The crucial role of dispositions in “The Life of the Mind”: The contribution of philosophy

The topic of dispositions – construed as subjective, deeply-embedded drivers of intentional behavior – remains a key front in the educational battle-field. This paper traces key aspects of the ongoing debate, underscoring the conceptual and pedagogic importance of dispositions in intellectual, moral and affective education. The conditional structure of dispositions and the thesis of “Anomalous Monism” will be applied to defend a “non-behaviorist” view in which language is key. The public, relatively objective domain of dialogue – by contrast with the murky and dubious realms of the “mind” – offers a way forward in moving students, not only to do that which we ask them to do, but to be well disposed to doing so.