Kai Horsthemke | Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (original) (raw)

Papers by Kai Horsthemke

transcript Verlag eBooks, Jul 2, 2021

Jahrhundertelang ereignete sich das Lehren und Lernen über nichtmenschliche Tiere in Bildungseinr... more Jahrhundertelang ereignete sich das Lehren und Lernen über nichtmenschliche Tiere in Bildungseinrichtungen im Wesentlichen in den medizinischen und biologischen Wissenschaften und in der vergleichenden Psychologie, mit Schwerpunktbereichen wie Tier-Anatomie/-Physiologie, Verhalten und Kognition. Seit den frühen 1970er Jahren ist die Tierethik ein einflussreicher Bereich wissenschaftlicher Belange und Forschung unter professionellen Philosophen. 1 An Universitäten ist sie unterdessen eine zunehmend beliebte Studienoption, während humane Bildung in zahlreichen Schulen eingeführt worden ist. Es ist daher unverständlich, dass Tierpsychologie und Tierethik als Themen-und Praxis-Bereiche von der Bildungsphilosophie lange ignoriert worden sind. Erst seit Kurzem befassen sich Bildungsphilosoph*innen und Ethikdidaktiker*innen mit den pädagogischen Implikationen der psycho-physischen Kontinuität zwischen Menschen und Tieren. 2 Als Grundlage meiner Ausführungen dient der ethische Individualismus. 3 Dieser Ansatz ist von der Evolutionstheorie inspiriert, welche den Glauben an den besonderen Status des Menschen untergräbt. Manche Tiere unterscheiden sich in größerem Maße von uns als andere. Es gibt keine qualitativen Unterschiede zwischen Menschen und nichtmenschlichen Tieren, nur quantitative. Auch andere Tiere sind Individuen, die Zustände und Prozesse bewusst erleben. Sie empfinden Schmerz und ihnen kann physisches und psychisches Leid zugefügt werden. Viele besitzen konative und kognitive Fähigkeiten und sogar ein Selbstbewusstsein. Wie Menschen haben sie sowohl biologische als auch konative Interessen und

Routledge eBooks, Oct 29, 2018

Barrierefreiheit is a key term in the German inclusion movement, in education and more generally.... more Barrierefreiheit is a key term in the German inclusion movement, in education and more generally. Sometimes translated as 'accessibility' , it refers not just to absence of barriers but to freedom from barriers, which in turn indicates a significant social and ethical component. It signals an active, conscious intervention by agents, a consequence of agentic commitment towards crossing borders and overcoming boundaries. In this regard, this article seeks to provide an epistemological analysis and illustration of what 'inclusive' , 'barrier-free' education means, by examining three ideas within social epistemology: epistemological access, epistemic paternalism and epistemic justice. In so doing, it articulates a position that might be called 'context-sensitive realism' , which cautions against not only constructivist theoretical leanings but also the anti-individualism that characterises a substantial portion of the inclusive education literature. Introduction: the idea of Barrierefreiheit Barrierefreiheit is a key term in the German inclusion movement, in education and more generally. Sometimes translated as 'accessibility' , it refers not just to absence of barriers but also to freedom from barriers, which in turn signals a significant social and ethical component. It indicates an active, conscious intervention by agents, a consequence of agentic commitment towards crossing borders and overcoming boundaries. Barrierefreiheit is often understood to be a basic enabling condition for inclusion, which refers to people with and without relevant disabilities living, learning and working together as a matter of course. (The notion of 'relevant' is important here, because everyone has strengths, as well as weaknesses, that arguably require some degree of attention. 1) Yet, there is a significant distinction between inclusion and freedom from barriers. Whereas inclusion is seen as never complete, as a never-ending process, with inclusive institutions at best approximating a perfect or end state (see Grosche 2015), Barrierefreiheit sometimes also seems to portray such an ideal condition or state. Barriers include everything from a lack of ramps or chairlifts to difficult or incomprehensible texts. But barriers also include mental barriers. These take the form of preconceptions and prejudices towards the disabled or impaired on the part of those without relevant disabilities. Mental barriers also include a lack of awareness or appreciation of the

This chapter is best viewed as an introduction to the theory of knowledge, or epistemology, from ... more This chapter is best viewed as an introduction to the theory of knowledge, or epistemology, from the perspective of education.

