I met with my advisor today, Dr. Leila Villaverde. I need to start forming a dissertation committee.  In order to do that, I need to have a sense of what I’m going to study.   I’m still interested in Reformational Philosophy, but am intimidated.  Dooyeweerd feels out of my league.  I am wrestling with the size of the task, and how to relate to education, to schools.   Thus, I wrote up the following and presented it to Dr. Villaverde for her reaction:

A “Reformational” (aka Dooyeweerdian) view of the School/University entity

Herman Dooyeweerd (1894-1977) articulated a philosophy that sought to refute statism and defend the idea of pluralism by arguing that each entity (A person, a color, a car, an idea, a government)  has a “sphere” of limited sovereignty.  How are we to understand this limited sovereignty? Reality can be understood as a “coherent diversity” of Aspects – ways of meaning (Dooyeweerd theorized 15 distinct yet reflective Aspects).   Entities find their existence in each of the Aspects and yet each entity has a leading Aspect, from which it derives a degree of authority.  Each entity will come into contact with other entities, whose authority is derived from a different aspect.  Therefore, when entities interact there is a relationship of authority and submission.  This relationship enables a principled pluralism.   The wrongful assertion of authority to an aspect in an entity results in an ideological and destructive existence.  This conflict in the sovereignty of Aspects results in warring factions, which works to undermine the entity and and other entities into which it comes into contact.   Dooyeweerd’s writings focused on the State, which derives its authority from the juridical aspect.  Other have taken his ideas and applied them to other entities.

Questions:

• Based on Dooyeweerd’s ideas, what is the mission/purpose of a school/university?  What Aspect is the School and/or University grounded in?  What is its sphere of sovereignty?
• How does D’s theory help us dialogue about differences in conceptualization of the school/university?  How does D’s theory help us understand the similarity/difference between these entities, all “Schools” : Public, Private, Charter, Virtual, Home, etc.  or  “Universities”: Liberal Arts, Research
• How does D’s theory impact expectations of the school/university? From Student, Parent, Teacher, Administrator, Citizen point of view?  What should and should we not expect an educational experience to do?
• How does D’s theory shape the educational leader’s view of other entities? Relationship to other entities?
• Does D’s theory describe the impact on students, the community, etc. when a school oversteps its authority?

Dr. Villaverde responded positively, saying she thought is sounded interesting, and she thought is sounded right in line with the department.   I am encouraged.  The above needs work, but it is a start of something that will allow me to convey to prospective committee members my interests.  Now I have to find at least four individuals to serve on my committee, two have to be departmental faculty.