Access to the full content is only available to members of institutions that have purchased access. If you belong to such an institution, please log in or find out more about how to order.


Print

Epistemology of education

DOI
10.4324/0123456789-P074-1
Published
2018
DOI: 10.4324/0123456789-P074-1
Version: v1,  Published online: 2018
Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://www.rep.routledge.com/articles/thematic/epistemology-of-education/v-1

Article Summary

Philosophical thinking about education has always been centrally concerned with epistemological matters, alongside metaphysical, moral and social/political concerns. The most basic question concerns the epistemic aims of education: what are they, and why? Candidates include truth, rational or justified belief, knowledge, understanding and the fostering of intellectual virtues. A second question concerns the roles of testimony and trust in education: should students believe their teachers’ testimonial pronouncements simply because their teachers said so? A third cluster of questions involves indoctrination: what is it? Is it avoidable? Is it always bad, or sometimes educationally appropriate? A fourth involves open-mindedness: is it possible to believe things while still being open-minded about them?

Print
Citing this article:
Siegel, Harvey. Epistemology of education, 2018, doi:10.4324/0123456789-P074-1. Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Taylor and Francis, https://www.rep.routledge.com/articles/thematic/epistemology-of-education/v-1.
Copyright © 1998-2024 Routledge.

Related Articles