This chapter investigates a few core aspects of African religions and explores how they impact po... more This chapter investigates a few core aspects of African religions and explores how they impact positively and negatively on the treatment of animals. African religions (like African ethical traditions) emanate from small-scale communities and societies, and are infused with values like communalism, a fundamental preoccupation with the common good, harmony and the ‘interconnectedness’ of all life. What they share is belief in either a single supreme being or a multitude of gods, belief in a realm of spirits (ancestral and nature spirits, as well as deities) and belief in the sanctity of a unified society – which is sufficient for warranting the use of ‘religion’, in preference to the more neutral and general term ‘worldview’. A further commonality that sets African religions apart from the well-known global religious traditions is the absence of any scriptures or sacred texts. It should come as no surprise, for example, that there is a great diversity of creation myths that have been transmitted over many centuries through the living, immediate medium of oral tradition. These creation myths are diverse and distinct from one another. Yet, there are not only certain parallels between the various myths (for example, human disobedience and recklessness, and God’s subsequent displeasure or even anger), but there are also some interesting commonalities between the various African religions. The hierearchy of being, too, is a noteworthy commonality, with God at the apex, and then at different levels below, the ancestors or ‘living-dead’ , then human beings, and finally the rest of animate and inanimate creation, including animals. The hierarchy of beings invariably places non-human animals in an inferior position to humans, despite their predominant innocence and blamelessness for any disruption or chaos caused. Nevertheless, it is not they but rather humans who have been created in the image of God. In acting responsibly and morally, human beings are fulfilling their divinely allocated role. They have moral responsibilities and duties not only to God and the ancestors but also in respect of the rest of creation.

On education, Apr 1, 2020

This document was deliberately written as a spoken text. It forms the basis of a series of public... more This document was deliberately written as a spoken text. It forms the basis of a series of public lectures given at the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WISER), University of the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg), at conversations with the Rhodes Must Fall Movement at the

Some proponents of Africanism argue that African traditional education and the principles of ubun... more Some proponents of Africanism argue that African traditional education and the principles of ubuntu should provide the framework for citizenship education. While conceding that understandable concerns lie behind defences of ubuntu as underpinning African democracy, we argue that the Africanist perspective faces various problems and makes substantial errors: political, moral, epistemic and educational. While democracy and democratic citizenship necessarily involve sensitivity to local context, their fundamental principles and tenets are universal. Failure to acknowledge this comes at a substantial price. Taking as its initial focus an analysis and critical evaluation of Malegapuru William Makgoba’s critique of liberal democracy, the paper questions the purported uniqueness of ubuntu and its value and efficiency as a practical guide to action and policy, as well as its capacity to indicate how conflict between its associate principles and values might be resolved, insofar as these principles and values are indeed morally worthy.

Bloomsbury Academic eBooks, 2023

Journal of animal ethics, Oct 1, 2017

On education, Apr 1, 2023

Animal ethics is a rather novel area of practical concern and research interest within philosophy... more Animal ethics is a rather novel area of practical concern and research interest within philosophy of education. In recent years, environmental and humane education, which have tended to be governed by a largely anthropocentric orientation, have been augmented by approaches with a more theriocentric, egalitarian focus: critical animal studies, critical animal pedagogy, animal standpoint theory, vegan education, and animal rights education. This essay develops a pedagogical approach inspired by the two-pronged case for animals’ equal consideration, the argument from marginal cases and the argument from speciesism.

