Our Silence is Deafening: Philosophy’s Role in Peace

Document Type : پژوهشی

Authors

• Liz Jackson ¹
• Ka Ya Lee ²

¹ Professor, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

² Research Assistant Professor, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

10.22067/fedu.2025.46544

Abstract

Philosophers of education are often committed to speaking out against injustice. Yet when it comes to the plight of Gazans, a deafening silence reigns. In this essay, we consider the nature of this silence and what may explain it. On the one hand, philosophers of education may be indifferent, reluctant to express expertise or fear backlash for speaking out. On the other hand, there may be some features inherent in philosophy of education related to this silence. The first feature concerns the difficulty of treating this genocide qua educational issues because of its deeper roots in the broader global injustice. The second is the lack of philosophical tensions or puzzles in a clear moral wrong. Others may consider rhetorical or existential questions, but framing these as academic may seem inappropriately abstract and inhumane. While philosophers may have many reasons for silence, we nonetheless encourage colleagues to speak up and take on ‘response-ability’ to condemn the grave injustice the people of Palestine continue to face and reflect on our collective silence.

Keywords

• silence and responsibility
• moral injustice
• political engagement
• Palestine and global ethics

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مترجم: مجتبی عطائی، دانشجوی دکتری فلسفه تعلیم و تربیت دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد

Email: [e-mail]

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6916-321X

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