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Scholarship
March 29, 2017
The Pursuit of Wisdom and Happiness in Education: Historical Sources and Contemplative Practices
- Author
- Steel, Sean
- Publisher
- SUNY Press, Albany, NY
- ISBN
- 9781438452135
- Table of Contents
-
Acknowledgments
Introduction
ch. 1 Stating the Problem: The Loss of Wisdom in the Modern World
ch. 2 Aristotle’s Understanding of Wisdom and Wisdom’s Pursuit
ch. 3 Boethius: The Relevance of Philosophy and the Need for a Wisdom Atmosphere in Education
ch. 4 Moses Maimonides’s Warnings against the Pursuit of Wisdom in Schoolsv ch. 5 Thomas Aquinas and the Gift of Wisdom
ch. 6 “Forget about Wisdom! Let’s Innovate!” A Critique of Current Trends in Education Reform
ch. 7 The Same Old Story: A History Lesson with St. Augustine about Education Reform
ch. 8 The Problem of Introducing Schole into Schools Today
ch. 9 Gareth Matthews’s Defense of Philosophizing with Childrenv ch. 10 Matthew Lipman and the P4C Movement
ch. 11 What Philosophy Is Not
ch. 12 A Brief Statement on the Unity between the Philosophic and Contemplative Traditions
ch. 13 Technological Education and the Need for Contemplation
ch. 14 The Challenge of Contemplative Education Programming in Schools
ch. 15 Examples of Contemplative Education in Schools
ch. 16 A Proposal for “Metaxic” Education, or an Education of the In-Between
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Click Here for Book Review
Abstract: Explores the nature and role of wisdom in education.
Modern scholarship has struggled to come to terms with the meaning of wisdom and its significance in the field of education. This book examines the importance of pursuing wisdom in schools by turning to ancient and medieval sources for clarification concerning the nature of wisdom. Sean Steel argues that our current emphasis on the development of rigorous critical-analytic thinking skills, on assessment, and on accountability in education has negatively impacted the ability of schools to foster an environment in which both students and teachers might pursue wisdom. Although in recent times efforts have been made to incorporate the pursuit of wisdom into schools through Philosophy for Children (P4C) and contemplative education programming, such initiatives have missed their mark. Steel therefore recommends not more accountability in education for the purpose of ensuring global competitiveness, but rather the institutional promotion of periods of leisure or schole in the school day.
Drawing upon his own experiences as a teacher who has tried to encourage students to search for wisdom, the author discusses some of the challenges and pitfalls of wisdom seeking. He also offers examples of various wisdom-seeking activities that might bear fruit in the classroom. (From the Publisher)
Abstract: Explores the nature and role of wisdom in education.
Modern scholarship has struggled to come to terms with the meaning of wisdom and its significance in the field of education. This book examines the importance of pursuing wisdom in schools by turning to ancient and medieval sources for clarification concerning the nature of wisdom. Sean Steel argues that our current emphasis on the development of rigorous critical-analytic thinking skills, on assessment, and on accountability in education has negatively impacted the ability of schools to foster an environment in which both students and teachers might pursue wisdom. Although in recent times efforts have been made to incorporate the pursuit of wisdom into schools through Philosophy for Children (P4C) and contemplative education programming, such initiatives have missed their mark. Steel therefore recommends not more accountability in education for the purpose of ensuring global competitiveness, but rather the institutional promotion of periods of leisure or schole in the school day.
Drawing upon his own experiences as a teacher who has tried to encourage students to search for wisdom, the author discusses some of the challenges and pitfalls of wisdom seeking. He also offers examples of various wisdom-seeking activities that might bear fruit in the classroom. (From the Publisher)