Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Some philosophical classics are so highly esteemed that they are considered an important, if not indispensable, part of any good school curriculum. However, for all the emphasis placed on the importance of such classics, a fundamental problem is often overlooked that makes teaching them very difficult, if not practically impossible. We call it the “Problem of Critical Interpretive Controversy” (“PCIC”). PCIC occurs when there is a critical controversy about what an author intends to express. In this paper, we illustrate PCIC using the example of Kant’s ethics. In the case of Kant’s ethics, we argue, PCIC is so profound that even the basic features of this theory cannot fruitfully be taught in school, making it an unsuitable subject for school teaching.
Institution: University of Tübingen
Language: English
Subfield: Philosophy
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4414392390