Monday, April 08, 2013

The Human Person


Something about the book's title caught my eye: The Human Person in a Philosophy of Education.

It was that phrase, "Human Person". Was there some other kind of person that the author was concerned with?

Well, perhaps, yes. The author is a Thomist, and so, one presumes, a believer in divine and angelic persons.

Looking into the book, I found much to interest me, so I made a donation and took it from the library's discard pile.

It proceeds by comparing progressive education with traditional education. John Dewey's philosophy is seen as underpinning progressive education. Thomas Aquinas's philosophy is seen as providing the best defense of traditional education.

Writing in 1965, the author sees progressive education as a failure, based on a fallacious philosophy.

In sum, he thinks Thomas
makes good on his promise,
but as for Dewey,
phooey!

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