Teaching right and wrong - Richard B Smith

Morality is supposedly in decline; teachers and adults supposedly unaware of their own moral convictions. Standards of behaviour are reputed to be falling, communities to be in crisis, children no longer to know the difference between right and wrong. Journalists, politicians and government advisors have all joined in the debate, so renewing the sense of urgency for moral education in our schools and homes. Yet the current debate too often oversimplifies and distorts the nature of morality, reducing it to a matter of conformity and rigid rules, and ignoring the complexity of values in this multicultural society. We want children to behave in a responsible and caring way but how can they be taught to do so, particularly when prominent adults set such a poor example? This volume tackles the key issues in moral education in a style accessible to professional educators and general readers. Problems in moral education are explored, taking into account the real contexts of people's lives today. The book deepens and broadens the terms of discussion of morality and draws conclusions to guide the practice of moral education. Contributors include Nigel Blake, Joseph Dunne, Mary Midgley, Anthony Skillen and Bill Williamson.