Kirkpatrick on Montessori and Dewey
Professor Jerry Kirkpatrick gave a talk at Rockford College on October 28 on “Montessori and Dewey as Educational Philosophers.” Dr. Kirkpatrick is Professor of International Business at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
In the following eleven-minute interview after his talk, I speak with Dr. Kirkpatrick about the two great educational philosophers of the twentieth century, both of whom are exerting great influence in the twenty-first.
The talk was also based on Dr. Kirpatrick’s fine book Montessori, Dewey, and Capitalism. His talk at Rockford College was sponsored by the Center for Ethics and Entrepreneurship, and this video interview is also available here at the center’s site.
More of my interviews with CEE’s guest speakers are available here.
Tags: Dewey, education and capitalism, History of Education, Jerry Kirkpatrick, John Dewey, Maria Montessori, Montessori education, Philosophy of Education, politics and education
I enjoyed the interview with Dr. Kirkpatrick. Curiously, I have a BS degree in Philosophy and further studies in Finance, also, though not nearly as impressive as Dr. Kirkpatrick. I would think in discussing ethical systems, one would need to begin with epistemology and metaethics. The categories discussed by Dr. Kirkpatrick are not as simple as they appear. Now, I understand that both you, Dr. Hicks and Dr. K. only had a short sound bite to discuss these issues. In depth discussions of these issues were not possible.
I am going to raise issues with only two subjects covered in interview. That is, one, that Christianity is purely altruistic, and two that a Christian, informed by the Bible, would not have lied if his own or an innocent guest’s life were at stake.
Christianity is purely or indiscriminately, altruistic and teaches the same.
A reading of the narratives of the Biblical corpus will *not* verify this. It is not uncommon for critics of Christianity, such as Nietzche, to make such assertions and then move on with their arguments. Ayn Rand does this in Atlas Shrugged and other of her writings which I read in the early seventies. This is coming from one who has a first edition, 2nd printing hardbound edition of Atlas Shrugged and a framed copy of the postage stamp bearing her image from the Post Office. Wouldn’t she have been surprised that a failed, government imposed enterprise would have issued a stamp with her image!
That Christianity does not authorize lying under certain circumstances.
Lying in the Ten Commandments (Words) is dealing, within context, with day to day dealings such as community judicial proceedings and weights and measures.
-Within the context of war, the Israelites could maintain spies, and lie to protect spies, such as Rahab did when she harbored the spies. She not only was commended for this, but was in the lineage of Jesus Christ.
-Under some circumstances bribery is permitted.
-Bluffing is permitted, such as letting the enemy think you have more resources than you really have.
-Withholding information when further knowledge might have changed the minds of the recipients.
-Luther provided another example, bluffing and lying when game playing! All members of the game know that this is the rule.
-There seems to be an order of priority in scripture when it comes to applying the commandments. This was recognized during the Second World War when both the Roman Catholics and the Reformed communities protected Jews living in the Netherlands by harboring them in their homes and not disclosing the ethnic origins of school children to Nazi thugs. Many Netherland Christians were martyred for this very reason. Many Jews lives were saved by courageous Christians in other Nazi occupied territories.
As a Christian, I look at the patterns of teaching in the Bible and seek to apply the gleanings in our modern business environment.
Thanks so much for offering me this forum.
Thanks for your weighty comment, Philip. I will follow up on your helpful references.