Bert Lambeir

The terror of explicitness: philosophical remarks on the idea of a parenting contract

The new idea of a ‘parenting contract’, explicitly taking as its point of reference the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, is meant primarily to protect childrens rights, and specifically the right to a proper upbringing. The nature of the parent–child relationship is thus drawn into the discourse of rights and duties. Although there is much to be said for parents explicitly attending to their childrens upbringing, something of the uniqueness of the parent–child relationship seems to be occluded by the language of rights and duties as that relationship becomes narrowed down to the confines of a contractual agreement. What comes to be foregrounded in the parent–child relationship is a defence of the various parties’—the parents’ and the childs—interests. By drawing on the work of Annette Baier, we argue that this has considerable consequences in terms of trust and distrust, and parental engagement. It is questioned whether the concept of the parenting contract brings about the positive climate of engagement which it is meant to promote.

The Limits of "Blackboard" Are the Limits of My World: On the Changing Concepts of the University and Its Students

This article focuses on the changing concepts of the university student and teacher, of learning and teaching, and of the university as such because of the use and integration of electronic learning environments. This mode of digital learning implies important changes in established practices in which students and teachers inevitably take part. Hitherto familiar practices are at stake. The way we understand these changing practices suggests that the implementation of the digital learning environment encompasses more than just a mere instrumental change in the processes of teaching and learning. What at first sight only seems to be a simple material intervention puts a number of familiar concepts and noble intentions under stress. Without wanting to decline the use of information and communications technology in higher education, the authors argue that it is far from self-evident to accept an electronic learning environment as effectively supporting a students self-tuition, or as stimulating learning as a critical and sustained activity.

Carpe Diem: Tales of Desire and the Unexpected

Education generally and philosophy of education in particular cannot turn a blind eye to the world of young people. Thus there are interesting questions about artists such as Marilyn Manson: is his popularity due to the performance or the music? Is his act an expression of frustration at the lack of an answer to the question of the meaning of life? And is the quest for the sensual the modern version of carpe diem? After noting the creative and destructive tendencies of ‘seizing the day’, this paper highlights different characteristics of this idea. An interpretation is offered in terms of sensuousness, the enjoyment of art and confrontation with the other. Present-day so-called nihilistic tendencies can thus be understood somewhat differently, in terms of consolation for the loneliness of the human condition.

Nihilism: Beyond Optimism and Pessimism.

Is the youth culture, or more precisely aparticular kind of it, to be characterized as “nihilistic”? And is this a threat or ablessing for education? To deal with this “nihilism” is first characterized generally andfollowing particular attention is paid toNietzsches own version and revaluation ofvalues. Then Foucaults concept of “life as awork of art” is brought to the forefront as aparticular manner to give shape to ones life.It is argued that some of the more popularforms of pleasure nowadays may contrarily towhat is generally believed, be reminiscent of arevaluation thus to overcome nihilism.Implications for education include for theeducator to realize the unavoidability to offerherself as who she is, furthermore to be fullyaware of the fact that many boundaries in theeducational process are arbitrary, and last butnot least the acceptance of the need to createthe room for the child to develop an image ofherself which she can live with.