Curriculum Wisdom Educational Decisions in Democratic Societies

THREE WORKING ASSUMPTIONS Three basic assumptions have guided the creation of this book. First, we believe that it is possible to approach curriculum work as an exercise in "practical wisdom:" As you will read in Chapter 1, human wisdom is defined in theOxford English Dictionaryas "the capacity of judging rightly in matters relating to life and conduct; soundness of judgment in the choice of means and ends; sometimes, less strictly, sound sense, especially in practical affairs:' Curriculum workers who adopt a wisdom orientation are, therefore, challenging themselves To consider the "good conduct" and "enduring values" implications and consequences of their decisions; To think about the relationship between educational means and ends; and To engage in sophisticated practical reasoning. Aristotle's philosophy is an important foundational source for understanding practical wisdom. He writes that the practically wise person is someone who can carefully deliberate over the concrete specifics of individual matters while keeping an eye on what is "the best for man of things attainable by action" (Aristotle, 1941, p. 1028). Aristotle continues, "Nor is practical wisdom concerned with universals only--it must also recognize particulars; for it is practical, and practice is concerned with particulars" (p. 1028). Practical wisdom requires a doubled problem solving. The intent is to solve an immediate problem while advancing enduring values. This is a "means/end"and"means/visionary end" way of operating. The problem solving is situated in both the immediate present and the visionary future. The search for the resolution of a particular problem is, at the same time, an aspiration to advance a critically informed moral vision. Sensitive perception and venturesome imagination are equally important. Though this is a very demanding professional standard for curriculum decision making, we think many educators are capable of working in this way. Egan (2002) clarifies this standard for curriculum work. He notes that "it is always easier and more attractive to engage in technical work under an accepted paradigm than do hard thinking about the value-saturated idea of education" (p. 181). To avoid this trap, Egan writes, educators must think very broadly and deeply; they must make their conceptions of education "more elaborate and comprehensive" (p. 181), and as part of their decision making, they must carefully consider what "is the best way to be human, the best way to live" (p. 182). Approaching curriculum work in this way requires educators' best efforts to enact practical wisdom. Second, we will approach curriculum wisdom from alove of wisdom perspective--the frame of reference that serves as the etymological source for philosophy. To love wisdom is not the same as assuming that one is wise. In fact, it is its humble opposite. To love wisdom is to practice an open-hearted and open-minded life of inquiry. Hadot (2002) presents a Western history of the practice of the love of wisdom from Socrates through Kant and Nietzsche to the present and describes Socrates' insight into this practice: In theApologyPlato reconstructs, in his own way, the speech which Socrates gave before his judges in the trial in which he was condemned to death. Plato tells how Chaerephon, one of Socrates' friends, had asked the Delphic oracle if there was anyone wiser (sophos) than Socrates. The oracle had replied that no one was wiser than Socrates. Socrates wondered what the oracle could possibly have meant, and began a long search among politicians, poets, and artisans--people... who possessed wisdom or know-how--in order to find someone wiser than he. He noticed that all these people thought they knew everything, whereas in fact they knew nothing. Socrates then concluded that if in fact he was the wisest person, it was because he did[read more]