Cambridge University Press eBooks, Apr 30, 2023

South African journal of higher education, May 23, 2005

This article explores some of the key elements or focal areas in the discourse(s) of transformati... more This article explores some of the key elements or focal areas in the discourse(s) of transformation in South African higher education, most significantly the Africanisation project and indigenous knowledge systems. The debate around indigenous knowledge , which is located within postcolonialist and antidiscrimination discourse, is unfortunately riddled with serious errors, logical and epistemological. While the present article is sympathetic to the basic concerns expressed in this debate, it offers both a critical, philosophical (re)evaluation of the pertinent issues as well as conceptual clarification. Indigenous knowledge is argued to be a misnomer that raises more problems than it can conceivably solve. What its advocates aim for is arguably better achieved by a different approach. Taking into account a recent call for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission for education in South Africa, this paper proposes an approach that locates the principle of reconciliation within a basic framework of human rights.

Comparative Education, Nov 1, 2004

Some proponents of Africanism argue that African traditional education and the principles of ubun... more Some proponents of Africanism argue that African traditional education and the principles of ubuntu should provide the framework for citizenship education. While conceding that understandable concerns lie behind defences of ubuntu as underpinning African democracy, we argue that the Africanist perspective faces various problems and makes substantial errors: political, moral, epistemic and educational. While democracy and democratic citizenship necessarily involve sensitivity to local context, their fundamental principles and tenets are universal. Failure to acknowledge this comes at a substantial price. Taking as its initial focus an analysis and critical evaluation of Malegapuru William Makgoba's critique of liberal democracy, the paper questions the purported uniqueness of ubuntu and its value and efficiency as a practical guide to action and policy, as well as its capacity to indicate how conflict between its associate principles and values might be resolved, insofar as these principles and values are indeed morally worthy.

Ethics and Education, Oct 2, 2022

transcript Verlag eBooks, Dec 31, 2021

Jahrhundertelang ereignete sich das Lehren und Lernen über nichtmenschliche Tiere in Bildungseinr... more Jahrhundertelang ereignete sich das Lehren und Lernen über nichtmenschliche Tiere in Bildungseinrichtungen im Wesentlichen in den medizinischen und biologischen Wissenschaften und in der vergleichenden Psychologie, mit Schwerpunktbereichen wie Tier-Anatomie/-Physiologie, Verhalten und Kognition. Seit den frühen 1970er Jahren ist die Tierethik ein einflussreicher Bereich wissenschaftlicher Belange und Forschung unter professionellen Philosophen. 1 An Universitäten ist sie unterdessen eine zunehmend beliebte Studienoption, während humane Bildung in zahlreichen Schulen eingeführt worden ist. Es ist daher unverständlich, dass Tierpsychologie und Tierethik als Themen-und Praxis-Bereiche von der Bildungsphilosophie lange ignoriert worden sind. Erst seit Kurzem befassen sich Bildungsphilosoph*innen und Ethikdidaktiker*innen mit den pädagogischen Implikationen der psycho-physischen Kontinuität zwischen Menschen und Tieren. 2 Als Grundlage meiner Ausführungen dient der ethische Individualismus. 3 Dieser Ansatz ist von der Evolutionstheorie inspiriert, welche den Glauben an den besonderen Status des Menschen untergräbt. Manche Tiere unterscheiden sich in größerem Maße von uns als andere. Es gibt keine qualitativen Unterschiede zwischen Menschen und nichtmenschlichen Tieren, nur quantitative. Auch andere Tiere sind Individuen, die Zustände und Prozesse bewusst erleben. Sie empfinden Schmerz und ihnen kann physisches und psychisches Leid zugefügt werden. Viele besitzen konative und kognitive Fähigkeiten und sogar ein Selbstbewusstsein. Wie Menschen haben sie sowohl biologische als auch konative Interessen und

