explore the purpose and values of the philosophy of education, and specific issues of contemporary relevance. Unlike many other texts on the subject, "The Philosophy of Education: An Introduction" is fundamentally about the activity of philosophizing and not about (mostly long-dead) philosophers. With this goal in mind, contributors have been selected who are capable of bringing the Philosophy of Education to life for the reader. All are respected as philosophers in their own right, and they write in an accessible and engaging manner. The chapters are not position statements that express one viewpoint at the expense of others; rather, they provide an overview of a topic, including reference to central concepts and discussion of major debates. Each chapter: explains and summarises the main concepts and discussions in a particular area of debate; includes extracts from philosophical writing, followed by questions that guide the reader to engage critically and actively with the text; refers, where appropriate, to current events or topics; and, ends with a bibliographic section that guides the reader towards further reading, and suggests next steps and more challenging sources, or counter-pointed arguments. "The Philosophy of Education: An Introduction" is primarily for students studying education studies and teacher education. It will also appeal to practising teachers who wish to engage with philosophical approaches to contemporary educational issues, and to educationalists who are looking for a succinct guide to philosophical perspectives on educational theory and practice.

Author description

Richard Bailey is a writer and theorist on education and sport. A former teacher in both Primary and Secondary Schools and a teacher trainer, he has been a Professor at Canterbury, Roehampton and most recently Birmingham Universities.

Table of contents

SECTION 1: THE PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION: THE VERY IDEA; 1. What is the Philosophy of Education? (Paul Standish, Institute of Education, London); 2. Does education need philosophy? (Richard Pring, University of Oxford); SECTION 2: PHILOSOPHISING ABOUT EDUCATION; 3. What is education for? (Roger Marples, Roehampton University); 4. What should be taught? (Michael Hand, Institute of Education); 5. Can and should we teach children to be good? (Jim Conroy, University of Glasgow); 6. Do children have rights? (Tristan McCowan, Roehampton University); 7. Should the government control education? (Judith Suissa, Institute of Education, London); 8. Educational opportunities - who shall we leave out? (Carrie Winstanley, Roehampton University); 9. Should schooling be compulsory? (Dianne Gereluk, Roehampton University); 10. What's wrong with indoctrination and brainwashing? (Richard Bailey, Roehampton University); SECTION THREE: DOING THE PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION; 11. Reading the Philosophy of Education (TBC); 12. Writing the Philosophy of Education (Richard Smith, University of Durham); APPENDIX: FURTHER INFORMATION; Further Reading; Organisations.