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In this essay, Barbara Thayer‐Bacon considers the arguments made in favor of "zero tolerance" for immigration at the United States–Mexican border as an example of principled ethics, and she contrasts this position with a caring ethical response. She compares the U.S.'s current zero‐tolerance immigration policy to the zero‐tolerance approach U.S. public schools adopted in response to violence in schools. The zero‐tolerance policies implemented by schools in the wake of several high‐profile incidents serves as a strong illustration of the moral dilemmas that zero‐tolerance policies create generally. Both examples illustrate that zero‐tolerance policies are not an effective moral response to ethical dilemmas; on the contrary, such policies lead to a lack of attention to context, subjectivity, positionality, and institutional power, which in turn generates a range of new and different ethical quandaries. Ultimately, Thayer‐Bacon argues that taking a zero tolerance approach to serious, complicated problems such as immigration policy is misguided; developing fair, humane, caring, and just immigration policies requires a more nuanced approach that attends to the full complexity of the issues involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Just as Dewey argued during the industrial revolution, from the 1890s–1930s, and Martin argued in the 1960s–1990s with our "second wave" working revolution (when middle class women joined the work force in significant numbers): today's times are out of joint, potentially dangerous conflicts exist, and teachers have some responsibility in making things right. We are in another social revolution, as work is changing significantly again, due to advances in technology. Let's call these current changes in work the technology revolution. Again, we need to rethink our school structures, curriculum, and pedagogy. In an effort to contribute to that process, I direct our attention to the need to redefine work, and re/examine the connections between work and education in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including rising cost in education, need for equal and welfare state reform based on demands of both society and the labor market; and role of education and competing technologies in social mobilization.

Thayer-Bacon tells her story in a conversational tone that traces her personal and professional roots as she describes various chapters of her life: first as a philosopher, how she became involved in education, and then how that involvement became a career as a philosopher of education, in a large teacher education program, and now at a research institution. She sketches her philosophical contributions, as a pragmatist, feminist, postmodernist, and cultural studies scholar, to philosophy, philosophy of education, and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various reports published within the issue, including one by Mary Leach on the relations feminist scholars have adopted with mainstream knowledge and another by Maureen Ford on the contributions of feminists to contemporary philosophy and education of philosophy.

Focuses on teaching of students on how to read philosophical arguments. Explication of arguments with a variety of philosophical essays; Essays with discussion on proficiency exams.

Discusses Buddhism as an example of a holistic, relational epistemology. Relational knowledge that relies on a unifying logic; Dharma of dependent co-origination or co-arising; Egolessness of self.

The article presents author's narrative of his response to Iris Yob regarding metaphor of critical thinking. I use a quilting bee metaphor to try to transform the way we think about critical thinking, and I try to create a quilt in the very constructing of the text. She is absolutely right, quilting is not an original metaphor with me. One of the reasons why I find it such a compelling metaphor is because it is being used in a variety of different contexts today. I also find quilting so compelling as a metaphor because quilting is rich with history and crosses cultural boundaries.

Introduces articles in published in the first 2001 issue of the periodical "Studies in Philosophy and Education,". Exploration of the theme of transforming and redescribing critical thinking; Questions raised about the critical thinker's effort to become objective and neutral at the expense of their emotions, imagination and intuition.

This article explores the central pragmatist and feminist philosophical assumption that knowers can not be separated from what is known, that there is a dialectical relationship between social beings and ideas that is dynamic, flexible, and reciprocal. The author seeks a closer examination of constructive thinking in relation to the practice of thinking constructively within social communities. She discusses social communities that construct knowledge as radical democratic communities always-in-the-making, and the skills of communicating and relating which help knowers be able to actively participate in the construction of knowledge. Given the fallibility of the pluralistic subjects, she shows the importance of addressing cultural influences and political power in theories about thinking. She argues for the value of embracing pluralistic and democratic commitments on epistemological grounds as well as moral grounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considers the separation between practical and theoretical reasoning. Split between knowers and knowledge; Distinction between objects and subjects of knowing; Definition of pragmatism; Concepts of experience in relation to knowing; Feminist and postmodern contributions to the collapse of knower/known split.

Argues that problems faced in United States schools and cities are directly resulting from society's orientation to how individuals relate to their communities. Schools and classrooms as communities; Classic liberal classrooms; Sociological constructivist communities; Democratic communities.

Questions why teachers find it necessary to look at theories concerning knowledge. Description given by Richard Rorty relating to philosophers; Details on the relational epistemological theory; Discussion on Rorty's work.

Explores democratic communities using the classroom community as a metaphor. Reason why democracies do justice to individuals; Necessary quality of democratic communities that needs highlighting; Problems and contradiction embedded in the concept of `community'; Assumptions about community; Schools and classrooms as communities.

Presents a conversation between the author and the three teachers namely, Ellen, John and Marianne on the topic real talk and answer the questions about applying it in the classroom. How teachers can help students develop critical thinking skills; Why most teachers need to use didactic talking in their classrooms; How basic curriculum is better understood.

The article presents the author's views on viewing philosophical theories as fishing nets, highlighting postmodernism and Zen Buddhism. Topics include accepting the idea that the self is constantly changing and impermanent, the Montessori method of education, and her undergraduate philosophy professor Alphonso Lingis. She notes that the fishing nets will need to be repaired and reweaved regularly as there will always be more ideas and experience that the nets can hold.