Education, Science and Truth [Hardcover]

What is the main problem of contemporary education? Rasoul Nejadmehr argues that the cardinal problem with education is that it does not have an adequate notion of truth underpinning it. Thinkers mainly tend to veer towards two poles - absolutism and relativism. While a one-sided tendency toward absolutism leads to reified categories of thought and alienation, a tendency toward relativism leads to lack of universality and nihilism. Education, Science and Truthsuggests a way out by bridging not only divides between and within analytical and continental philosophy but also those of modernism and postmodernism. By using a range of issues, disciplines and literature, Nejadmehr formulates a new version of the concept of objectivity based on the inclusion of multiple perspectives, including ones from art, philosophy and marginalized groups.

Introduction  1. Truth, Universalism and Relativism  2. Objectivism and Alienation  3. Relativism and Nihilism  4. Inclusive Notions of Science and Objectivity  5. Cognitive Pluralism  6. Plurality of Perspectives and Unity of Style  7. The Question of the Ground of Understanding  8. Education and Educators  9. Relations between Educators and Learners  10. The Educational Order of Truth  11. Education and the Problem of Authority  12. The Nature of Educational Renewal.  Conclusions

Rasoul Nejadmehr received his PhD in 2007 from the University of London.