ABSTRACT
As we have seen, the basis for White's curriculum proposals is to be found in his view that individuals should be in a position to make meaningful choices between activities and life styles. Category 1 activities are not supposed to be more worthwhile in themselves than Category 2 activities. Rather the argument is that they are educationally worthwhile or that it is worthwhile to spend educational time on Category 1 activities, because they are the sort of activities about which meaningful choice can only be made after actual experience of engaging in them. His thesis as a whole is grounded on his belief that no activity can be shown to be intrinsically valuable for everyone. Nothing is inherently worthwhile but thinking makes it so - provided that the thinking in question is informed thinking. Consequently, even if we were to accept White's distinction between two types of activity, justification of his curricular proposals would be incomplete unless we also accepted what he has to say about intrinsic value. For, if one did not accept the latter, the way would be open for arguing that some Category 1 activities were valueless or that some Category 2 activities were inherently worthwhile. Conversely, of course, what White has to say about intrinsic value may be regarded as valid and important for curriculum planning, even by those who do not accept his category distinctions.
