The author states that throughout the past century or more, especially during the twentieth century, the continuing conflict between proponents of the minimum essentials approach to curriculum excellence and those of the individual development approach has been an obstacle to the achievement of excellence. (CT)

This examination of fundamental educational questions serves as an excellent introduction to the philosophy of education. It includes persuasive arguments for severing the consideration of education from how well it prepares citizens for the marketplace and focusing on what education does for us as human beings. (SLD)