Philosophy 115: Philosophy of Education

This course examines a variety of issues in the philosophy of education, ranging from the general nature and proper aims of education to a variety of specific issues in contemporary educational philosophy and policy such as the role and nature of diversity in education, moral education, testing and assessment, and the role of technology in education.  We start with a historical survey of some central approaches to the philosophy of education from ancient Greece and China through modern Europe and then turn primarily to contemporary thinkers debating key issues.  We end the course by engaging with the thought of one of the most important progressive educational thinkers of the twentieth century, the Brazilian philosopher Paolo Friere.  Students will be required to participate in class discussion, to lead at least one debate over the course of the semester, and to write several short papers.