Education and Conversation

Since Michael Oakeshott spoke of education as an initiation into "the conversation of mankind" some fifty years ago, the idea has gained currency among philosophers on both sides of the analytic/continental divide and continues to be invoked today by thinkers seeking to resist the influence of managerialism and narrow instrumentalism in educational policy and practice. "Education and Conversation "draws together leading scholars representing both the analytic and continental philosophical traditions and offers a variety of perspectives on the implications of Oakeshott's educational ideas. Oakeshott's thought are explored, examining the metaphor of the conversation of mankind, the roots of Oakeshott's thinking in his early philosophical work, the relevance of his ideas to the concept of "Bildung," and the significance of his political conservatism in evaluating the seemingly progressive potential of his educational ideas. Prominent concepts in Oakeshott's thought are also explored, and their relevance to contemporary philosophical discussions about education, learning and development are considered, including the nature of initiation, the phenomenology of listening, and the value of the liberal arts tradition. This volume shows how the idea of conversation illuminates both the character and the ends of education, yielding insight into the scope and limits of the philosophy of education and the character of philosophical inquiry more generally.