This essay reviews three recent works in the field of philosophy of education, each of which brings the work of a major philosophical thinker to bear on contemporary topics within education: Michael ...Peters, ed., Heidegger, Education, and Modernity; Randall Curren, Aristotle on the Necessity of Public Education; and Mordechai Gordon, ed., Hannah Arendt and Education. I argue that these works are representative of a current trend in educational philosophers' ideas, including their political, social, and ethical philosophy. This approach to philosophy of education differs in significant ways from past approaches, in which the connection between philosophy and education was conceived narrowly. In the works under consideration here, education is not understood as an isolated field that is connected to philosophy only through a concerted effort; rather, education is understood as a presence within the broad constellation of philosophical questions. These books therefore not only shed light on educational matters, but they also demonstrate an elegant way to bring together theory and practice, mind and body, philosophy and education.
"Aristotle on the Necessity of Public Education" by Randall R. Curren, "Retrieving Political Emotion: Thumos, Aristotle and Gender" by Barbara Koziak, "Ruling Passion: The Erotics of Statecraft in ...Platonic Political Philosophy" by Waller Newell, "The Soul of Socrates" by Nalin Ranasinghe and "The Odyssey of Political Theory: The Politics of Departure and Return" by Patrick J. Deneen are reviewed.
