Interest, experience and the idea of importance in education
Adrian Skilbeck examines the personal dimension of Deweyan interests.
Interest, experience and the idea of importance in education
19 Mar 2025, 17:30 – 19:15
For John Dewey, the connection between education and real life was central to teaching and learning. Whilst Dewey exemplified ‘interest’ through the adult as well as the child, he had little to say about it beyond the world of schooling, excluding not only the adult learner from his vision of education but the question of why education might matter to the adult. To retrieve the personal dimension of Deweyan interests, Adrian Skilbeck will turn to the American philosopher Stanley Cavell, who, in the words of his French translator Sandra Laugier, teaches us the importance of importance.
This event will be particularly useful for those interested in adult education, the educational philosophy of John Dewey and Stanley Cavell.
Please note this is a hybrid event and can be joined either in-person or online. To book your place, please email Yuxin Su: stnvysu@ucl.ac.uk.
PESGB seminar series
This event is part of the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB) seminar series. PESGB is a learned society that promotes the study, teaching and application of philosophy of education. Its London Branch hosts seminars every Wednesday in conjunction with the Centre for Philosophy of Education. These seminars are led by national and international scholars in the field, covering a wide range of issues of educational and philosophical concern.
All are welcome to attend.
Related links
Image
Taylor Flowe via Unsplash.
Adrian Skilbeck
Senior Lecturer in Education Studies
University of Winchester
He is author of Stanley Cavell and Education: Voice, Seriousness and Drama (2025) and was co-editor with Paul Standish of Wittgenstein and Education: On Not Sparing Others The Trouble of Thinking (2023). Adrian is the chair of the PESGB Development Committee, a member of the PESGB Executive Committee and also sits on the editorial board of the Journal of Philosophy of Education. Adrian is a member of the CREATE research centre at Winchester, leading on research in Philosophy of Education.
Further information
Ticketing
Pre-booking essential
Cost
Free
Open to
All
Availability
Yes
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