Further Studies: Psychology, Philosophy, and Philosophy of Education

The chapter describes how, while school teaching, further part-time studies were undertaken at Sydney University. First, an MEd degree in Philosophy of Education in which an exceptionally talented group of teachers and scholars were enrolled, nearly all of whom went on to be professors of education. The necessity of combining philosophy of education with ‘mainstream’ philosophy was constantly reinforced. Second, a double-honours BA degree in Psychology and Philosophy. The Psychology Department was overwhelmingly behaviourist. My fourth-year empirical thesis was about designing a particular configuration to study the avoidance behaviour of rats without recourse to teleological constructs; a critique of behaviourism from within. To the detriment of students, the department operated as an academic silo, it had no engagement with related departments. The Philosophy Department was among the strongest in Australia. Of lasting note was the critical honours seminar on Thomas Kuhn. My philosophy thesis was on the perennial topic of the place of intentions in the scientific explanation of behaviour. Productive involvement during these years with the Sydney Theological Studies Society is described.