Philosophical Inquiry

Thinking broadly, deeply and creatively in our classrooms

Some grown-up philosophical questions• Are moral values objective? If two people disagree in their moral

judgments, must one of them be mistaken?

• Can we tell whether other people's experiences are like our own?

• Do we really know the things we think we know?

• Is pain needed to appreciate pleasure?

• Is it really true that (as is commonly said) everyone is entitled to

their own opinion?

Philosophy begins in wonder. 

And, at the end,

when philosophic thought

has done its best,

the wonder remains.

(Alfred North Whitehead, 1934, p.46).

Children’s philosophical questions…• Do things exist only if someone is thinking about them?

• Do we actually respect stronger people or are we just afraid?

• If you are told you are not you, then who are you?

• If you seek vengeance, do you lose your freedom and

become a slave?

What is a Philosophical Concept?

Common – interest in every human

Central – importance to our lives (the

way we think)

Contestable – in meaning or value

Why schools?

‘All which the school can or need do for pupils, so far as their minds are concerned…is to develop

their ability to think’ (Dewey, 1916, p.152)

‘The school’s central focus must be on the intellect, on helping each young citizen learn to

use his or her mind resourcefully and well’ (Sizer, 1992, p.142)

So what is thinking anyway?

Creative thinking• Looking out, up, around and about• Open minded, curious

Critical thinking• Looking at, through, in between• Seeking truth and understanding, strategic, probing

Reflective thinking• Looking within• Metacognitive

(Ritchhart, Ron (2002). Intellectual Character What It Is, Why It Matters, and How To Get It. Lossey-Bass: San Fransisco)

Caring thinking• Making connections (Ann Margaret Sharp)

The Australian Curriculum

Three goals for education:

• Successful learners

• Confident individuals

• Active and informed

citizens‘planning and organising,the ability to think flexibly,

the ability to communicate well and to work in teams, the capacity to think creatively, innovate, solve

problems and engage with new disciplines.’

…act with moral and ethical integritythink deeply and logically.

ACARA

The Australian Curriculum

The general capabilities:

• Literacy

• Numeracy

• Ethical behaviour

• Critical and creative thinking

• Personal and social competence

• Intercultural understanding

• ICT competence

Philosophical Inquiry in the classroomPedagogical approach

• teacher and students are co-inquirers

• involves open questions, reasoning, evaluating

• subject matter presented as contestable

• collaborative and cooperative

• everyone’s ideas are valued

• How not what

Philosophical Inquiry in the classroom What does it do?

• Aids the development of general purpose thinking

• Helps build an open mind and inquiring outlook

• Encourages students to think and judge for

themselves

• Enables students to assume greater responsibility

for their own decisions and actions.

Philip Cam, FAPSA conference Sydney July 2010

Philosophical Inquiry in the classroom What does it do?

Allows students to:

• Explore different possibilities and points of view

• Listen to others with whom they may disagree

• Develop a broader, more inclusive outlook

• Take account of other people’s interests and concerns

• Be reasonable in dealing with differences and

disagreements

• Engage with one another over matters of common interest

and concern.

Philip Cam, FAPSA conference Sydney July 2010

Philosophical Inquiry in the classroom What does it do?

Philosophy improves academic and social outcomes…

…because it teaches children - to think logically and clearly

- to relate to one another.

They become thoughtful and reasonable citizens.

Faces or people?

Who can spot the word?

 

Quotes to Ponder… 

Philosophy does not fit into a development process.

Children can DO philosophy that adults may find hard.

 Jonathan Kozol

Quotes to Ponder… 

Philosophy can be built around argument and positions, built on a

combat metaphor. Inquiry isn’t like that. It isn’t this position or that. It’s a place for “co-inquiry’ in an intellectually safe space.

 Thomas Jackson

Quotes to Ponder… 

In the circle of inquiry we do not try for closure or consensus; we

talk about the courage to be confused.

 Thomas Jackson

Quotes to Ponder…

What makes a person a philosopher? 

*searching for meaning in the real world

*in an intellectually safe community

*in a structured way of thinking*willing to think about things out

loud 

Thomas Jackson

Quotes to Ponder… 

“Pooh began to feel a little more comfortable,

because when you are a Bear of Very Little Brain,

and Think of Things,you find sometimes that a Thing

which seemed very Thingish inside youis quite different when it gets out into

the openand has other people look at it”

 The House at Pooh Corner (A.A. Milne)

Quotes to Ponder… 

‘philosophy for children’ doesn’t change the world, but it has the potential to change individual worlds and assist in creating

world changers. 

Angela Kim