Abstract
The purpose of this article is to add to the debate on the normative status and legitimacy of indoctrination in education by drawing on the political philosophy of Benedict Spinoza (1632–1677). More specifically, I will argue that Spinoza’s relational approach to knowledge formation and autonomy, in light of his understanding of the natural limitations of human cognition, provides us with valuable hints for staking out a more productive path ahead for the debate on indoctrination. This article combines an investigation into the early modern history of political ideas with a philosophical inquiry into a persistent conceptual problem residing at the heart of education. As such, the aim of the article is ultimately to offer an account of indoctrination less fraught with the dangers of epistemological and political idealism that often haunt rival conceptions.
Highlights
If I were to say that indoctrination is a necessary component of political life, would you take me seriously or would you assume that I was just being provocative? While the statement may sound like an empty provocation, I assure you it is not intended to be
The purpose of this article is to add to the debate on the normative status and legitimacy of indoctrination in education by drawing on the political philosophy of Benedict Spinoza (1632–1677)
The aim of the article is to offer an account of indoctrination less fraught with the dangers of epistemological and political idealism that often haunt rival conceptions
Summary
If I were to say that indoctrination is a necessary component of political life, would you take me seriously or would you assume that I was just being provocative? While the statement may sound like an empty provocation, I assure you it is not intended to be. The purpose of this article is to add to the debate on the normative status and legitimacy of indoctrination in education by drawing on the political philosophy of Benedict Spinoza (1632–1677). The aim of the article is to offer an account of indoctrination less fraught with the dangers of epistemological and political idealism that often haunt rival conceptions. I will focus on some recent contributions to the indoctrination debate, setting up a contemporary problem concerning indoctrination and autonomy against which to gauge the potential of turning to Spinoza’s positive understanding of indoctrination as a valuable yet flawed political tool. I will sketch a textual context necessary for understanding Spinoza’s notion of indoctrination, focusing on situating the concept in his political philosophy. I will summarize what I take to be Spinoza’s positive account of indoctrination and assess its merits as compared with rival positions on indoctrination offered in contemporary philosophy of education
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