ABSTRACT

This is a book about the broad endeavour of producing morally praiseworthy characters, the philosophical thinking that underpins the enterprise, and a specific classroom practice-practical discourse in a community of ethical inquiry —that contributes to that end. In short, it concerns moral education. For some, particularly those who have what Dewey calls ‘a narrow and moralistic view of morals’ (1966:359), any discussion of moral education must start from the question: ‘should schools be involved in the moral education of their students?’ To me, this is a deeply mistaken question. Schools cannot avoid influencing the moral development of their students, though they can certainly avoid thinking through what they actually do and the impact that they have. The question that this book sets out to answer is a different one: ‘how can schools ensure that their (inevitable) influence on their students’ moral development is both positive and effective?’