Paideia, Prejudice and the Promise of the Practical Essay -- Philosoph

Paideia, Prejudice and the Promise of the PracticalIn an age of idea pluralism it is increasingly difficult to affirm and sustain the educational aspirations of Greek paideia (Latin humanitas). The virtually challenging attacks on these aspirations come from standpoints which sh atomic number 18 a postmodern strength of opposition towards inherited cultural ideals, especially those which claim universality. This paper archetypal examines optimistic and pessimistic prospects for the educational heritage of humanitas, concluding that, in the depend of cultural disparateness which is increasingly evident in post-Enlightenment cultures, the pessimistic example seems to be more convincing. Recognizing that this gives added impetus to postmodernist standpoints, the second section examines whatsoever key features of these, taking as its examples arguments of Lyotard, Foucault and Rorty. I show that the prejudices of the postmodernist arguments ar as invidious as the discriminatory a ssumptions and the neglect of the quality of educational practice in the Western cultural inheritance. Recalling some insights which can be gleaned from the educational practices of Socrates, the last section joins these with findings of contemporary philosophers on the pre-judgements and partiality which are inescapable features of human understanding. This is a reclamation and elucidation of a hard-nosed and promising humanitas which does justice to the claims of diversity and universality. Introduction Hard Times for PaideiaTo more it may seem quaint or quixotic to make the quaint notion of paideia the theme of a world conference of philosophy in cultural circumstances which are variously described as post-industrial, post-Marxist, post-Christian, post-religious, or post-mod... ... in R. Hollinger (ed.) Hermeneutics and Praxis (Notre Dame University of Notre Dame, 1985).(16) Richard Rorty, Private Irony and Liberal believe in his Contingency, irony, and solidarity (henceforth CIS) (Cambridge Cambridge University Press, 1989).(17) Richard Rorty, Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature (henceforth PMN) (Oxford Basil Blackwell, 1980) pp.357-365.(18) Hans-Georg Gadamer, Truth and manner (T&M) translation of Wahrheit und Methode (W&M) by G. Barden & J. Cumming (New York Seabury Press, 1975).(19) T&M, pp.10-11 W&M, pp.6-7.(20) PMN pp.358-359.(21) PMN p.351.(22) CIS, p.73.(23) CIS, pp.74-75.(24) Heraclitus, Fragment 45, quoted by Jaeger in Paideia, Bk.1, p.179.(25) These earlier Dialogues include Gorgias, Protagoras, Euthyphro, Apology, Crito and Bk.1 of Republic. (26) Plato, Apology, 23.(27) D&P, p.27.