natural selection
naturalism
nature
nature-nurture controversy
necessary condition
necessary truth
see a priori.
needs
needs hierarchy
negative liberty
a term from the work of Isaiah Berlin (1907-97) which refers to the absence of external restraint. Having negative liberty means that one is free to act. However, one still may not be able to act because of a lack of capacity, power, or ability and this is where Berlin introduces the concept of 'positive liberty' which is the capacity to act as one would wish. For example, any school leaver is free to spend a gap year abroad, if they so wish - negative liberty - but it is probably only those with sufficient money, confidence, support, and physical health who are actually able to do this - positive liberty.
neoconservatism
neoliberalism
networking
new managerialism
new right
a strand of conservative thinking dating from the 1980s with a strong focus on neoliberalism matched by social conservatism. Key ideas are a strong market orientation, privatisation of public services, weakening of the welfare state, promotion of the family, and reactive policies on crime.
nihilism
literally a 'belief in nothing', it is applied to a range of views, most notably materialism which, in denying that mind or spirit exists, rejects immortality or an after-life. It is also applied to politically or socially destructive behaviour.
nominalism
nomothetic
non sequitur
non-cognitivism
non-contact
non-parametric
non-verbal
usually applied to elements of communication without words or symbols, such as gestures, movements, facial expressions, or postures. These are seen as vital aspects of relationship-building, and so of effective teaching, but often overlooked as inessential.