Vygotsky: Philosophy and Education

Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) has long been recognised as pioneer in theories of cognitive development. Vygotsky, Philosophy and Education presents a reassessment of Vygotsky’s work by arguing that his central ideas about the nature of rationality and knowledge were informed by the philosophic tradition of Spinoza and Hegel. In fact, Vygotsky scholar Jan Derry insists that it is impossible to fully appreciate the richness of Vygostky’s innovative thought without recognising the influence of these two giants of Western philosophy on his writings. Derry takes issue not just with fashionable criticisms of abstract rationality but with a range of widely-held beliefs about representation, foundationalism, and the social construction of knowledge. In the course of tracing the significance of Vygotsky’s philosophical inheritance in shaping his ideas on epistemology and education, Derry draws sharp connections to recent developments in philosophy, particularly in light of the current resurgence of interest in Hegel. Taking Robert Brandom’s theory of inferentialism as a notable example of this renewed attention, Derry reveals how a philosophically informed study of Vygotsky links ideas about learning to epistemology, opening up new frontiers in contemporary educational theory and practice. Vygotsky, Philosophy and Education is an important new work that allows readers to gain a new appreciation of the seminal contributions of one of the most influential thinkers of the early modern era.

 

Jan Derry is a Reader in Philosophy of Education at the Institute of Education, University of London. Her research interests focus on philosophical psychology, theories of knowledge and learning, and the nature of professional expertise and judgment.