Paul Smeyers

The Therapy of Education: Philosophy, Happiness and Personal Growth Paul Smeyers

Marc Notes: Originally published: 2007.; Includes bibliographical references and index.; This volume examines the many connections between education and therapy, critically but sympathetically. It brings to bear on areas of confusion and mystification the philosophical attention that has sometimes been thought of as potentially therapeutic and conducive to personal growth and flourishing. Biographical Note: PAUL SMEYERS is Professor of Education at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. RICHARD SMITH is Professor of Education at the University of Durham, UK. PAUL STANDISH is Professor of Educational Studies, University of Sheffield, UK. Review Quotes: "At a time when it seems that everyone, at whatever level of society, has fallen behind the banner of Business, blindly caught up in its ruthless and deadening rationality, it is such a relief to find writers so able to resist the trend. They remind us of a humane culture we seem to have forgotten, and their intelligent and illuminating understanding of the relations between education and 'therapy' sweeps away many of the absurdities that have over the past two or three decades invaded both."- David Smail former Special Professor in Clinical Psychology at the University of Nottingham, and author of "Illusion and Reality: the Meaning of Anxiety" and "Taking Care: an Alternative to Therapy". Table of Contents: Acknowledgements Introduction PART I: THE KINDLY APOCALYPSESelf-Esteem: The Inward Turn Diffidence, Confidence and Self-belief What Can be Said, What Can be Shown Reading NarrativeLearning to ChangePART II: COMING TO TERMSPractising Dying Room for Thought The Thoreau Strategy A State of Abstraction: Knowledge and Contingency Unfinished Business: Education Without Necessity PART III: REDEEMING PHILOSOPHY, REDEEMING THERAPYBeyond Cure Narrative and Number: What Really Counts Learning from Psychoanalysis Enlarging the EnigmaExpectation of Return Notes References IndexPublisher Marketing: This volume examines the many connections between education and therapy, critically but sympathetically. It brings to bear on areas of confusion and mystification the philosophical attention that has sometimes been thought of as potentially therapeutic and conducive to personal growth and flourishing.

Contributor Bio:  Standish, Paul PAUL STANDISH is Lecturer in Education at the University of Dundee, Scotland. Contributor Bio:  Smeyers, Paul Paul Smeyers is Research Professor for Philosophy of Education at Ghent University and Extraordinary Professor at KU Leuven, both in Belgium, and Honorary Extraordinary Professor at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. He teaches philosophy of education and methodology of qualitative/interpretative research methods. He is President of the International Network of Philosophers of Education and link-convenor for Network 13, Philosophy of Education of the European Educational Research Association. Since January 2014 he has been the editor of Ethics and Education. Contributor Bio:  Smith, Richard Richard P. Smith is an award-winning outdoor writer and photographer living in Marquette, Michigan.