Archaeologies, Apr 1, 2008

ABSTRACT The idea of 'indigenous knowledge' is a relatively recent phenomenon tha... more ABSTRACT The idea of 'indigenous knowledge' is a relatively recent phenomenon that, amongst other things, constitutes part of a challenge to 'western' thinking and conceptualization. Advocates of indigenous knowledge maintain that its study has profound educational and ethical relevance and also emphasise its significance in antiracist, antisexist and postcolonialist discourse, in general, and in terms of the 'African Renaissance', in particular. This paper argues the following: (1) 'indigenous knowledge' involves at best an incomplete, partial or, at worst, a questionable understanding or conception of knowledge; (2) as a tool in anti-discrimination and anti-repression discourse, 'indigenous knowledge' is largely inappropriate. I show, further, that in the development of 'knowledge', following some necessary conceptual readjustments in our understanding of this term, there is considerably greater common ground than admitted by theorists. It is this acknowledgement, not adherence to a popular concept of debatable plausibility that has profound educational, ethical and political consequences.

Routledge eBooks, Oct 11, 2018

The question, What is it like to be a child?, is one that most of us, in our capacity as parents ... more The question, What is it like to be a child?, is one that most of us, in our capacity as parents and/ or educators, have probably asked ourselves already at some point. Perhaps one might go further and suggest that it is a question we ought to ask (or have asked) ourselves, insofar as the attempt to provide a meaningful response has a significant bearing on childrearing and education. It is a question that presumably frames the processes of cognitive and moral education – i.e. showing respect for the child’s point of view and inducting the child into respecting the points of view of others. After briefly discussing the idea of empathy and relating it to ideas like sympathy or compassion, this paper focuses on epistemic empathy in particular. The relevant characteristics in this regard are knowledge of another’s internal state, including her thoughts and feelings; understanding how another is thinking and feeling; and imagining how one would think and feel in the other’s place. Regarding childrearing and education, the two central questions that concern us here are: What is the role of epistemic empathy in our dealings with our children, learners and students? And how can we ensure that they become empathic individuals themselves? In other words, (how) can empathy be taught and learned? After examining several recommendations regarding the nurturing and development of epistemic empathy (exemplification, modelling, acquisition of poetic and general aesthetic skills and sensitivity, induction, imitation, etc.), I pay closer attention to the idea of modelling epistemic empathy. I conclude the paper with a few thoughts about limits to epistemic empathy

transcript Verlag eBooks, Apr 4, 2022

transcript Verlag eBooks, Jul 2, 2021

Jahrhundertelang ereignete sich das Lehren und Lernen über nichtmenschliche Tiere in Bildungseinr... more Jahrhundertelang ereignete sich das Lehren und Lernen über nichtmenschliche Tiere in Bildungseinrichtungen im Wesentlichen in den medizinischen und biologischen Wissenschaften und in der vergleichenden Psychologie, mit Schwerpunktbereichen wie Tier-Anatomie/-Physiologie, Verhalten und Kognition. Seit den frühen 1970er Jahren ist die Tierethik ein einflussreicher Bereich wissenschaftlicher Belange und Forschung unter professionellen Philosophen. 1 An Universitäten ist sie unterdessen eine zunehmend beliebte Studienoption, während humane Bildung in zahlreichen Schulen eingeführt worden ist. Es ist daher unverständlich, dass Tierpsychologie und Tierethik als Themen-und Praxis-Bereiche von der Bildungsphilosophie lange ignoriert worden sind. Erst seit Kurzem befassen sich Bildungsphilosoph*innen und Ethikdidaktiker*innen mit den pädagogischen Implikationen der psycho-physischen Kontinuität zwischen Menschen und Tieren. 2 Als Grundlage meiner Ausführungen dient der ethische Individualismus. 3 Dieser Ansatz ist von der Evolutionstheorie inspiriert, welche den Glauben an den besonderen Status des Menschen untergräbt. Manche Tiere unterscheiden sich in größerem Maße von uns als andere. Es gibt keine qualitativen Unterschiede zwischen Menschen und nichtmenschlichen Tieren, nur quantitative. Auch andere Tiere sind Individuen, die Zustände und Prozesse bewusst erleben. Sie empfinden Schmerz und ihnen kann physisches und psychisches Leid zugefügt werden. Viele besitzen konative und kognitive Fähigkeiten und sogar ein Selbstbewusstsein. Wie Menschen haben sie sowohl biologische als auch konative Interessen und

