In this interview, Professor Paul Standish discusses the most important questions at the intersection of philosophy and education. We probe into some unconventional ideas - why catering to a learner's wants can actually hamper their education, the role of education in unveiling life's meaning, and the transformative power of engaging with the world.
In this conversation, we challenge the narrow focus of standard educational courses, explore the 'subversive streak' often present in good teachers and students, and consider why education can sometimes be seen as personal growth therapy.
Professor Andrey Pavlov and Dr Toby Thompson (Cranfield University) talk with Professor Paul Standish from University College London.
This conversation is part of a series of interviews on “Philosophy for Practical Professions” under the theme of Philosophy, Management and Technology led by Professor Andrey Pavlov at Cranfield University.
Contributors
Professor Paul Standish - Professor of Philosophy of Education and Head of The Centre for Philosophy of Education at University College London.
Professor Andrey Pavlov - Professor of Strategy and Performance at Cranfield School of Management. Andrey works on advancing a complex systems view of strategy and performance - the idea that improving the performance of organisations is an ongoing emergent process, which is inseparable from understanding the organizations themselves, their environment, and their historical and social context. Andrey's research aims to help leaders and managers act with intention in organizations that are explicitly understood to be complex and dynamic social systems.
Dr Toby Thompson - Toby is Studio Director of Cranfield Broadcast and Record, Cranfield's live-streaming studio. Prior to joining Cranfield, Toby was a member of the global training strategy team for the corporate university of the former US-based Electronic Data Systems (EDS) Corporation. Toby has a PhD in the philosophy of executive education from University College London's Institute of Education, an MA in management learning from Lancaster University, and a BA in philosophy from York University.
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