Philip Gaydon

This article is a collective writing experiment undertaken by philosophers of education affiliated with the PESGB (Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain). When asked to reflect on questions concerning the Philosophy of Education in a New Key in May 2020, it was unsurprising that the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on society and on education were foremost in our minds. We wanted to consider important philosophical and educational questions raised by the pandemic, while acknowledging that, first and foremost, it is a human tragedy. With nearly a million deaths reported worldwide to date, and with everyone effected in one way or another by Covid-19, there is a degree of discomfort, and a responsibility to be sensitive, in reflecting and writing about it academically. Members of this ‘Covid Collective’ come from various countries, with perspectives from Great Britain and Ireland well represented, and we see academic practice as a globally connected enterprise, especially since the digital revolution in academic publishing. The concerns raised in this article relate to but move beyond Covid-19, reflecting the impact of neoliberalism [and other political developments] on geopolitics with educational concerns as central to our focus.

This book is about the interaction between literary studies and the philosophy of literature. It features essays from internationally renowned and emerging philosophers and literary scholars, challenging readers to join them in taking seriously the notion of interdisciplinary study and forging forward in new and exciting directions of thought. It identifies that literary studies and the philosophy of literature address similar issues: What is literature? What is its value? Why do I care about characters? What is the role of the author in understanding a literary work? What is fiction as opposed to non-fiction? Yet, genuine, interdisciplinary interaction remains scarce. This collection seeks to overcome current obstacles and seek out new paths for exploration.

The following thesis provides an account of what it means to approach epistemic concepts in a lived rather than abstract fashion. It argues that taking such a position naturally leads to an assessment of how the epistemic life might be lived virtuously, and it grounds this in experiences of being-with-worth. It then isolates and gives a thorough account of the key, childlike virtues found in the Golden Age of British children’s literature: playfulness, a capacity for wonder, and intellectual humility and open-mindedness. After exploring how this model of a virtuous epistemic life might re-orientate philosophical discussions of nostalgia and the epistemic worth of literature, the thesis finishes by cashing out what a virtuous education might look like. This final move includes an analysis of some of my own attempts to achieve a virtuous education whilst teaching.