Executive Summary: In essence, Maxwell’s (2014) “new” book GLOBAL PHILOSOPHY again suggests that we (universities in general and academic philosophy in particular) so far failed to live up to the task of helping to learn how to live by addressing the problems that matter; to overcome the disasters we are facing and the blunders we have created, “universities need to take up the task of helping humanity learn how to make progress towards as good a world as possible” (p. 176). Yet, the potential reader has to take the book, review the table of contents, or turn it over and read the back cover text to learn that “this book is about education, learning, rational inquiry…and, above all, the urgent need for an academic revolution”. Unfortunately, the title “Global Philosophy — What Philosophy Ought To Be” is misleading and may not reach the audience that would benefit most from this reader: educators and administrators particularly of higher education institutions. As a result, his significant and meaningful call may — again — not be heard as widely as it could and should be.

 

In five chapters Maxwell, by reprinting five essays that he had first published in 2005 (chapter one), 2012 (chapter five), and 2014 (chapters two to four) respectively, again and repeatedly argues for the need to fundamentally and holistically change our educational approach; in fact, his key criticisms and suggestions for a revolution in higher education have been presented numerous times as indicated by the extensive list of his own writings (52 or almost half of the bibliographical references he presents).

In chapter one, Maxwell suggests that “Philosophy Seminars for Five-Year-Olds” — so the title of this chapter — should be “devoted to the cooperative, imaginative, and rational exploration of problems encountered in life, [it] ought to form a standard — even a central and fundamental — part of all education, science, and scholarship, from primary school to university” (p. 2). Taking more of a facilitative role, the “teacher” needs to “acknowledge his or her own ignorance or uncertainties … [and help] enable children [and by extension other target groups in higher education] to discover for themselves the value of cooperative, imaginative, rational problem solving by taking part in it themselves” (p. 5). This is a profound and rarely read contribution to the “search for a new paradigm for ‘teaching and learning'” (Mengel, under review) and to changing the priorities in academic inquiry towards cooperatively articulating “our problems of living [and towards proposing] possible solutions …[and] actions” (p. 7). In addition, it might indeed help promote the development of “personal and social wisdom…wisdom being defined as the capacity to realize what is of value, for ourselves and others” (p. 8; see also Mengel, 2010).

Maxwell’s second chapter — “What Philosophy Ought to Be” — argues that by focusing on knowledge acquisition prior to knowledge application universities in general and academic philosophy in particular fail at their “proper task” of focusing on keeping the discussion alive about fundamental problems of living and about “best attempts at solving them” (p. 11). In shaping the fundamental task of philosophy he suggests implementing “four elementary … rules of reason…: (1) Articulate…the basic problem … (2) Propose and critically assess possible solutions. (3) …Break the basic problem up into …easier-to-solve problems…(4) …make sure that specialized and basic problem solving interact” (p. 15). Maxwell further suggests that the modern disassociation of science and philosophy need to be overcome by what he calls “aim-oriented empiricism” which continuously improves assumptions (or aims) and methods and thus the resulting knowledge and which addresses the metaphysical assumption of the existence of some sort of unity underlying modern physics. Finally, he guides us through a summarized history of philosophy (of science) and its failure to properly address the relationship between our experience and the physical “realities” and to solve the “Human World/Physical Universe Problem” (p. 31ff.). He concludes that “we need a revolution in academic philosophy” (p. 46) to overcome the “disastrous mistake” and “blunder” resulting from the acceptance of what seemingly are implications of Cartesian dualism: What we see is not “the world” but “contents of our minds” (p. 44).

Chapter three asks the question “How can our human world exist and best flourish embedded in the physical universe?” and thus suggests that the “necessary” academic (philosophy) revolution would now be spelled out in more detail; unfortunately, however, in his following “letter to an applicant to a new liberal studies course” (p. 47ff.), Maxwell instead repeats many of the previously presented arguments about the shortcomings of modern science and academe resulting in the “absence of intelligent philosophy” which needs to be overcome by Maxwell’s approach to exploring problems, aims and solutions as suggested in the previous chapter. While presented in a creative format and enthusiastically inviting the reader to apply to his course, the question arises, might the valuable message get lost in repetition and the lack of integration?

“What’s wrong with science and technology studies” asks Maxwell in chapter four, and “what is needed to put it right?” First, he critically describes how the history and philosophy of science have been taught, culminating in — again — criticizing the “blunders” and “disasters” of social constructivism and anti-rationalism. Second, Maxwell — again — claims that focusing on factual truth (what he calls “standard empiricism”, p. 87) is “untenable” and needs to be replaced by “aim-oriented empiricism”. While already described earlier, he again explains this approach now at a much more detailed level and integrates it with another claim he introduced earlier also: the need to seek and promote “wisdom…the capacity …to realize what is of value in life, for oneself and others” (p. 103; almost identical first on page 8). Finally, he also repeats the conclusion: “We urgently need to bring about a revolution in universities around the world so that they become devoted to seeking and promoting wisdom — helping humanity create a better world” (p. 107).

