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Three Dogmas of Materialist Pragmatism: A Critique of a Recent Attempt to Provide a Science of Educational Administration

Trevor H. Maddock (University of Adelaide, South Australia)

Journal of Educational Administration

ISSN: 0957-8234

Article publication date: 1 December 1994

487

Abstract

Examines the claim that materialist pragmatism is more coherent than alternative accounts of educational administration. Argues that the criteria of coherence provided by materialist pragmatists lack overall coherence and that there are no means for choosing between theories in the way they suggest. Arguments against the separation of factual and evaluative realms are unconvincing, and the materialist pragmatists′ claims that they have avoided foundationalism while providing a non‐positivist theory of science are questionable. Suggests that the administration of education requires a concrete rather than an abstract approach such as materialist pragmatism provides. Concludes with the thought that it is through the relentless criticism of all conceptualization that philosophy provides its service to educational administration.

Keywords

Citation

Maddock, T.H. (1994), "Three Dogmas of Materialist Pragmatism: A Critique of a Recent Attempt to Provide a Science of Educational Administration", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 32 No. 4, pp. 5-27. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578239410069089

Publisher

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MCB UP Ltd

Copyright © 1994, MCB UP Limited

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