Philosophy in Scotland and Scottish education

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we consider how philosophy in Scotland has shaped beliefs about Scottish education. We begin by charting Macmurray’s views on education generally and Scottish education specifically. We thereafter examine the nature of ‘Scottish philosophy’ and explore continuities and discrepancies in the thought of Hume, Reid, Davie, MacIntyre, Graham and Macmurray. We suggest that while Davie thought Scottish education should remain true to the Enlightenment tradition of intellectual democracy, Macmurray thought Scottish education should have a new focus, it should seek to develop a more emotionally rational humanity. We conclude that philosophy in Scotland has supplied three main beliefs about Scottish education. First, that education should further conditions of intellectual democracy by supporting students to question social orders and develop the capacities necessary to engage in informed public debate. Second, that in-depth study of different traditions of thought can help further conditions of intellectual democracy. Third, persons can only learn to think well and act morally in relation with other persons and where recognition is given to the necessarily embodied and relational nature of human being and knowing. We claim that even though these beliefs are partly mythological, they continue to shape how Scottish education policy is framed today.

KEYWORDS:

• Scottish philosophy
• Scottish education
• democratic intellect
• Macmurray
• emotionally rational humanity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

James MacAllister is a lecturer in philosophy of education at the University of Edinburgh. His research explores connections between philosophy and education. In a forthcoming book, Reclaiming Discipline for Education: Knowledge, Relationships and the Birth of Community, he explores how discipline policies and practices in education are too often, unhelpfully, disconnected from the wider moral and epistemic purposes of education.

Gale Macleod is a senior lecturer in education at the University of Edinburgh. She is currently Dean (Postgraduate taught) in the College of Humanities and Social Science at the University of Edinburgh. Her research explores issues of school disaffection, disruptive pupil behaviour and social justice. She is co-author of the Social Agenda of the School with Jim O'Brien.

ORCID details

Gale Macleod http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4738-5772

Notes

1 Moray House was in 1958 one of the main teacher education colleges in Scotland. It continues to educate teachers today but is now called the Moray House School of Education and is part of the University of Edinburgh.

2 For further analysis of Macmurray's views on creativity and emotion education, see McIntosh (2015).

3 For further discussion of how Macmurray defended the need for education to develop the emotional rationality of persons, see MacAllister (2014).

4 For a more comprehensive analysis of Davie's philosophy, see Paterson (2015).