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This is a speculative response to the article published in this journal by Fernando Gil Cantero and David Reyero advocating the priority of philosophy of education on empirical research. This answer is based on four arguments: Contemporary empirical research involves an ontology rather complex than it is assumed in their paper. The relationship between both disciplines takes place at two levels: At the most general level they are interdependent; at the lower level, close to the action, they can not contradict each other. In order to apply knowledge coming from both disciplines to practical problems, an epistemic intermediary is necessary. This intermediary combines principles derived from both disciplines, but also additional assumptions that jointly shape a pedagogical normative. The epistemic intermediary is what we call the 'professional wisdom', whose intertwined components are 'wisdom' and 'technology', both necessary for the professional performance of teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the relationship between empirical educational research and philosophy of education. The authors analyze the arguments against the dominant character of the empirical paradigm and find three types of arguments. The first one, would consist in arguments that criticize the technification of political decisions. The second one, arguments based in educational particularities and the third one, arguments based on relational characteristic of the educational activity and the value of practical moral judgment. The text ends with a reflection on the contributions of that philosophy of education can make to empirical research. These contributions can be grouped into three categories. First, it can help to establish an epistemological approach to research, second, it offers a holistic view of the educational phenomenon that enables to see better the scope and limits of research results and third, it provides particular modes of articulating thought, to assist educators in critical clarification of educational issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]