ABSTRACT
On a good many occasions a person is described as being 'very understanding', or, as being 'an understanding person'. At such times attention is being drawn to their sympathetic character and kindly disposition to others. This laudable attitude is undoubtedly worthy of attention by philosophers of education but in this chapter we shall be concerned with that kind of understanding which may be briefly alluded to as intellectual insight and comprehension. Furthermore we are concerned with a person's understanding: whether or not animals, insects or divine beings share in such understanding is not a matter for discussion here.
