Imitation and Education

Bryan R. Warnick

Description

Imitation and Education provides an in-depth reassessment of learning by example that places imitation in a larger social context. It is the first book to bring together ancient educational thought and startling breakthroughs in the fields of cognitive science, psychology, and philosophy to reconsider how we learn from the lives of others. Bryan R. Warnick addresses how we become exemplars, analyzes how exemplars inspire imitation, and assesses the meaning and value of imitation in education and society, including how teachers can better use examples and what should be done about problems such as the imitation of media violence. Warnick constructs a provocative, cautionary, yet hopeful account of learning by example that acknowledges the power of social contexts in shaping human lives.
Acknowledgments
1. The Problems of Imitation and Human Exemplarity

Introduction
The Mysteries of Learning by Example: An Outline

2. The Historical Tradition of Human Exemplarity

Imitative Models of Human Exemplarity: The Standard Model
Enlightenment Criticism and Nonimitative Exemplars
The Historical Tradition: An Initial Assessment

3. How Do People Become Examples?

The Nature of Examples
How Does Something Become an Example?
Educational Implications
Conclusion

4. How Do Examples Bring Out Imitation?

The Link between Action and Perception
The Sense of Self and the Imitative Sorting Mechanism
The Narrative-Self Theory of Imitation
The Social Nature of Narrative and Imitation
Educational Implications
Conclusion

5. The Social Meanings of Imitation

The Meanings of Following an Example
Imitation and Community Identity
Imitation, Initiation, and Education
Factors Influencing Imitative Meaning
Imitation and Communities of Learning
Conclusion

6. Imitation, Exemplarity, and Moral Reason

The Practical Objection to Imitating Examples
A Social Response to the Practical Objection
The Theoretical Objection to Imitating Examples
A Social Response to the Theoretical Objection
Conclusion

7. How Can We Evaluate Human Exemplars?

Ancient Skepticism, Exemplarity, and Criticality
The Turn to Practices and Exemplar Rotation
A Critical Education and Exemplarity: A Conclusion

8. A Social Analysis of Exemplarity and Imitation
Notes
References
Index

Sujets

• Educational psychology

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 2009
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791478486
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Imitation and Education

SUNY series, The Philosophy of Education Philip L. Smith, editor

Imitation and Education

A Philosophical Inquiry into Learning by Example

BRYAN R. WARNICK

State University of New York Press

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2008 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu

Production by Ryan Morris Marketing by Michael Campochiaro

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Warnick, Bryan R., 1974– Imitation and education : a philosophical inquiry into learning by example / Bryan R. Warnick. p. cm. — (SUNY series, the philosophy of education) Includes bibiographical references and index. ISBN: 9780791474273 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Education—Philosophy. 2. Example. 3. Imitation. 4. Learning, Psychology of. I. Title.

LB14.7.W375 2008 370.1—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2007024952

To Elizabeth

caret initio et fine

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Acknowledgments

Contents

Chapter 1 The Problems of Imitation and Human Exemplarity Introduction The Mysteries of Learning by Example: An Outline

Chapter 2 The Historical Tradition of Human Exemplarity Imitative Models of Human Exemplarity: The Standard Model Enlightenment Criticism and Nonimitative Exemplars The Historical Tradition: An Initial Assessment

Chapter 3 How Do People Become Examples? The Nature of Examples How Does Something Become an Example? Educational Implications Conclusion

Chapter 4 How Do Examples Bring Out Imitation? The Link between Action and Perception The Sense of Self and the Imitative Sorting Mechanism The NarrativeSelf Theory of Imitation The Social Nature of Narrative and Imitation Educational Implications Conclusion

Chapter 5 The Social Meanings of Imitation The Meanings of Following an Example Imitation and Community Identity Imitation, Initiation, and Education Factors Influencing Imitative Meaning Imitation and Communities of Learning Conclusion

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1 1 9

13 13 18 26

31 33 37 44 49

53 57 61 65 73 77 82

83 87 93 97 100 105 107

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Contents

Chapter 6 Imitation, Exemplarity, and Moral Reason The Practical Objection to Imitating Examples A Social Response to the Practical Objection The Theoretical Objection to Imitating Examples A Social Response to the Theoretical Objection Conclusion

Chapter 7 How Can We Evaluate Human Exemplars? Ancient Skepticism, Exemplarity, and Criticality The Turn to Practices and Exemplar Rotation A Critical Education and Exemplarity: A Conclusion

Chapter 8

Notes

References

Index

A Social Analysis of Exemplarity and Imitation

109 110 113 119 120 125

127 129 134 136

139

147

153

163

Introduction

Acknowledgments

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Several people deserve recognition for their help with this project. Nicholas Burbules, Walter Feinberg, Pradeep Dhillon, and Stephen Jaeger at the University of Illinois all read this manuscript and offered substantive and challenging feedback. Nick, in particular, has been and continues to be an encouraging teacher, even now that I have moved on from his official domain of responsibility. Phil Smith has proven to be equally supportive in my new position at The Ohio State University. My initial thinking about this project began at the Stanford– Illinois Summer Institute for Philosophy of Education, held in Palo Alto, California, in 2003. The faculty and students with whom I dis cussed my fledgling ideas gave me the needed confidence to start developing this book. The institute was a memorable gift made pos sible by funding from the Spencer Foundation. More distant in space and time from the writing of this book, but equally important were family and friends. My parents have been supportive at every critical juncture of my life and they form the foun dational exemplars that I would hope to imitate. Finally, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my wife Ellie and my children, Nora and Andrew. Portions of this book have been adapted from Bryan Warnick, “How Do We Learn from the Lives of Others?” InPhilosophy of Edu cation 2006,ed. Daniel Vokey (Urbana, Illinois: Philosophy of Educa tion Society, 2007), 367–75. Reprinted by permission of the Philosophy of Education Society.

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