The philosophy of education

Title: The philosophy of education
Published by: Oxford University Press
Release Date: December 20, 1973
Genre: Philosophy of education
Pages: 294
ISBN13: 978-0198750239

This collection contains Paul Hirst's influential (and deeply problematic) paper "Liberal Education and the Nature of Knowledge" which was closely identified with the concept of education analysed by R. S. Peters. As will be seen, the view of education here is understood to be epistemological - a liberal education has to do with the nature of knowledge itself. I attended a conference in which Hirst appeared to acknowledged that this was a mistake - that the idea of a liberal education should be an ethical one, its purpose and structure not derived, firstly, from the nature of knowledge at all. This seemed a promising revision, but so far as I am aware, it was never fully developed.

The book begins with a discussion of "aims of education". Peters returned to the question of aims a number of times - the concern being that in the larger view of education it had no aim outside itself - because of its intrinsic value. This question of intrinsic value is a continuing theme. I think he is right - education is intrinsically valuable. But we look for the nature of that value in all the wrong places.

Note, too, the last paper - "The Justification of Education". Again, the instrumental and intrinsic possibilities of education are explored.

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