Evading a Post-Truth World: Rorty’s Foundationless Philosophy for an Acculturating Education

Studies in Philosophy and Education:1-17 (forthcoming)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

A challenge for educators is how to teach in a “post-truth” world. Lies, fake news, and a gleeful disregard for facts – what I collectively term mis/information – all seem to undermine the very project of education. The pragmatism of Richard Rorty holds promise to address such issues. I first argue that Rorty’s philosophy of education is of limited use, whereas his broader thoughts on a philosophy without foundations are more relevant. I then suggest that a way forward is to evade the fight against post-truth dynamics altogether. An insistence on rational objectivity and foundational truth are at the root of the challenges of mis/information. We can instead embrace uncertainty and doubt, shifting our educational goals to help students of diverse backgrounds avoid alienation and humiliation at the hands of schooling. Education can instead affirm the dignity of each student through an acculturation into inclusive, coherent narratives, replacing the self-defeating quest for finding the right truths with the more uplifting purpose of forging a common cultural commitment to reducing human suffering.

Other Versions

No versions found

Links

PhilArchive

    This entry is not archived by us. If you are the author and have permission from the publisher, we recommend that you archive it. Many publishers automatically grant permission to authors to archive pre-prints. By uploading a copy of your work, you will enable us to better index it, making it easier to find.

    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 102,440

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

The Problem of Standardized Education in the Light of Richard Rorty's Concept of Contingency.Alexis Deodato Itao - 2020 - Rth-Research Trends in Humanities Education and Philosophy 7 (2020):51-66.
What is Pragmatism in Brazil Today?Paulo Ghiraldelli & Cody Carr - 2005 - Studies in Philosophy and Education 24 (6):499-514.

Analytics

Added to PP
2025-01-13

Downloads
6 (#1,710,705)

6 months
6 (#797,367)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Citations of this work

No citations found.

Add more citations