Book review: ‘Provocations: Philosophy for Secondary Schools’ by David Birch

Oddly, very few books exist to help teachers foster philosophical enquiry among high schoolers. Of these few, David Birch’s Provocations is a standout, distinguished by the originality, breadth and richness of its material.

Posted by Lubos Remplik on 14th May 2014 at 12:00am


Category: P4C, Guest Blogger

Tags: Michelle Sowey, David Birch, Provocations, Book Review, Philosophy for teenagers

Philosophical Surprises

By Andrew Taggart

In the middle of September, I left my desert home in Southern California in order to teach a weeklong course at Kaos Pilots, a social entrepreneurship school based in Aarhus, Denmark, on the way of cultivating discipline lightly. Penciled in on the schedule for Wednesday morning was a learning session which I had sheepishly, yet accurately, entitled, ‘Not to Be Announced.’

 

Posted by on 13th November 2013 at 12:00am


Category: Guest Blogger

Tags: Andrew Taggart, philosophy, Philosophical Councelling

Philosophy of History

By Oliver Leech

Surrounded by the vast collection of philosophy texts in Blackwell’s book shop in Oxford, I asked the assistant where I could find some material on the philosophy of history. ‘Do you mean the history of philosophy?’ he replied. An understandable response since the history of philosophy is a premier league topic with shelves of books to choose from whereas the philosophy of history is at best half way down the next division. Indeed, since it overlaps with historiography, books about it tend to be stocked in the history section.

 

Posted by on 21st October 2012 at 12:00am


Category: Guest Blogger

Tags: Oliver Leech, History, philosophy, Human Nature

Fate Happens. Deal With It

By Tim Raynor, author of

Life Changing: A Philosophical Guide

Stoic philosophers were the first to see how our judgments and beliefs shape our emotional lives. They understood how an irrational judgment could turn an isolated incident into an all-consuming passion. This idea is commonplace among psychologists today. It forms the basis of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), a popular and effective form of psychological treatment. CBT shows us how to redress and correct the irrational judgments at the basis of distressing and disturbing experiences. By changing our thinking, we can change how we are affected by life itself.

 

Posted by Philosophy Foundation Admin on 2nd July 2012 at 12:00am


Category: Guest Blogger

Tags: Tim Raynor, philosophy, CBT, Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Stoic Philosophers, Stoicism, Stoics

Stoicism and self-control

By Tim Raynor, author of:

Life Changing: A Philosophical Guide

When a senior politician is charged with adultery today, we expect them to issue a press release, either in self-defense or contrition. Exiled to Corsica on the charge of extra-marital relations with Julia Livilla, sister of the emperor Gaius, the Roman Stoic philosopher and statesman Lucius Annaeus Seneca (3BC – 65AD) wrote a letter to his mother, offering philosophical consolation for her grief at being parted from her son. In Stoic style, Seneca emphasized the importance of preparing oneself for sudden challenges, upsets, and changes in life, so that one is not unseated by the shock of their arrival. One must be like a sentry on guard, Seneca advised, always ready for sudden attack. For drastic change, like an enemy ambush, ‘scatters those whom it catches off guard; but those who have prepared in advance for the coming conflict … easily withstand the first onslaught, which is the most violent’ (Letter to Helvia, 5).

Posted by Marc Peter on 1st June 2012 at 12:00am


Category: Guest Blogger