What is Moral Education?

Exploring the past, present, and future of Scottish Philosophy of Education.

If education is an intrinsically normative exercise, then the question of how we arrive at those norms cannot be ignored. This is often addressed as a question of educational aims, but also one of moral education. In either case, it is a question of educational theory and philosophy.

Scotland’s contribution to educational theory and philosophy is profound. The concept of moral education lies at the heart of many theories and philosophies of education and remains an explicit dimension of contemporary Scottish schooling through the obligatory school subject: Religious and Moral Education. And yet the phrase Moral Education might seem out of kilter with contemporary sensibilities. On the one hand it can be simply defined as helping children and young people to acquire beliefs, values and dispositions regarding right and wrong. On the other hand, the phrase might appear to some to be a paternalistic anachronism. Does Moral Education belong to a bygone era in which one of the primary functions of public education was to inculcate explicit moral virtues that reflected a singular moral vision? If we no longer consider moral education to be shaped by the religious culture of Scottish Presbyterianism, how do we understand moral influence today? Do we expect children to explore and discover moral and ethical values for themselves, perhaps with some modest guidance? Would this be moral education?

Such questions are longstanding. But contemporary contexts raise these issues in novel ways: from the transformation of social relations through modern technology, to repeated climate and ecological breakdowns; from the erosion of democratic and liberal values to crises in global health; from discourses in human rights to talk of an era of post-truth. Such contexts highlight the need for serious normative debate about the nature and future of education, in Scotland and the world.

This seminar series celebrates the vital contribution of an influential generation of philosophers of education in Scotland. Starting with contributions from philosophers of education at the University of Glasgow, the series will invite consideration of the ongoing significance of Moral Education in Scotland and the world.

Organising committee:

David Lewin
Philip Tonner
Stephen Daniels
Louis Waterman-Evans
Nicola Robertson