Moral education and the limits of rationality: A reply to John Tillson

Abstract

This short paper is a reply to John Tillson’s article ‘The problem of rational moral enlistment’. It begins by correcting a misreading of my own position on the place of rationality in moral education and continues with a more substantive critique of Tillson’s own position on this, as well as that of Michael Hand. It asks whether Tillson is correct in seeing his view as an example of ’reflective equilibrium’ and suggests that, on the definition of ’indoctrination’ on which both Hand and Tillson rely, their own accounts of moral education are themselves indoctrinatory enterprises. The paper concludes by agreeing with Tillson on the importance of reflection in moral education while disagreeing with him over its purpose.