This paper suggests ways in which the profile of philosophical research in education could be raised, to demonstrate that it is legitimate and genuinely productive to engage in non-empirical research in education. I begin with some historical context for philosophical research in education, exploring the approach known as "conceptual analysis" as it was practiced some decades ago. I then identify four different ways of engaging in philosophical research in education today, namely, (1) a contemporary version of conceptual analysis, (2) a hermeneutic approach, (3) the philosophy of educational content, and (4) the philosophy of quantitative methodologies. I conclude by identifying three practical strategies for graduate students and researchers in the field, which touch on doctoral training, teacher education, and interdisciplinary or generalist research efforts in education.