On having a mind of one's own

R. S. Downie

pp. 79-92

in: Roger Straughan, John Wilson (eds), Philosophers on education, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 1987

Abstract

It is common to attach importance to "having a mind of one's own". For example, it is sometimes said to be part of education (as distinct from training, indoctrination etc.) that it helps one to have a mind of one's own, enables one to think for oneself etc. Again, we might praise someone by saying that his views are very much his own, that he is "his own man", that he will 'stick to his guns", that his opinions are striking, distinctive or original. Finally, it is often said to be a mark of moral maturity that a person can make up his own mind on moral questions, can choose his own moral views, and so on. Now these and many similar expressions are easy to accept at a common sense level, but as soon as we look at them more carefully it is not at all clear what, if anything, they mean, or what rather different things they might mean.