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<p>Series Editor Preface vi</p> <p>Preface viii</p> <p>1 Introduction 1</p> <p>2 Situated Cognition and Contextualism 6</p> <p>3 Constructivism and Schooling 31</p> <p>4 Vygotsky and Piaget: A Case of Different Philosophies 68</p> <p>5 Spinoza and Free Will 85</p> <p>6 Vygotsky, Hegel and the Critique of Abstract Reason 105</p> <p>7 Vygotsky, Hegel and Education 126</p> <p>Index 149</p>

<b>Jan Derry</b> is a Reader in Philosophy of Education at the Institute of Education, University of London. Her research interests focus on philosophical psychology, theories of knowledge and learning, and the nature of professional expertise and judgment.

Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) has long been recognised as pioneer in theories of cognitive development. <i>Vygotsky Philosophy and Education</i> presents a reassessment of Vygotsky’s work by arguing that his central ideas about the nature of rationality and knowledge were informed by the philosophic tradition of Spinoza and Hegel. In fact, Vygotsky scholar Jan Derry insists that it is impossible to fully appreciate the richness of Vygostky’s innovative thought without recognising the influence of these two giants of Western philosophy on his writings. Derry takes issue not just with fashionable criticisms of abstract rationality but with a range of widely-held beliefs about representation, foundationalism, and the social construction of knowledge. In the course of tracing the significance of Vygotsky’s philosophical inheritance in shaping his ideas on epistemology and education, Derry draws sharp connections to recent developments in philosophy, particularly in light of the current resurgence of interest in Hegel. Taking Robert Brandom’s theory of inferentialism as a notable example of this renewed attention, Derry reveals how a philosophically informed study of Vygotsky links ideas about learning to epistemology, opening up new frontiers in contemporary educational theory and practice. <i>Vygotsky Philosophy and Education</i> is an important new work that allows readers to gain a new appreciation of the seminal contributions of one of the most influential thinkers of the early modern era. <p> </p>

<p>‘This very important book provides a sustained engagement with the philosophical underpinnings of Vygotsky's thesis of sociogenesis. At its heart is a rejection of the separations of mind and world and of rationality as abstract. The book presents a forceful critique of formalised teaching grounded in philosophical terms. Derry elaborates the philosophical foundations of the Vygotskian enterprise with precision and considerable verve.’<br /> —<b>Professor Harry Daniels</b>, Department of Education, University of Oxford</p> <p>‘In this book, Jan Derry explores the roots of Vygotsky’s thought in Spinoza and Hegel, and brings his insights into dialogue with contemporary philosophers, such as Robert Brandom and John McDowell. The result is a fresh interpretation that affirms Vygotsky’s views. Original and provocative, <i>Vygotsky, Philosophy and Education</i> is essential reading for all those interested in Vygotsky’s legacy and its significance for education.’ <br /> <b>—David Bakhurst</b>, Charlton Professor of Philosophy, Queen’s University at Kingston</p> <p> </p>

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