Routledge eBooks, Oct 29, 2018

Barrierefreiheit is a key term in the German inclusion movement, in education and more generally.... more Barrierefreiheit is a key term in the German inclusion movement, in education and more generally. Sometimes translated as 'accessibility' , it refers not just to absence of barriers but to freedom from barriers, which in turn indicates a significant social and ethical component. It signals an active, conscious intervention by agents, a consequence of agentic commitment towards crossing borders and overcoming boundaries. In this regard, this article seeks to provide an epistemological analysis and illustration of what 'inclusive' , 'barrier-free' education means, by examining three ideas within social epistemology: epistemological access, epistemic paternalism and epistemic justice. In so doing, it articulates a position that might be called 'context-sensitive realism' , which cautions against not only constructivist theoretical leanings but also the anti-individualism that characterises a substantial portion of the inclusive education literature. Introduction: the idea of Barrierefreiheit Barrierefreiheit is a key term in the German inclusion movement, in education and more generally. Sometimes translated as 'accessibility' , it refers not just to absence of barriers but also to freedom from barriers, which in turn signals a significant social and ethical component. It indicates an active, conscious intervention by agents, a consequence of agentic commitment towards crossing borders and overcoming boundaries. Barrierefreiheit is often understood to be a basic enabling condition for inclusion, which refers to people with and without relevant disabilities living, learning and working together as a matter of course. (The notion of 'relevant' is important here, because everyone has strengths, as well as weaknesses, that arguably require some degree of attention. 1) Yet, there is a significant distinction between inclusion and freedom from barriers. Whereas inclusion is seen as never complete, as a never-ending process, with inclusive institutions at best approximating a perfect or end state (see Grosche 2015), Barrierefreiheit sometimes also seems to portray such an ideal condition or state. Barriers include everything from a lack of ramps or chairlifts to difficult or incomprehensible texts. But barriers also include mental barriers. These take the form of preconceptions and prejudices towards the disabled or impaired on the part of those without relevant disabilities. Mental barriers also include a lack of awareness or appreciation of the

This chapter is best viewed as an introduction to the theory of knowledge, or epistemology, from ... more This chapter is best viewed as an introduction to the theory of knowledge, or epistemology, from the perspective of education.

This chapter investigates a few core aspects of African religions and explores how they impact po... more This chapter investigates a few core aspects of African religions and explores how they impact positively and negatively on the treatment of animals. African religions (like African ethical traditions) emanate from small-scale communities and societies, and are infused with values like communalism, a fundamental preoccupation with the common good, harmony and the ‘interconnectedness’ of all life. What they share is belief in either a single supreme being or a multitude of gods, belief in a realm of spirits (ancestral and nature spirits, as well as deities) and belief in the sanctity of a unified society – which is sufficient for warranting the use of ‘religion’, in preference to the more neutral and general term ‘worldview’. A further commonality that sets African religions apart from the well-known global religious traditions is the absence of any scriptures or sacred texts. It should come as no surprise, for example, that there is a great diversity of creation myths that have been transmitted over many centuries through the living, immediate medium of oral tradition. These creation myths are diverse and distinct from one another. Yet, there are not only certain parallels between the various myths (for example, human disobedience and recklessness, and God’s subsequent displeasure or even anger), but there are also some interesting commonalities between the various African religions. The hierearchy of being, too, is a noteworthy commonality, with God at the apex, and then at different levels below, the ancestors or ‘living-dead’ , then human beings, and finally the rest of animate and inanimate creation, including animals. The hierarchy of beings invariably places non-human animals in an inferior position to humans, despite their predominant innocence and blamelessness for any disruption or chaos caused. Nevertheless, it is not they but rather humans who have been created in the image of God. In acting responsibly and morally, human beings are fulfilling their divinely allocated role. They have moral responsibilities and duties not only to God and the ancestors but also in respect of the rest of creation.

