Reclaiming Speculative Thought in Education : From Plato and Aristotle to Hegel and Dewey

Abstract

This dissertation explores the comprehensive nature of speculative philosophy, advocating for its reintegration into contemporary educational theory and practice. It argues that philosophy has always been a uniquely educative process because it equips students with an ontological and metaphysical grammar, enabling them to engage with foundational questions about existence, truth, freedom, and the good questions often overlooked in modern educational practices that emphasize empirical outcomes and instrumental reasoning. By engaging with key philosophical figures—Plato, Aristotle, Hegel, and Dewey — the dissertation demonstrates the continued relevance of speculative inquiry in education.
Plato’s dialectical reasoning and Aristotle’s notion of purposiveness in nature form the philosophical groundwork for this speculative tradition. Hegel extends these classical insights through his concept of sublation (Aufhebung), which frames education as a dynamic, evolving process rather than a static transmission of knowledge. While Dewey, initially influenced by Hegelian speculative philosophy, later shifted toward pragmatic naturalism and empirical psychology, this dissertation critiques Dewey’s departure from metaphysical reflection and argues for reintegrating speculative philosophy into his pragmatic framework. Such a synthesis offers a more comprehensive and transformative educational model.
Hegel’s speculative philosophy provides a framework for understanding education as a process of transformative self-realization, where contradictions are not merely resolved but preserved and integrated into a higher unity. This approach contrasts with the reductive tendencies of contemporary empirical and constructivist educational models, which often prioritize measurable outcomes over deeper intellectual and moral development. Speculative philosophy, uniquely positioned to address the fragmentation of knowledge and the neglect of existential and metaethical questions, offers education as a process of intellectual autonomy, moral discernment, and the search for meaning and purpose. The dissertation concludes by advocating for reclaiming speculative philosophy in education, not as a conservative return to classical metaphysical frameworks, but as a necessary evolution that bridges empirical and metaphysical dimensions of human experience. By equipping students with the tools to navigate fundamental questions, speculative philosophy offers a robust approach to education—one that remains as vital in the contemporary world as it was in previous eras.
ORCID Number: 0009-0001-7141-2198

Date of Award	12 Jun 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Winchester
Supervisor	Nigel Tubbs (Supervisor)