Locally grounded,universally binding: The benefit of incorporating traditional care ethics,East and West,into current moral education

In this article, I am suggesting that one effective strategy for revitalizing moral education consists in incorporating classical traditions of care ethics, East and West, which are very much alive in contemporary culture, into sentiments, insights and practices of contemporary care ethics. In so doing we might make moral education much more accessible, natural and friendly to both teachers and students. First, it is associated with down to earth affective and relational elements rather than with highly theoretical philosophical reasoning; second, it is grounded in local cultural traditions that are very much alive in the ‘cultural DNA’ of millions of people in their traditional communities; third, in terms of its moral tenets it is humanistic and universally binding. The desirable outcome, if this model proves tenable, is moral education oriented by care ethics, locally grounded and universally binding.     

Spinoza as Educator: From eudaimonistic ethics to an empowering and liberating pedagogy

Although Spinoza's formative influence on the cultural ideals of the West is widely recognized, especially with reference to liberal democracy, secular humanism, and naturalistic ethics, little has been written about the educational implications of his philosophy. This article explores the pedagogical tenets that are implicit in Spinoza's writings. I argue (1) that Spinoza's ethics is eudaimonistic , aiming at self-affirmation, full humanity and wellbeing; (2) that the flourishing of individuals depends on their personal resources, namely, their conatus , power, vitality or capacity to act from their own inner natures; and (3) that the combination of the Spinozian conceptions of humanism, liberal democracy, eudaimonistic ethics, and the enlightened and sovereign individual constitute together the grounds for a comprehensive empowering and liberating pedagogy.     

A REDEFINITION OF LIBERAL AND HUMANISTIC EDUCATION

This article aims to integrate and reach beyond three distinct discourses on humanistic and liberal education: the philosophical-curricular, the historical, and the highly politicized debate between conservative and radical educational theorists. It will be argued that humanistic education can be classified into four forms -- classical, romantic, existentialist, and radical -- and that they should be viewed as complementing rather than negating each other. Finally, an integrative model of humanistic and liberal education will be offered, one whose foundational principles are acculturation, autonomy, and authenticity.