The concept of potential plays a prominent role in the thinking of parents, educators and planners the world over. Although this concept accurately reflects central features of human nature, its current use perpetuates traditional myths of fixity, harmony and value, calculated to cause untold mischief in social and educational practice. First published in 1985, Israel Scheffler's book aims to demythologise the concept of potential. He shows its roots in genuine aspects of human nature, but at the same time frees it from outworn philosophical myths by means of analytical reconstruction - thereby improving both its theoretical and its practical applicability. The book concludes with an interpretation of policy-making in education, and reflections on the ideal education of a policy-maker. It emphasises human symbolism, choice, temporal continuity, and self-determination as indispensible elements of any adequate philosophy of education. Of Human Potential will be of interest to a broad range of philosophers, educators and social scientists.

This book offers a personal account of scholars in philosophy and education with whom I have had the good fortune to interact during the course of my half century at Harvard University and elsewhere. My aim in writing this account is threefold: ?rst, to recapture for myself the pleasure of their memorable company for its own sake, secondly, to have occasion to re'ect on the educational impact of their teaching, and, ?nally, to counteract the prevalent amnesia of universities by recalling the conduct of scholars of past generations who still have things to teach us. Iowe thanks to many people who have helped me in this endeavor. Professor Harvey Siegel, Dr. Stefania Jha, and Dr. Rosalind Schef'er read initial versions of the manuscript and gave me the bene't of their criticisms, as did the publisher's anonymous readers. JoAnne Sorabella and Stefania Jha listened to my readings of a number of these chapters, and JoAnne Sorabella produced several typescripts of the whole with her usual matchless pro'ciency. I presented some portions of the manuscript to the Philosophy of Education Research Center at Harvard and pro'ted from these occasions. After I joined the Mandel Center at Brandeis University in the Fall of 2003, Avital Feuer assisted me ably in readying the ?nal version of the book. And I am grateful to Laurie Schef'er for her meticulous help with proofreading.