b. 1948
Harvey Siegel is a contemporary American philosopher of education at the University of Miami, specializing in critical thinking, rationality, and epistemology as they bear on educational theory and practice. He is best known for his defense of the generalizability of critical thinking skills against subject-specificity views, and for his work refuting epistemic relativism. His contributions have shaped the philosophical foundations of critical thinking education.
Defended the generalizability of critical thinking skills against McPeck's subject-specificity thesis
Developed a comprehensive philosophical account of critical thinking in 'Educating Reason' (1988)
Argued against epistemic relativism in 'Relativism Refuted' (1987)
Articulated the 'reasons conception' of critical thinking grounded in rationality and epistemic responsibility
Advanced the role of epistemology in philosophy of education