Speciale på kandidaten i Pædagogisk Filosofi:Filosofi med børn - hvordan og hvorfor? En undersøgelse ag Matthew Lipman og Leonard Nelsons pionerarbejde

Publikation: Kandidat/diplom/masterKandidatspecialeForskning

Abstract

While studying ‘Philosophy of Education’ I have found that some of the ‘education of philosophy’ has been overseen. The educational value of doing philosophy – to philosophize. While we all get better at consuming knowledge and even to make the transfer to others, we have forgotten to think about ‘how we think’ about it.
The mental activity that Socrates introduced as philosophy and that all philosophers since him have been inspired by. The collaborative process of building on each other’s thoughts, to create something bigger than the individual thought on ideas and subjects of great matter to all.
I therefore wish to actualize and promote advanced philosophical thinking in the Danish educational system in order to support and encourage questioning, reasoning and evaluation through reflection.
The need for good communication and thoughtful consideration within our changing society is widely recognized. Participation in regular and systematic philosophical enquiry offers children the place and space to ask big, conceptually rich questions together, search for good reasons, challenge assumptions, openly consider alternative opinions, use examples and metaphors to explain their ideas and seek better understanding through their collaboration
Two pioneers in philosophizing with children; Matthew Lipman and Leonard Nelson have successfully created methods in which we can accomplish greater abilities for philosophical thinking in community with others. These methods have been described and discussed because of the epistemological contradictions between the two.
Lipmans method is an extract of Dewey’s pragmatic approach and Nelson is inspired by Kant. Summarized, Lipman seeks to create a democratic world worth living in, where Nelson seeks to understand and criticize the world we are given. This has consequences for the methods they represent and therefore also for the role of teachers.
The most important lesson to learn is how we influence the learning process of children in order for them to grow up and become thoughtful, inquiring, moral persons with integrity.
Both ways of thinking and philosophizing have inspired many. Therefore I also present other philosophers, educationalists and teacher trainers, who have been inspired by the two theoretical influences and are currently using their methods in educational systems of our neighbouring countries. The challenges with implementing philosophy in schools are sought identified, to prevent any future implementation attempts in Denmark from breaking down as earlier attempts have.
Based on my theoretic and empirical studies I finally argue that doing philosophy can create learning of great value to the pupils of the newly reformed Danish educational system.
OriginalsprogDansk
Bevilgende institution
  • Aarhus Universitet
StatusUdgivet - aug. 2014
Udgivet eksterntJa

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