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
Caring thinking
• Making connections
(Ritchhart, Ron (2002). Intellectual Character
What It Is, Why It Matters, and How To Get It.
Lossey-Bass: San Fransisco)
(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 integrity think deeply and logically.
ACARA

The general capabilities:
• Literacy
• Numeracy
• Ethical behaviour
• Critical and creative thinking
• Personal and social competence
• Intercultural understanding
• ICT competence

• 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.

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 you is quite different when it gets out into the open and 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