In recent years, there has been a marked shift in concern among some philosophers of education from political transformation to personal transformation. In the past, critics of liberalism, both egalitarian and communitarian, promoted political, social, economic and educational reform--but always subscribed to the freedom of the individual, the…

Kant's views about the nature and value of enlightenment have been discussed very much since 1784, and without ever losing any of their relevance and importance. I will discuss a topic that has not been discussed quite that extensively: Kant's conception of enlightenment as it relates to the idea of perfection ("Vollkommenheit") in…

Innovations in genetics, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence involve the possibility of enhancement of human attributes and capacities--offering humans innumerable opportunities for diverse, unprecedented experiences and developments both physically and cognitively. These new innovations, frequently associated with theoretical frameworks…

There is more to the moral life than mere adherence to a set of moral rules or principles to which the moral agent has autonomously subscribed. Something more fundamental is required for moral personhood, requiring explication in terms of 'sensitive perception' in relation to the particularities pertaining to any given set of circumstances…

Anxiety is today increasingly talked about as if it were a condition or illness from which one suffers. This obscures the sense in which it may be said to have a meaning, that meaning being that the self is currently ill-equipped to handle its predicaments. It also obscures the sense in which anxiety's apt 'prevention' and 'treatment' most often…

Adam Phillips is a leading psychoanalyst and author. Phillips was educated at Clifton College and studied English Literature at Oxford University. He trained to be a psychoanalyst at the Institute of Child Psychology. Across the course of his professional career, he has worked at Guys Hospital, with a school for 'maladjusted children', at…

If mental health has become a reactionary concept, much like the notion of public health in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, then how can critical theory best elaborate a concern for well-being which includes both a psychic and social dimension? This article proposes the concept of existential health to grasp the salubrious zest for life that has…

We are regularly told that mental health problems are becoming more and more prevalent today, a trend exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. This way of conceiving what might rather be called people's--and particularly young people's--distress has several sources. Medical science has made spectacular progress over the last 50 years, encouraging…

Educational institutions are moving to apply mental health interventions in their classrooms. This is in many ways seen as a preventative public health intervention. However, the application of psychiatry to the classroom must be carefully considered, as there are risks to this that are not appreciated by the psychiatric establishment. Deep…

Abstract Schools and centres for education are increasingly positioned as playing a vital role in the promotion of young people's mental health and well-being. Drawing on the example of Ireland's reformed Junior Cycle curriculum (ages 12-15), we ask if the curriculum is the best means of nurturing positive mental health and well-being in schools.

The philosophical foundation of Bildung in the context of vocational education and training was significantly shaped by Eduard Spranger (1882-1963). However its legacy is not as present today since vocational schools in german-speaking countries today focus strongly on competences. This article sheds light on the emergence of this concept,…

This classic essay by Eduard Spranger (1882-1963) is here published for the first time in English, in a translation by Stephanie Wilde. In this contribution Spranger discusses and advocates the need for a vocational school that addresses the civic and individual needs of students as well as the vocational requirements of the nation. He emphasises…

This paper aims to reflect Fischer's ideas on vocational orientation and vocational choice as fundamental prerequisites for vocational education in the current German system of vocational guidance in general and vocational education schools. A special focus is placed on Fischer's view on the relevance of informed choice when choosing an…

Georg Kerschensteiner is often called the 'father of the vocational school' in Germany. Working in the context of the German Empire in the 19th century, his historical achievement was to design a concept of vocational education that dissolved the opposition between general education and vocational education that had existed since Humboldt. He…

Forming and sustaining healthy relationships of any kind requires empathy, thought, communication and effort, all of which are learned skills. Many of these skills can and should be learned in a variety of places, including and especially in schools. One of the most appropriate venues for teaching interpersonal relationship skills in school is…