2016 Crete Workshops

Workshops and presentations at the Crete SOPHIA Network Meeting on 2nd and 3rd September

The Meeting will be held at XENIA, 16, Sofokli Venizelou str, 74100 Rethymno

P4C and Literature – Laure DucasseKambouris (France)

Improving the reading and interpretation of literary texts with Lipman’s P4C

PhiloZoo: P4C in the science curriculum – Eef Cornelissen & Jelle De Schrijver (Belgium)

In the workshop Eef & Jelle will demonstrate different activities illustrating their Philozoo-approach: turning the science class into a philosophical laboratory. We explore how P4C can contribute to the understanding of scientific concepts, how p4c allows to explore ethical scientific issues and how the philosophical dialogue can facilitate discussion about the nature of science.

Epictetus in the Classroom  – J Bladimir Garcia (USA)

In my presentation, I will elucidate how Epictetus’ philosophical ideas can enrich the classroom and outline its value to scholars of Philosophy for Children and educators who seek a deeper understanding of the teaching of philosophy during the pre-college years. Epictetus in the Classroom draws together aesthetic, intellectual, and moral dimensions to unleash a more holistic approach to teaching rooted in Stoic philosophy. In so doing, it calls attention to how teachers must broaden students’ understanding beyond the traditional memorization of facts, i.e., moving past knowledge into understanding. Throughout the presentation I will draw on aspects of my experience in the classroom to illuminate the educational values of Epictetus in the classroom.

Socrates in Prison – Dr Mary Bovill (Scotland)

Mary will present a project (Critical Dialogue & Community of Philosophical Inquiry) she has been running with prisoners and young offenders in Scotland.

Pandora’s Box – Andy West (England)

The Greeks didn’t just leave us a great legacy of philosophy, they gave us a canon of stories that also asks questions about the human condition. Pandora’s Box tells how there came to be evil in the world. Andy West will demonstrate a session – put together by he and his colleagues at The Philosophy Foundation – that you can use to help children wrestle with the question of evil.

Philosophy in the Greek Kindergarten – Dr Stelios Gadris (Greece)

Stelios works with 5 year olds, and sees that the current Greek curriculum for kindergarten allows for philosophical enquiry. He will demonstrate a session, share some insights from the classroom and discuss the links between the curriculum and philosophy.

From Anaximander to Einstein. In between science and philosophy looking for the wonder of discovering – Cristina Rossi (Italy)

What do philosophy and science have in common? What’s the meaning of having a scientific or philosophical approach to things? Does a scientific vision of the world date back to the Modern Age or to Ancient Greece? Starting from some examples taken by children and teenagers’ P4C sessions, we will explore some of the features of scientific thought.

The If Odyssey – Peter Worley (England)

Peter’s book, The If Odyssey, is based on Homer’s classic Odyssey and introduces children to Philosophy, by drawing out the intellectual puzzles that lie behind many of the episodes in Odysseus’ long voyage home after the Trojan Wars. Concepts explored include the value of happiness, just-war theory, non-existent entities, moral dilemmas, what is prophecy, the nature of love, free-will, heroism, personal identity, and more besides. Pete will run an interactive workshop around this book.

Poster Sessions

Rob Bartels: Teaching Teachers to Think

The Philosophy Foundation: TPF work and books

Lynda Dunlop

Nimet Kucuk, Lycee Sainte Pulcherie: Turkish Philosophy Café : Bringing philosophy into young people’s lives in Turkey

Our Timetable can be downloaded.