Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
What is education for? Should it produce workers or educate future citizens? Is there a place for faith schools - and should patriotism be taught?
In this compelling and controversial book, Harry Brighouse takes on all these urgent questions and more. He argues that children share four fundamental interests: the ability to make their own judgements about what values to adopt; acquiring the skills that will enable them to become economically self-sufficient as adults; being exposed to a range of activities and experiences that will enable them to flourish in their personal lives; and developing a sense of justice.
He criticises sharply those who place the interests of the economy before those of children, and assesses the arguments for and against the controversial issues of faith schools and the teaching of patriotism.
Clearly argued but provocative, On Education draws on recent examples from Britain and North America as well as famous thinkers on education such as Aristotle and John Locke. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the present state of education and its future.
Synopsis
This book features Danielle Allenandrsquo;s 2014 Tanner Lectures, delivered at Stanford University, along with comments from four distinguished contributorsandmdash;Harvard philosopher Tommie Shelby; education and globalization scholar Marcelo Suandaacute;rez-Orozco (UCLA); Michael Rebell, executive director of the Campaign for Educational Equity at Teachers College, Columbia; and Pulitzer-winning playwright Quiara Alegrandiacute;a Hudesandmdash;along with Allenandrsquo;s response to the commentaries.
Why it is so hard to think about education and equality in relation to each other? Allen asks. For all of our talk about the two, we donandrsquo;t actually talk much about how education itself relates to equality, regardless of whether the equality we have in mind is human, political, or social, or connected to economic fairness. The basic problem that motivates these lectures, then, is the following: Allen thinks that education itselfandmdash;a practice of human developmentandmdash;has important contributions to make to the defense of human equality, the cultivation of political and social equality, and the emergence of fair economic orders. But she thinks we have lost sight of just how education relates to those egalitarian concerns. If we are to do right by the students we purport to educate, in whatever context and at whatever level, we need to recover that vision. Allenandrsquo;s goal, therefore, is to recover our understanding of just how education and equality are intrinsically connected to each other.
About the Author
Danielle Allen is professor of government and director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University. She is the author or editor of several books, including, most recently, Our Declaration.