This essay is the first of a series of occasional papers written by members of the Humanistic Education Project. The purpose is to examine the possibility that philosophy might in fact provide a foundation for educational practice; that philosophy would provide practical knowledge concerning what ought to be done so students and teachers could deal intelligently with social reality in an effort to bring about change without the use of force. After some initial definitions of politics and ethnics, the theme of this essay is developed in four parts. An analysis of ethical theory believed relevant to the current crisis in education is followed by an analysis of political theorizing thought to be relevant to the educational crisis. Consideration of the relationship, if any, between ethics and politics is described, as is the consideration of the implications of the theoretical discussion for educational practices. It is argued that practices allowing teachers to help students deal with society in an effort to bring about needed social change and action would include values clarification techniques, the methods of the social and physical sciences, and the dialectical method. (Author/KSM)