Schooling goods are not educational goods: an explication and demonstration

Join this event to hear Philip Cook explore a distinction between schooling as the experience of education, and schooling as the experience of membership of a school.

Four children walking in the hallway wearing backpacks.

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Schooling goods are not educational goods: an explication and demonstration

29 Apr 2026, 17:30 – 19:15

Room 631
20 Bedford Way
London
WC1H 0AL
United Kingdom

The speaker argues that much philosophical and legal thinking about justice and schooling involves a latent distinction between schooling as the experience of education, and schooling as the experience of membership of a school. Obscurity about this distinction hampers our theorising about justice for children. He draws on Carnap’s method of explication to engineer a new concept of ‘schooling goods’.

He explains how schools serve children’s interests as equal citizens in protecting their abilities for social cooperation. This differs from children’s interests in education. The concept of schooling goods opens up new questions for theorising about children, justice, education and schooling.

This event will be particularly useful to researchers, policy makers, teachers and students who are interested in issues concerning justice in education and schooling.

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.

Image

zinkevych via Adobe Stock.

Philip Cook

Senior Lecturer in political philosophy

School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh

Philip’s work focuses on the moral and political status of children. His current research concerns justice in schools and education. Previous work addressed the ethics of parenting, the moral aspects of child labour, and justifications for child enfranchisement. Philip has enjoyed presenting his research to public audiences.