Means and Ends of Education

Description

John Lancaster Spalding offers a rigorous philosophical inquiry into what education is actually for. Rather than treating schooling as a simple transmission of knowledge, Spalding traces the teleological dimension of learning — arguing that education is only meaningful when it is directed toward an end. He engages with the history of educational philosophy, from Plato and Augustine to modern thinkers, to show how the purpose of education has been contested and redefined over centuries.\n\nThis is not just a theoretical exercise; it is a practical provocation for anyone involved in education. Spalding challenges the contemporary reduction of schooling to vocational training or standardized testing, arguing that true education cultivates the capacity for self-governance and intellectual freedom. The book is both a defense of the liberal arts tradition and a critique of modern educational policy, making it essential reading for educators, students, and anyone concerned with the direction of our intellectual culture.