Full Description
Plato was the first and most formidable thinker to recognise that education is a fiercely contested concept, and to point out what great social and personal issues are at stake in education. He articulated a compelling argument for a liberal arts education as something peculiarly befitting free and autonomous beings. He understood the centrality of education for human well-being and flourishing. And he was the first to set forth a systematic theory of education.
In this text, Robin Barrow concisely and convincingly establishes the continuing relevance of Plato's views to debates on such issues as nature vs. nurture (or genetic inheritance vs. social background), philosophy vs. sophistry (or the pursuit of true understanding vs. the pursuit of reputation, or perhaps simply truth vs. politics and the media). Questions concerning the fair distribution of education, moral education, value judgments and human nature are explored along with themes more specifically associated with Plato's philosophy such as the Theory of Ideas. The whole is embedded in a clearly presented account of the historical background to Plato's thought.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Series Editor's Preface
Foreword
Part I: Intellectual Biography
1. Historical Background
2. Sparta
3. The Presocratics
4. The Nature of the Times and Socrates
5. The Sophists
6. Conclusion
Part II: A Critical Exposition of Plato's Educational Thought
7. Primary Education in the Republic
8. Secondary Education in the Republic
9. The Theory of Ideas
10. The Concept of Education
11. Nature vs Nuture
12. Moral Education, Indoctrination and Censorship
13. The Humanities
14. The Soul
15. Dialectic
16. Eros
17. Summary: An Educational Theory
Part III: The Reception and Influence of Plato's Work
18. The Academy and an Outline of Plato's Philosophical Legacy
19. Plato's Legacy in Pre-Twentieth Century Educational Philosophy
20. Plato's Legacy in Educational Thought
Part IV: The Relevance of Plato Today
21. The Question of Relevance
22. Some Psychological Questions
23. Truth and Knowledge
24. Educational Distribution
25. Value Questions
26. Philosophy and Educational Theory
Epilogue
Bibliography
Index