On education, Apr 1, 2020

This document was deliberately written as a spoken text. It forms the basis of a series of public... more This document was deliberately written as a spoken text. It forms the basis of a series of public lectures given at the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WISER), University of the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg), at conversations with the Rhodes Must Fall Movement at the

Some proponents of Africanism argue that African traditional education and the principles of ubun... more Some proponents of Africanism argue that African traditional education and the principles of ubuntu should provide the framework for citizenship education. While conceding that understandable concerns lie behind defences of ubuntu as underpinning African democracy, we argue that the Africanist perspective faces various problems and makes substantial errors: political, moral, epistemic and educational. While democracy and democratic citizenship necessarily involve sensitivity to local context, their fundamental principles and tenets are universal. Failure to acknowledge this comes at a substantial price. Taking as its initial focus an analysis and critical evaluation of Malegapuru William Makgoba’s critique of liberal democracy, the paper questions the purported uniqueness of ubuntu and its value and efficiency as a practical guide to action and policy, as well as its capacity to indicate how conflict between its associate principles and values might be resolved, insofar as these principles and values are indeed morally worthy.

Bloomsbury Academic eBooks, 2023

Journal of animal ethics, Oct 1, 2017

On education, Apr 1, 2023

Animal ethics is a rather novel area of practical concern and research interest within philosophy... more Animal ethics is a rather novel area of practical concern and research interest within philosophy of education. In recent years, environmental and humane education, which have tended to be governed by a largely anthropocentric orientation, have been augmented by approaches with a more theriocentric, egalitarian focus: critical animal studies, critical animal pedagogy, animal standpoint theory, vegan education, and animal rights education. This essay develops a pedagogical approach inspired by the two-pronged case for animals’ equal consideration, the argument from marginal cases and the argument from speciesism.

Cambridge University Press eBooks, Apr 30, 2023

South African journal of higher education, May 23, 2005

This article explores some of the key elements or focal areas in the discourse(s) of transformati... more This article explores some of the key elements or focal areas in the discourse(s) of transformation in South African higher education, most significantly the Africanisation project and indigenous knowledge systems. The debate around indigenous knowledge , which is located within postcolonialist and antidiscrimination discourse, is unfortunately riddled with serious errors, logical and epistemological. While the present article is sympathetic to the basic concerns expressed in this debate, it offers both a critical, philosophical (re)evaluation of the pertinent issues as well as conceptual clarification. Indigenous knowledge is argued to be a misnomer that raises more problems than it can conceivably solve. What its advocates aim for is arguably better achieved by a different approach. Taking into account a recent call for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission for education in South Africa, this paper proposes an approach that locates the principle of reconciliation within a basic framework of human rights.

Comparative Education, Nov 1, 2004

Some proponents of Africanism argue that African traditional education and the principles of ubun... more Some proponents of Africanism argue that African traditional education and the principles of ubuntu should provide the framework for citizenship education. While conceding that understandable concerns lie behind defences of ubuntu as underpinning African democracy, we argue that the Africanist perspective faces various problems and makes substantial errors: political, moral, epistemic and educational. While democracy and democratic citizenship necessarily involve sensitivity to local context, their fundamental principles and tenets are universal. Failure to acknowledge this comes at a substantial price. Taking as its initial focus an analysis and critical evaluation of Malegapuru William Makgoba's critique of liberal democracy, the paper questions the purported uniqueness of ubuntu and its value and efficiency as a practical guide to action and policy, as well as its capacity to indicate how conflict between its associate principles and values might be resolved, insofar as these principles and values are indeed morally worthy.

