The Evolution of Richard Peters' Thought: Neglected Aspects

Christopher Winch, John Gingell

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Peters is best known for ‘Ethics and Education’, (1966) an attempt, using
analytical methods, to provide a universal canonical account of the nature of education.
This corresponded closely with the prevailing conception of liberal education
of the time. Despite the acclaim with which this work was received, Peters became increasingly dissatisfied with his early views of education and in a series of papers written between 1973 and 1982, he retreated slowly from the view that one could construct a universal canonical account of education and even from the view that this could be possible for liberal education. As his views changed, his philosophical methods developed as well, moving from the Moorean essentialist analysis of 1966, through a more Strawsonian connective analysis in the mid 1970s to a position based on W.B. Gallie's account of essentially contested concepts in the early 1980s. Parallel to and connected with this changing philosophical methodology came a distinction between an overarching concept of education and particular conceptions of education
related to different societies and their values.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)29-51
Number of pages22
JournalNorthern European Journal of Philosophy
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 12 Jul 2023

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