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Epictetus's Encheiridion: A new translation and guide to Stoic ethicsBloomsbury Publishing. 2023.For anyone approaching the Encheiridion of Epictetus for the first time, this book provides a comprehensive guide to understanding a complex philosophical text. Including a full translation and clear explanatory commentaries, Epictetus's 'Encheiridion' introduces readers to a hugely influential work of Stoic philosophy. Scott Aikin and William O. Stephens unravel the core themes of Stoic ethics found within this ancient handbook. Focusing on the core themes of self-control, seeing things as they…Read more
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The Socratic Paradox and its EnemiesUniversity of Chicago Press. 2006.
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Discussing Plato's views on knowledge, recollection, dialogue, and epiphany, this ambitious volume offers a systematic analysis of the ways that Platonic approaches to education can help students navigate today's increasingly complex moral environment. Though interest in Platonic education may have waned due to a perceived view of Platonic scholarship as wholly impractical, this volume addresses common misunderstandings of Plato's work and highlights the contemporary relevance of Plato's ideas t…Read more
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Appetite, Reason, and Education in Socrates' 'City of Pigs'Phronesis 57 (4): 332-357. 2012.In Book II of the Republic, Socrates briefly depicts a city where each inhabitant contributes to the welfare of all by performing the role for which he or she is naturally suited. Socrates calls this city the `true city ' and the `healthy one'. Nearly all commentators have argued that Socrates' praise of the city cannot be taken at face value, claiming that it does not represent Socrates' preferred community. The point of this paper is to argue otherwise. The claim is that Socrates genuinely bel…Read more
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Education for Epiphany: The Case of Plato's LysisEducational Theory 65 (1): 39-51. 2015.While a great deal has been written on Plato's Lysis in philosophy and philology journals over the last thirty years, nothing has been published on Lysis in the major Anglo-American philosophy of education journals during that time. Nevertheless, this dialogue deserves attention from educators. In this essay, Mark Jonas argues that Lysis can serve as a model for educators who want to move their students beyond mere aporia, but also do not want to dictate answers to students. Although the dialogu…Read more
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Plato's Anti‐Kohlbergian Program for Moral EducationJournal of Philosophy of Education 50 (2): 205-217. 2016.Following Lawrence Kohlberg it has been commonplace to regard Plato's moral theory as ‘intellectualist’, where Plato supposedly believes that becoming virtuous requires nothing other than ‘philosophical knowledge or intuition of the ideal form of the good’. This is a radical misunderstanding of Plato's educational programme, however. While Plato claims that knowledge is extremely important in the initial stages of the moral development of young adults, he also claims that knowledge must be follo…Read more
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Three Misunderstandings of Plato's Theory of Moral EducationEducational Theory 66 (3): 301-322. 2016.In this essay, Mark Jonas argues that there are three broadly held misconceptions of Plato's philosophy that work against his relevance for contemporary moral education. The first is that he is an intellectualist who is concerned only with the cognitive aspect of moral development and does not sufficiently emphasize the affective and conative aspects; the second is that he is an elitist who believes that only philosopher-kings can attain true knowledge of virtue and it is they who should govern …Read more
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The Formation of Character in Education: From Aristotle to the 21st CenturyBritish Journal of Educational Studies 68 (2): 273-274. 2020.
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Plato’s dialogues to enhance learning and inquiry: exploring Socrates’ use of protreptic for student engagementBritish Journal of Educational Studies 69 (6): 799-802. 2021.
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Learning from Socrates’ Protreptic: a Response to Mason MarshallStudies in Philosophy and Education 41 (6): 687-694. 2022.
APA Western Division
Malibu, California, United States of America
Areas of Specialization
Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophy |
Philosophy of Education |