With All Your Mind: A Christian Philosophy of Education - Hardcover

Peterson, Michael L.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0268019673 ISBN 13: 9780268019679

Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press, 2001

Synopsis

With All Your Mind makes a compelling case for the value of thinking deeply about education in America from a historically orthodox and broadly ecumenical Christian point of view. Few people dispute that education in America is in a state of crisis. But not many have posed workable solutions to this serious problem. Michael Peterson contends that thinking philosophically about education is our only hope for meaningful progress. In this refreshing book, he invites all who are concerned about education in America to "participate" in his study, which analyzes representative theories and practical strategies that reveal the power of Christian ideas in this vital area. Peterson addresses the most fundamental questions facing educators, and society in general, such as: What is the purpose of education? What goals do new techniques and methods serve? What kind of person is our educational system supposed to produce? He also explores questions of unique importance to Christians, such as: What is the relation between Christianity and the pursuit of intellectual excellence? How can Christians bring their faith to bear on all areas of knowledge? Can educated Christians significantly influence culture? With All Your Mind examines the key assumptions and implications of influential classical and contemporary philosophies with respect to education, including idealism, naturalism, Thomism, experimentalism, existentialism, linguistic analysis, and postmodernism. Based on this analysis, Peterson develops an unapologetically Christian philosophy of education in regard to curriculum design, instilling ethics and values, and the nature of teaching and learning. Peterson further advances the merits of an ecumenical Christian philosophy of education by showing how it can be used to analyze key issues in educational theory, such as the relation of general education to liberal learning, the integration of faith and learning, and the demand for professional and technical training. From a practical standpoint, Peterson’s approach brings balance and common sense to issues such as the clash between public and private education, the rise of multiculturalism, the changing demographic and psychological profile of America’s youth, and the impact of computer and Internet technology. With All Your Mind concludes with a stirring vision for education that is embedded in an all-encompassing Christian view of life. Using clear, jargon-free language, Peterson teaches a good deal of basic philosophy while developing a powerful argument for the value of liberal arts education iinteracting with Christian faith at all levels of schooling.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

“Peterson’s expositions of the positions of others are exemplary. . . . His accounts and evaluations of Dewey and postmodernism are particularly helpful. . . . [T]his is a significant, interesting and lucid contribution to an important topic, and should be warmly welcomed.” —International Journal of Education and Religion

“Peterson takes on [an] ambitious challenge, attempting to extend the influence of Christian perspectives to address the crisis pervading mainstream American education and culture. . . . [He] adroitly provides an overview of the basic concepts of three traditional schools of thought and four philosophies that have influenced education.” —America

“Peterson is clear, rigorous, critical, and fair. This is a valuable book, not only for students at church-related colleges who may need an introduction to the special educational contributions of their institutions and [for] students in philosophy of education courses, but also as a reminder that Christian faith is not just a set of affections or a collection of virtues, but a confession. That confession, as Michael Peterson so ably points out, ought to make a difference in what we understand education to be for and how we go about educating.” —The Cresset

“This is a very carefully written book with much of interest to say on a wide range of topics. It is comprehensive and yet succinct. It evidently represents a distillation of many years of reflection from a Christian perspective on all these topics. It is a valuable addition to recent Christian writings on education.” —Journal of Education and Christian Belief

Michael L. Peterson is professor of philosophy at Asbury Theological Seminary, managing editor of the journal Faith and Philosophy, and the editor of The Problem of Evil: Selected Readings, Second Edition (University of Notre Dame Press, 2016).

About the Author:

Michael L. Peterson is professor and chair of the philosophy department at Asbury College, as well as the editor of The Problem of Evil, also published by the University of Notre Dame Press.

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0268019673
• ISBN 13: 9780268019679
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272