Finally, in his chapter five Maxwell is again “Arguing for wisdom in the university” by presenting many of his previously discussed arguments and ideas in the very interesting and engaging framework of “An intellectual autobiography”. While sometimes embarrassed by the playfully exhibited tendency for narcissism — for example: “Where everyone else had failed, I must succeed. And when I discovered the great secret of the inner nature of the universe, I would it to mankind, and be loved forever” (p. 130) — this is the chapter I enjoyed reading the most; likely because it offers an exceptional insight into the development of Maxwell’s thinking situated in the context of historical and biographical development. Particularly his oscillations between being “so frightened of becoming indoctrinated by such rubbish [of Oxford philosophy]” (p. 150), his seemingly arrogant decision “to become God…[and thus] discover the ultimate nature of the physical universe and reveal it to humanity” (p. 138), and his realization that “all this was an awful mistake. In my desperate desire to be a genius, to be God, I had lost sight of something infinitely more precious: to be myself ” (p. 138) are enlightening and sometimes humorous. After reading what appears to be a more realistic assessment of an individual’s capabilities — “All our knowledge, all our attempted solutions, can only be, forever, guesses, conjectures. And one should find out about the history of attempts to solve the problem, assess critically past attempted solutions, and then attempt, if possible, to do better” (p. 151) — we are surprised again by his disappointment about the fact that his writings did not have the “explosive impact on philosophy” (p. 159) that he had expected and that he did “still fail, even today” (p. 160). Yet, that seemingly deeply rooted frustration doesn’t prevent Maxwell from again and one final time in this book repeating his definition of wisdom, his call for the promotion of wisdom in universities, and his claim that universities “need to take up the task of helping humanity learn how to make progress towards as good a world as possible” (p. 176).

 

To again be clear, Maxwell’s key message is a very valid one and yet remains to be fully acknowledged and appreciated: As Maxwell already pointed out in 1984 and 2007 we need to move “from knowledge [inquiry] to wisdom [inquiry]” in university education and beyond; we urgently need to address our fundamental problems of living by bringing all the values and capacities to bear that we can muster! So what may be the “but” entailed in this message and its review?

I identified the four following problematic areas that appear to take away from the otherwise powerful message:

1. While often expressing his disappointment with and frustration about the lack of recognition of and response to his message, Maxwell fails to identify or even to comprehensively explore the reasons for the failure to have a larger reach and bigger impact. Basic understanding of communication theory suggests that”correct” receipt of a message not only depends on the receptor and audience but also on the author and sender as well as on how the message is being conveyed and transmitted. My earlier comments may suggest but a few of related potential problems (e.g., narcissist tendencies, absolute statements, judgmental claims).
2. In particular, the often repetitive nature of his claims and descriptions within this “new” book — and even between the 52 publications that he continuously refers to  (often excluding the contributions of others) — may contribute to”losing” the reader(s). This may also evoke a sense of being preached at as opposed to being invited into an intellectual conversation and dialogue. Finally, the attempt to serve various audiences at the same time by addressing academic philosophers, educators, administrators and the general public results in the flawed attempt to be everything to everybody as suggested by the changing levels of detail and philosophical language and challenges between the various chapters; for example, while academic philosophers may not make it through chapter one, educational leaders and administrators may get lost in the methodological approach and philosophical concepts or biographical and historical details presented in chapters four and five.
3. Further, readers who are engaged in the same quest for wisdom development and problem solving in higher education may be frustrated by the — again repeated — generalizing claim that we fail in this endeavour and don’t act on what Maxwell proposes. While we certainly need to continue to work together on making university education more relevant for solving the problems that matter to all of us, we also need to better recognize and nurture existing initiatives around the globe that already do just that. Particularly given the work ahead alienating and losing the equal minded and potential collaborators is counter-productive.
4. Finally, given the magnitude of the problem(s) Maxwell correctly identifies and addresses, putting the blame for the failures as presented on academic philosophy and also focusing on this one discipline when it comes to creating change and help discover, implement and improve solutions appears to be unjustified and to fail to fully engage all relevant stakeholders in academe and beyond. Wisdom inquiry and problem solving are meaningful, necessary and urgent tasks to work on together. To be successful, we certainly ought to listen to Maxwell and his profound contributions; but we need to engage all the help we can get!

 

References:

 

Maxwell, N. (1984). From knowledge to wisdom: A revolution in the aims and methods of science. Oxford, England ; New York, NY, USA: B. Blackwell.

Maxwell, N. (2007). From knowledge to wisdom: A revolution for science and the humanities (2nd ed.). London: Pentire Press.

Maxwell, N. (2014). Global Philosophy – What Philosophy ought to be. Exeter, UK: Imprint Academic.

Mengel, T. (2010). Learning that matters — Discovery of meaning and development of wisdom in undergraduate education. Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching (CELT), Vol. III, June 2010, p. 119-123.

Mengel, T. (under review). ‘Teaching outside the box’: A contradiction in terms? — In search for a new paradigm for ‘teaching and learning’. Association of Atlantic Universities. (2015). Proceedings of the 2014 AAU Teaching Showcase, Sydney, NS. 

 

© 2014 Thomas Mengel

 

Dr. Thomas Mengel, Professor of Leadership Studies, Renaissance College University of New Brunswick, Canada