ABSTRACT
The concept of indoctrination has been the subject of discussion in a number of recent articles by English philosophers. 1 Of course the term has been much used and examined by theorists of education in the U.S. for many years. Since about 1920 it has tended to be used increasingly in that country with a pejorative connotation and frequently set in contrast with 'education.' It is interesting to notice that the criteria for this negative evaluation have been drawn, for the most part, from political and social philosophy rather than from a direct examination of what is entailed by the educative process itself. For this reason the terms of reference have tended to be the pluralistic character of the American society, the problem of gaining commitment to the basic democratic values, and the specific question of State support for Church schools.
