Jacob Needleman: The philosopher as contemplative educator

The present crisis in American higher education can be summarized as the loss of the search for meaning, once understood as essential to a complete and well-rounded education. This educational crisis has elicited two important responses: contemplative studies developed by UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute; and practical applications in the classroom itself, such as those undertaken by the philosopher Jacob Needleman, described here in detail through a review of his writings, interviews with his students, and interviews with Needleman himself.;This examination reveals that when teachers live a contemplative life and bring that element into their classes, the instructional modality is radically improved. Students engage with instructors as well as the material under discussion and report being affected in a way that encourages personal growth as well as intellectual knowledge. By fostering greater depth, sensitivity, and awareness in relation to the subject matter, educators using a contemplative modality empower students to internalize what they learn and to seek ways to embody this material in their personal lives.