Philosophy: the key to good thinking
02 July 2008
Children of all ages should study philosophy in school because it is the basis of critical thinking, say leading philosophers of education.
This is one of several arguments for including philosophy on the school curriculum put forward in a new book, Philosophy in Schools, edited by Michael Hand of the Institute of Education and Carrie Winstanley of Roehampton University.
"Critical thinkers are people who reason well, and who judge and act on the basis of their reasoning," says Dr Hand. "To become critical thinkers, children must learn what constitutes good reasoning and why it's important – and these are philosophical matters."
In philosophy, the quality of arguments and the meanings of words are constantly under scrutiny. Dr Winstanley says: "Better than any other subject, philosophy teaches children how to assess reasons, defend positions, define terms, evaluate sources of information and judge the value of arguments and evidence."
Philosophy also allows younger children to engage in discussion and argument even before they know very much.
Dr Winstanley explains: "In knowledge-based subjects, discussion is dominated by the children with the most facts at their fingertips. Because philosophical questions can't be settled by factual evidence, discussion doesn't get derailed by missing knowledge or closed down by the introduction of new information."
Other themes addressed in the book include: the role of philosophy in teaching controversial issues, conceptual analysis in the primary classroom, philosophical thinking in moral and religious education, the idea of philosophical intelligence, philosophical themes in children's literature, philosophy and the adolescent's search for meaning, and the connection between philosophy and wisdom.
Dr Hand concludes: "Exposure to philosophy should be part of the basic educational entitlement of all children."
Philosophy in Schools, published by Continuum, is launched at the Institute of Education on 2 July 2008.
Notes for editors
Further information from Helen Green, press officer, +44 (0)20 7612 6459, h.green@ioe.ac.uk
The book is published by Continuum and edited by Dr Michael Hand, senior lecturer in philosophy of education at the Institute of Education, and Dr Carrie Winstanley, principal lecturer in education at Roehampton University. It is available from the Institute of Education bookshop, +44 (0)207 612 6050, http://ioewebserver.ioe.ac.uk/ioe/cms/orders@hammicks.co.uk.
The other contributing authors are Professor Harry Brighouse (University of Wisconsin, Madison), Professor James Conroy (University of Glasgow), Professor Robert Fisher (Brunel University), Lynn Glueck (Madison Metropolitan School District), Dr Stephen Law (Heythrop College, University of London), Professor Gareth Matthews (University of Massachusetts, Amherst), Dr Karin Murris (Dialogue Works), Professor Richard Pring (University of Oxford), Professor Harvey Siegel (University of Miami), and Dr Judith Suissa (Institute of Education, University of London).
The Institute of Education is a college of the University of London, specialising in teaching, research and consultancy in education and related areas of social science and professional practice.