Tolerance and education: thinking in the boundaries of philosophy and pedagogy

Abstract

What possible relations are there between the concept of tolerance and the field of education? Would tolerance be a pertinent value or a valid attitude to provide a foundation for a socio-educational proposal? Facing the distrust that the concept of tolerance creates, this paper discusses the importance of this “value-attitude” over against intransigent social practices. It starts from the insight that the concept of tolerance has a historical consolidation in different philosophical currents. The historical consolidation gives the concept not only an apparent or formal legitimacy, but also a guideline to reflect on its value, relevance and possible appliance in the field of education. Taking into consideration the historical development of the concept of tolerance and affirming its axiological adequacy to our present, this article presents two possibilities of understanding: (1) the conceptual and historical relations between tolerance, equality, freedom and difference, and (2) the possibilities of an ethicalphilosophical foundation for an education for tolerance. The first possibility is more speculative and the second one tries to be more propositional.

Key words: tolerance, education, difference, education for tolerance.