The Formation of Reason (Journal of Philosophy of Education)

In The Formation of Reason , philosophy professor David Bakhurst utilizes ideas from philosopher John McDowell to develop and defend a socio-historical account of the human mind. Provides the first detailed examination of the relevance of John McDowell's work to the Philosophy of Education Draws on a wide-range of philosophical sources, including the work of 'analytic' philosophers Donald Davidson, Ian Hacking, Peter Strawson, David Wiggins, and Ludwig Wittgenstein Considers non-traditional ideas from Russian philosophy and psychology, represented by Ilyenkov and Vygotsky Discusses foundational philosophical ideas in a way that reveals their relevance to educational theory and practice In The Formation Of Reason, David Bakhurst Expounds And Defends A Socio-historical Account Of The Human Mind. Inspired By The Work Of The Influential Philosopher John Mcdowell, Bakhurst Maintains That The Distinctive Character Of Human Psychological Powers Resides In Our Responsiveness To Reasons, A Capacity That Develops In Children As They Are Initiated Into Traditions Of Thinking And Reasoning. In This Process Of Formation (or Bildung), Children Enter 'the Space Of Reasons' To Become Rational Agents In Self-conscious Control Of Their Thoughts And Actions. In Addition To Exploring Mcdowell's Ideas, Bakhurst Draws On A Variety Of Thinkers - Including Davidson, Hacking, Ilyenkov, Strawson, Vygotsky, Wiggins, And Wittgenstein - To Illuminate Questions Of Personhood, Identity, Learning, Rationality, And Freedom. Offering An Intellectually Stimulating Exploration Of The Conceptual Foundations Of The Philosophy Of Education, The Formation Of Reason Breathes Fresh Life Into A Familiar But Controversial Idea: That The End Of Education Is The Cultivation Of Autonomy-- Machine Generated Contents Note: 1. What Can Philosophy Tell Us About How History Made The Mind? -- What Role For Philosophy? -- Wittgenstein And Davidson -- Wittgenstein And Davidson Contrasted -- Mcdowell -- Idea Of Bildung -- Understanding The Bildungsprozess -- Conceptual And The Practical -- Conclusion -- 2. Social Constructionism -- Social Constructionism Introduced -- Social Construction Of Reality -- Why Bother About Global Constructionism? -- Against Global Constructionism -- Matters Political -- Social Construction Of Mental States -- Why Mental States Are Not Socially Constructed -- Social Construction Of Psychological Categories -- Conclusion -- 3. Self And Other -- Problems Of Self And Other -- Problem Of Self And Other In One's Own Person -- Strawson On Persons -- Wiggins On Persons And Human Nature -- Significance Of Second Nature -- Further Positives -- Conclusion: Two Cautionary Notes -- 4. Freedom, Reflection And The Sources Of Normativity -- Mcdowell On Judgement -- Owens's Critique -- Defending Intellectual Freedom -- Freedom And The Sources Of Normativity -- Sources Of Normativity I Practical Reasoning -- Sources Of Normativity Ii Theoretical Reasoning -- Mcdowellian Response -- Conclusion -- 5. Exploring The Space Of Reasons -- Mcdowell On The Space Of Reasons -- Brandom's Inferentialism -- Ilyenkov On The Ideal -- Conclusion -- 6. Reason And Its Limits: Music, Mood And Education -- Initial Response -- Challenge Reconfigured -- Passivity Within Spontaneity -- Mood -- Mood, Salience And Shape -- Music -- Education -- Conclusion -- 7. Education Makes Us What We Are -- Residual Individualism -- Vygotsky's Legacy -- Reconciling Vygotsky And Mcdowell -- Personalism -- Final Thoughts On Education. David Bakhurst. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.