Ethics and Education, Oct 2, 2022

transcript Verlag eBooks, Dec 31, 2021

Jahrhundertelang ereignete sich das Lehren und Lernen über nichtmenschliche Tiere in Bildungseinr... more Jahrhundertelang ereignete sich das Lehren und Lernen über nichtmenschliche Tiere in Bildungseinrichtungen im Wesentlichen in den medizinischen und biologischen Wissenschaften und in der vergleichenden Psychologie, mit Schwerpunktbereichen wie Tier-Anatomie/-Physiologie, Verhalten und Kognition. Seit den frühen 1970er Jahren ist die Tierethik ein einflussreicher Bereich wissenschaftlicher Belange und Forschung unter professionellen Philosophen. 1 An Universitäten ist sie unterdessen eine zunehmend beliebte Studienoption, während humane Bildung in zahlreichen Schulen eingeführt worden ist. Es ist daher unverständlich, dass Tierpsychologie und Tierethik als Themen-und Praxis-Bereiche von der Bildungsphilosophie lange ignoriert worden sind. Erst seit Kurzem befassen sich Bildungsphilosoph*innen und Ethikdidaktiker*innen mit den pädagogischen Implikationen der psycho-physischen Kontinuität zwischen Menschen und Tieren. 2 Als Grundlage meiner Ausführungen dient der ethische Individualismus. 3 Dieser Ansatz ist von der Evolutionstheorie inspiriert, welche den Glauben an den besonderen Status des Menschen untergräbt. Manche Tiere unterscheiden sich in größerem Maße von uns als andere. Es gibt keine qualitativen Unterschiede zwischen Menschen und nichtmenschlichen Tieren, nur quantitative. Auch andere Tiere sind Individuen, die Zustände und Prozesse bewusst erleben. Sie empfinden Schmerz und ihnen kann physisches und psychisches Leid zugefügt werden. Viele besitzen konative und kognitive Fähigkeiten und sogar ein Selbstbewusstsein. Wie Menschen haben sie sowohl biologische als auch konative Interessen und

Archaeologies, Apr 1, 2008

ABSTRACT The idea of 'indigenous knowledge' is a relatively recent phenomenon tha... more ABSTRACT The idea of 'indigenous knowledge' is a relatively recent phenomenon that, amongst other things, constitutes part of a challenge to 'western' thinking and conceptualization. Advocates of indigenous knowledge maintain that its study has profound educational and ethical relevance and also emphasise its significance in antiracist, antisexist and postcolonialist discourse, in general, and in terms of the 'African Renaissance', in particular. This paper argues the following: (1) 'indigenous knowledge' involves at best an incomplete, partial or, at worst, a questionable understanding or conception of knowledge; (2) as a tool in anti-discrimination and anti-repression discourse, 'indigenous knowledge' is largely inappropriate. I show, further, that in the development of 'knowledge', following some necessary conceptual readjustments in our understanding of this term, there is considerably greater common ground than admitted by theorists. It is this acknowledgement, not adherence to a popular concept of debatable plausibility that has profound educational, ethical and political consequences.

Routledge eBooks, Oct 11, 2018

The question, What is it like to be a child?, is one that most of us, in our capacity as parents ... more The question, What is it like to be a child?, is one that most of us, in our capacity as parents and/ or educators, have probably asked ourselves already at some point. Perhaps one might go further and suggest that it is a question we ought to ask (or have asked) ourselves, insofar as the attempt to provide a meaningful response has a significant bearing on childrearing and education. It is a question that presumably frames the processes of cognitive and moral education – i.e. showing respect for the child’s point of view and inducting the child into respecting the points of view of others. After briefly discussing the idea of empathy and relating it to ideas like sympathy or compassion, this paper focuses on epistemic empathy in particular. The relevant characteristics in this regard are knowledge of another’s internal state, including her thoughts and feelings; understanding how another is thinking and feeling; and imagining how one would think and feel in the other’s place. Regarding childrearing and education, the two central questions that concern us here are: What is the role of epistemic empathy in our dealings with our children, learners and students? And how can we ensure that they become empathic individuals themselves? In other words, (how) can empathy be taught and learned? After examining several recommendations regarding the nurturing and development of epistemic empathy (exemplification, modelling, acquisition of poetic and general aesthetic skills and sensitivity, induction, imitation, etc.), I pay closer attention to the idea of modelling epistemic empathy. I conclude the paper with a few thoughts about limits to epistemic empathy

transcript Verlag eBooks, Apr 4, 2022