A Model of Philosophical Discussion in the Classroom

Abstract

A general conception of discussion and its relation to the development of reflective thinking is applied to philosophical inquiry in the classroom. Consideration of what makes a discussion philosophical is used to reveal the kind of thinking involved and then set within a model of discussion for the classroom designed to engage students in it. It is shown how a range of questioning, conceptual exploration, and reasoning tools can be introduced within that framework that will improve students' capacities to think both critically and creatively.