Doubt and Transformation in Education

Abstract Fostering transformative experiences is a central goal of education. In this article, Marieke Schaper examines the relationship between doubt and transformation in education, specifically problematizing the idea that doubt can serve as a catalyst for transformative experiences in the classroom. Schaper's thesis is that doubt is not valuable by itself; it must encompass certain characteristics if it is to support meaningful transformation while avoiding the risks of transformative education. In making this argument, Schaper proposes the concept of aspirational doubt as an educationally valuable subcategory of doubt. She begins by engaging with the vast philosophical and psychological literature on doubt and, based on this analysis, identifies five main conceptions of doubt that wield influence. Next, she points to the ethical risks of using doubt as an educational catalyst, particularly for transformative purposes, but instead of rejecting the role of doubt in transformative education, she explores the potential of aspirational doubt to circumvent these risks. She concludes with a discussion of the practical implications for fostering aspirational doubt in the classroom.