Simulacra, Truth, and Natural Law: Reimagining Education for Just Renewal

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 3:20 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Tinkering Toward Holism: Engaging Eastern Philosophies of Education (Table 6)

Abstract

Amidst the complexities of a society that is deeply entrenched in hyperreality and amidst the ongoing AI revolution, the traditional pillars of education tremble under the weight of the simulacra. This paper draws on Jean Baudrillard’s notion of the simulacra, Michel Foucault’s idea of the regime of truth and John Finnis’ (new) Natural Law Theory (NLT) to critique and appraise prevailing education systems. It illuminates the chasm between the hyperreal constructs in education and the authentic development of the individual. By aligning educational reform with the basic goods of human flourishing as identified by NLT, this paper advocates for a just and authentic educational experience that transcends the simulacra, thus fostering a renewal grounded in rationality and natural law.

Author

• Sean Chen Liu, National Institute of Education - Nanyang Technological University