An effective way to achieve this attitude of mind is through a program called 'philosophy for children' (p4c). In the words of Professor Thomas Jackson, director of the philosophy in schools project in Hawaii, p4c is “gentle Socratic” inquiry; not what has become known as the Socratic method, nor the study of the great philosophers of the past, but the creation of an intellectually safe community where philosophical inquiry can flourish. By avoiding questions which have concrete answers, all ideas deserve equal discussion time and, by having their ideas discussed the children gain self esteem. Part of the discussion is the requirement to enlarge on the idea put forward and to accept different views on the subject being discussed. This program is most effectively introduced at any age greater than five or six. mailto:http://www.p4chawaii.org/about/history-of-the-philosophy-for-children-movement mailto:http://cehs.montclair.edu/academic/iapc/whatis.shtml The logical extension of p4c is learning by discovery. mailto:http://wik.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/Discovery_method
Alan Papert [email protected]
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