Abstract
An influential view of education is that it prepares young people for adult life, usually in the areas of civic engagement, leisure and contemplation. Employment may be a locus for learning some worthwhile skills and knowledge, but it is not itself the possible locus or one of the possible loci of a worthwhile life. This article disputes that view by drawing attention to those aspects of employment that make it potentially an aspect of a worthwhile life. The exercise and development of one's abilities, co-operation with others, self-discovery and the pursuit of excellence are all identified as potential components of a worthwhile life. If such an aspect of life is worth striving for then education should prepare one for it. Objections to this argument are reviewed and ultimately rejected.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 173-185 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Ethics and Education |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2010 |
