Clarifying the Ethical Tendency in Education for Sustainable Development Practice - A Wittgenstein-Inspired Approach

Oct 15, 2026

This article contributes to the debate on the moral and ethical aspects of education for sustainable development by clarifying ethics and morals through an investigation of how they appear in educational practice. It aims to identify normative dangers of such education and to show possibilities for enhancing pluralism. Using a Wittgenstein-inspired approach, ethics and morals are treated as expressions of a human “ethical tendency” observable in communication. Findings distinguish three situation types and highlight the risk of indoctrination.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Wittgenstein-Inspired Approach

Clarifying the Ethical Tendency in Education for Sustainable Development Practice: A Wittgenstein-Inspired Approach Johan Öhman, Örebro University, Sweden & Leif Östman, Uppsala University, Sweden Abstract This article aims to contribute to the debate about the moral and ethical aspects of education for sustainable development by suggesting a clarification of ethics and morals through an investigation of how these aspects appear in educational practice. The ambition is both to point to the normative dangers of education for sustainable development and the possibilities to enhance pluralism. The Wittgenstein-inspired approach used means that ethics and morals are regarded as expressions of a particular human tendency—the ethical tendency—that is observable in communication. The findings suggest that the ethical tendency appears in three different kinds of situations: personal moral reactions, norms for correct behaviour, and ethical reflections. We discuss the diverse learning conditions of these situations and take specific notice of the risk of indoctrination. Résumé Cet article vise à participer à la discussion sur les aspects moraux et éthiques de l’éducation pour un développement durable en vue de clarifier ce qu’est l’éthique et la morale par un examen du comment ces dernières apparaissent dans la pratique pédagogique. D’une part, le but est de montrer les dangers normatifs de l’éducation pour un développement durable et d’autre part, les possibilités de mettre en valeur le pluralisme. L’approche employée, inspiréede Wittgenstein, veut dire que l’éthique et la morale sont perçues commel’expression d’une tendance humaine particulière – la tendance éthique – observable en communication. Les résultats indiquent que la tendance éthique se manifeste dans trois sortes de situations : les réactions morales personnelles, les normes pour un comportement correct et les réflexions éthiques. Nous discutons des diverses conditions d’apprentissage de ces situations et prêtons une attention particulière au risque d’endoctrinement. Keywords: ethics, education for sustainable development, moral learning, value judgement, Wittgenstein, environmental education Introduction In recent years, education for sustainable development has been launched asa new comprehensive educational program. A significant characteristic of this Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 13 (1), 2008 57 program is the strong emphasis on the value aspects of environmental and developmental issues (see for example UNCED, 1992; Baltic 21E, 2002; UNESCO, 2005) . These and other policy documents require educators to develop educational practices where students are given an opportunity to learn how to make ethical judgements and act in morally conscious ways. Although it would be difficult to imagine that anyone would be opposed to a sustainable future, sustainable development issues often contain conflicts between different ideologies, values, priorities, and strategies that are not possible to resolve by simply referring to scientific investigations.1 This ethical and moral dimension of education for sustainable development has received little attention, both in the debate itself and in research concerning the philosophy of education (Reid, 2002) . This is worrying, since without an elaborated and critical discussion regarding the moral and ethical dimension of education for sustainable development teaching and learning, there is a risk that education for sustainable development will become a political instrument that supports a specific ideology created by politicians and experts in power, and that education accordingly turns into indoctrination (see Jickling & Spork, 1998; Wals & Jickling, 2000; and Jickling, 2003) . The question is how to teach value-related issues where no consensus prevails, and still avoid the pitfall of indoctrination. The ambition of this article is both to point to the normative dangers of education for sustainabl

FAQs

What is the article’s main goal regarding education for sustainable development?

The article aims to clarify the moral and ethical dimensions of education for sustainable development by examining how ethics and morals appear in educational practice.

What does the Wittgenstein-inspired approach contribute to the analysis?

It treats ethics and morals as expressions of an observable human “ethical tendency” that shows up in communication, rather than as hidden inner beliefs.

In what kinds of situations does the ethical tendency appear, and what risk is emphasized?

The ethical tendency appears in personal moral reactions, norms for correct behaviour, and ethical reflections. The article especially discusses the risk of indoctrination.

Oct 15, 2026

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