Abstract
Abstract In this paper, I ask whether educational value is determined in any way by intrinsic value. The aim of the paper is to explore whether appeals to the intrinsic value of an activity or state of affairs can justify proposed educational value. I turn to Korsgaard's work on the concept of intrinsic value to cast light on the relationship between intrinsic value and educational value. Korsgaard claims that the often held distinction between intrinsic and instrumental value conflates two separate distinctions. These are the intrinsic/extrinsic value distinction and the final/instrumental value distinction. These two distinctions will be considered with regard to literature that appeals to intrinsic value. The distinctions between intrinsic/extrinsic value and final/instrumental value will be used to clarify puzzles which arise when philosophers of education use the concept of intrinsic value to make claims about educational value. I argue that the intrinsic/extrinsic value distinction has little bearing on an activity's educational value. The instrumental/final value distinction is relevant, but does not imply that activities with final value are any more educationally valuable than those with instrumental value. I conclude that, regardless of the distinction being appealed to, general intrinsic value has little bearing on educational value.
Highlights
Sometimes, a claim is made that something ought to be taught in schools, or that some educational process or activity is a justified use of a child’s time because it is intrinsically valuable
Ascribing educational value to an activity, object or state of affairs is useful insofar as it can aid curriculum development or differentiate worthwhile from less worthwhile practices in educational institutions; at the very least the concept of educational value needs refer to a distinct subset within the area of general value
If intrinsic value is a useful concept in considerations about educational value, it should contribute to this ability to differentiate worthwhile from less worthwhile practices in education
Summary
A claim is made that something ought to be taught in schools, or that some educational process or activity is a justified use of a child’s time because it is intrinsically valuable. I ask whether the intrinsic value of something has any bearing on its educational value This question has implications for a range of arguments about the curriculum and the aims of education. I explore whether the idea that flourishing is an important aim of education can ground the legitimacy of claims about education resting on intrinsic value. I conclude that claims about flourishing, along with other appeals to general intrinsic value, do not translate into claims about educational value. This is because neither of the two distinctions set out by Korsgaard imply that intrinsic value equates to educational value
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