Philosophical implications for the design of instruction

There is a long history connecting philosophyand learning that dates at least back toPlato's dialogues and includes suchdistinguished modern scholars as Dewey, Piaget,and Vygotsky. More recently the discussionabout the relationship between philosophy andlearning has arisen in the context ofconstructivism. Given the long history andprominence of this discussion, it is perhapsworthwhile to revisit foundational concernslinking philosophical perspectives and learningtheory, and to explore what implications mayexist for the design of instruction. Theargument presented herein is that there arephilosophical implications for the design ofinstruction, and, further, that they are poorlyunderstood and not applied consistently.