A Philosophical Analysis of Selected Problems in Adult Education.

Overview & Synopsis

These 10 papers represent an application of a philosophical theory to resolving a particular problem in adult education or an example of how some of these problems can be examined philosophically. Chapter 1 addresses the myth of the philosophy of adult education. Chapter 2 reports a survey of professors of adult education to determine why they neglect to do research in the area of the philosophy of adult education. In chapter 3 four ways of justifying ethical studies in adult education are discussed. Chapter 4 considers existential consequences of mandatory continuing education. Three evaluation problems in adult education are analyzed in chapter 5: are adult education evaluations of programs or learners?, can evaluations be shown to be valid?, and can evaluation be used to improve adult education programs? Chapter 6 explains the existential concept of evaluation. The focus of chapter 7 is the concept of human rights as applied to discussion of needs in program planning. Chapter 8 is a philosophical defense for education of the older adult. Chapter 9 summarized Llessur Nosdunk's theory of alienation as related to adult education. Discussion in chapter 10 focuses on the "is-ought-is" problem of the objective in adult education. (YLB)