This is a reply to an article authored by Enslin and Horsthemke (2014) published in" Educational Philosophy and Theory" ("EPAT"). Enslin and Horsthemke argue that those who they refer to as "friends of the subaltern" pit themselves against a straw-person that is swiftly dismissed in pointing out blindness of the…

In volume 103 of "Modern Language Journal," Stephen May suggested that the "multilingual turn" has not fully delivered on its promises, pointing out second language acquisition (SLA) researchers' continued focus on parallel monolingualisms rather than on dynamic bi/multilingualism, the lack of theorization of historicity in…

"Whither ideology?" is an intriguing question, to which the author's immediate response is: Nowhere! Has its moment passed, at least in relation to the way that people ordinarily think of it? Not because the end of ideology has finally come, but because the emergence of the concept in American academic work, as an expression of political…

As documented by multiple NEA studies ("Reading at Risk," 2004; "To Read or Not to Read," 2007), reading has become devalued in American life, on sale in the clearance bin along with notions of greatness, classic works and ideas, and Western civilization itself. Trying to teach fine literature, writes the author, has become the struggle of how to…

In this article, the author shares his experience with Burent Arel, an established composer of orchestral, chamber, and classical electronic music. At first, the author found the music of the 20th century deeply disturbing. Yet, Professor Arel converted him and his skepticism into evangelical fervor. Finally understanding the role of the artist in…

This paper examines Hermann Hesse's penultimate novel, "The Journey to the East", from an educational point of view. Hesse was a man of the West who turned to the idea of "the East" in seeking to understand himself and his society. While highly critical of elements of Western modernism, Hesse nonetheless viewed "the East" through Western lenses…

The criticism movement against Pragmatism began in the early 1950s, and it did not end until the latter part of the 1970s. This movement plays a key role not only in popularizing philosophy study, but also in establishing the leading position of dialectical materialism in the academic world of China. In addition, it left a large amount of valuable…

Replies to Mary Lefkowitz's criticism of Afrocentrists' interpretation of history as stated in her work entitled "Out of Africa: How Afrocentrism Became and Excuse to Teach Myth as History." The author centers his argument and overall critical commentary on the question of Egyptian influence over Greek science, culture, and language and…

Defends the position that there is no evidence to support that the Greeks stole their philosophy from Egypt, or that Socrates' ancestors were foreign. Differences between the author's and Bernal's view of Afrocentrism are reviewed, and it is argued that Bernal resorts to emotionally charged words to defend his position of Lefkowitz's "Not Out…

Discusses the limitations of Youniss's identification of morality with humanism and pluralism (universal developmental endpoints or socially constructed rational ideals), suggesting an alternative approach. (MP)

Addresses critical aesthetic issues and concerns brought about by the advent of digital media. Utilizing a philosophical approach investigates the ways that computer-mediated art challenges existing Western aesthetic theory. Focuses on feminist aesthetic theory as a framework for reevaluating aesthetic concepts and criteria. (DSK)

This book argues against the politicization of literature and presents a guide to the great works and essential writers of the ages, the "Western Canon." The book studies 26 writers and seeks to isolate the qualities that made these authors canonical, that is, authoritative in Western culture. Noting that although originally the…

Examines the controversy over what some consider liberal education's shortcoming in a multicultural society: that it is predominantly an exclusive white male, Europe and North American centered curriculum. Explores assumptions held by those supporting liberal education as it is currently taught and by those who believe it should not ignore the…

Discusses the renga as the negation of the western belief in the soul and the reality of the I. (MM)

Argues that Western civilization's use of formalism in art criticism is hierarchical and eurocentric. Suggests a more anthropological approach in which production of art is considered in the context of its native culture. Recommends emphasizing the human meaning in art over consideration of form or design. (MJP)