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Harry Stottlemeier's Discovery, created by Matthew Lipman in 1969, is now a widely used and highly successful tool for teaching philosophy to children. As the original novel of the Philosophy for Children program, its goal is to present major ideas in the history of philosophy, nurturing children's ability to think for themselves. At present, it is taught in 5,000 schools in the United States and has been translated into eighteen languages worldwide. This collection of essays reflects upon the development, refinement, and maturation of Philosophy for Children and on its relationship to the tradition of philosophy itself. The contributors are philosophers themselves who have taught from Lipman's novels or conducted workshops instructing elementary school teachers on how most effectively to utilize the program in their classrooms. Teaching Harry raises philosophical issues concerning such concepts as authority, morality, religion, justice, truth, knowledge, beauty, and goodness. Gracing each article with personal experience, the authors recount their own struggles against the claims of philosophers and psychologists who have previously underestimated children's moral capability because of their lack of political and social experience.
Studies in Philosophy for Children: Harry Stottlemeier's Discovery FROM THE CRITICS Library Journal This book explores the upshot of the story and accompanying manual Matthew Lipman wrote to teach 11-year-olds the basics of philosophy ( Harry Stottlemeier's Discovery and Philosophical Inquiry , Montclair State Coll. Inst. for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children, 1974). Lipman wanted to provoke critical thought, develop defenses against oppressive ideologies, and inculcate sensitivity to meaning. In his essay, he explains how Harry and other characters talk in ways children understand, while leading them through disguised logic exercises and expressing ideas of Socrates, Descartes, and Mill. The 11 other authors who contributed essays review teaching techniques and further develop the concepts involved. They do a good job, though they hint at troubling issues not fully discussed: logic with sweeteners is not made safer, like whisky cut with water. Despite Aristotle's disclaimer, children can reason about morals. But logic hidden in stories can indoctrinate the defenseless, and simplistic reasoning may stick. For informed readers.--Leslie Armour, Univ. of Ottawa
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