Learning from the Insights and the Errors of a Great Mind: Michael Oakeshott on Liberal Education

Abstract

For more than half a century now, there has been mountingevidence of a serious and continuing decline in the standards ofteaching and learning throughout much of Western society. Inresponse, there has been no shortage of "expert"" diagnoses andprescriptions to address the problem. What makes MichaelOakeshott's contribution to this already extensive literature standout is his, in many ways, far more radical approach.