Philosophy is vital to the study of education, and a sound knowledge of
different philosophical perspectives leads to a deeper engagement with
the choices and commitments you make within your educational practice.
This introductory text provides a core understanding of key moments in
the history of Western philosophy. By introducing key transition points
in that history, it investigates the plight of present day education, a
period in which the aims and purposes of education have become
increasingly unclear, leaving education open to the rise of
instrumentalism and the forces of capital.
Accessibly written, the book carefully analyses the common assumptions
and conflicted history of education, provoking questioning about its
nature and purposes. The authors argue vigorously that thinking
critically about education from a philosophical perspective will give
practicing and trainee teachers, as well as students on undergraduate
Education and Masters-level courses a fuller command of their own role
and context.