Philosophical Foundations for the Curriculum

In this book, first published in 1978, Allen Brent sets out to explore some of the questions raised by theorists and philosophers regarding curriculum. He looks at the work of Plato, Newman, Freire and Hirt and how, each of them in a strikingly different way, they have tried to give us an objective basis for curriculum judgements and how the validity of that basis is attacked by contemporary sociologists of knowledge. This book is aimed primarily at students who are concentrating on the philosophy of education or curriculum theory.

In this book, first published in 1978, Allen Brent sets out to explore some of the questions raised by theorists and philosophers regarding curriculum. He starts by investigating whether all knowledge is the product of social conditions of particular times or places, or whether there is some kind of universal framework implicit in the claims to knowledge which men make. He looks at the work of Plato, Newman, Freire and Hirt and how, each of them in a strikingly different way, they have tried to give us an objective basis for curriculum judgements and how the validity of that basis is attacked by contemporary sociologists of knowledge. This book is aimed primarily at students who are concentrating on the philosophy of education or curriculum theory.