Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

Department

Philosophy

First Advisor

Paul Gaffney

Second Advisor

Zachery Davis

Abstract

Education has since ancient times been used as a societal tool to develop and cultivate society’s individuals into participating members. Education which is considered a fundamental human right also holds potential transformative power to enable and empower individuals to exercise their freedom to create a life that aligns with their own values, ideas and goals. However, how effective an educational system can be, ultimately depends on the accessibility and quality of the education as well as the overall system the educational institutions operate in. This thesis explores how education can function as a catalyst for furthering individuals’ freedom through a comparative analysis of the Finnish and American educational systems. The Finnish system manages to create a social security net for its people through factors such as equal access to quality education and universal healthcare, which have contributed to the Finns top rankings in both education and life satisfaction.

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