Philosophy, Learning and the Mathematics Curriculum

Mathematics curriculums used in progressive classrooms of the United States and in classrooms of the People's Republic of China presuppose markedly different philosophies. Xie and Carspecken reconstruct different assumptions operating implicitly within mathematics curriculums developed by the Ministry of Education in China and NCTM in the United States. Each curriculum is constructed upon a deep structure holistically integrating presuppositions about the nature of the human self, society, learning processes, language, concepts, human development, freedom, authority and the epistemology and ontology of mathematical knowledge. Xie and Carspecken next present an extended discussion of the two main philosophical traditions informing these curriculums: dialectical materialism in the case of the Chinese mathematics curriculum, and Dewey's instrumental pragmatism in the case of NCTM. Both philosophies were developed as movements out of Hegelian idealism while retaining the anti-dualist and anti-empiricist insights of Hegel's thought. The history of dialectical materialism and Dewey's instrumentalism is carefully examined by the authors to identify both similarities and sharp differences in the resulting mature philosophies. Drawing upon more recent philosophies of intersubjectivity (Brandom, Habermas) and dialectical materialist psychologies (Vygotsky, Luria), the authors conclude this book with arguments for overcoming the limitations of a purely instrumentalist framework and for expanding potentialities implicit within dialectical philosophies. This book will be of value to a broad audience, including mathematics educators, philosophers, curriculum theorists, social theorists, and those who work in comparative education and learning science.