Matthew Lipman and Ann Margaret Sharp: Philosophy for Children's Educational Revolution - Paperback

by Roberto Franzini Tibaldeo (Author)

This book explores the contribution to education contained in the theoretical work and teaching practice of Matthew Lipman (1923-2010) and Ann Margaret Sharp (1942-2010). Their long-lasting cooperation gave rise to the well-known "Philosophy for Children" (P4C) curriculum, which is nowadays globally widespread. P4C basically relies on the following innovations: firstly, the unprecedented connection between philosophy and childhood; secondly, the reframing of philosophy in practical, viz., not reductively theoretical terms; thirdly, the employment of philosophy to foster democracy and moral capabilities through the development of children's thoughtfulness and autonomous thinking, which would eventually result in empowering children's social abilities and increasing their self-defence against consumerism, propaganda, and manipulation; finally, the stand against a strictly cognitivist approach to education. More than just contextualizing these innovations in the coeval historical and social context, the author shows that P4C's revolutionary stance on education relies on the fruitfulness of Lipman and Sharp's intellectual cooperation and on their manifold abilities as researchers, teachers, trainers, communicators, motivators, and community-builders. The book analyzes their philosophical-educational vision and the scholastic curriculum they developed jointly; additionally, it provides a critical appraisal of P4C's achievements as well as of its future perspectives.

Back Jacket

This book explores the contribution to education contained in the theoretical work and teaching practice of Matthew Lipman (1923-2010) and Ann Margaret Sharp (1942-2010). Their long-lasting cooperation gave rise to the well-known "Philosophy for Children" (P4C) curriculum, which is nowadays globally widespread. P4C basically relies on the following innovations: firstly, the unprecedented connection between philosophy and childhood; secondly, the reframing of philosophy in practical, viz., not reductively theoretical terms; thirdly, the employment of philosophy to foster democracy and moral capabilities through the development of children's thoughtfulness and autonomous thinking, which would eventually result in empowering children's social abilities and increasing their self-defence against consumerism, propaganda, and manipulation; finally, the stand against a strictly cognitivist approach to education. More than just contextualizing these innovations in the coeval historical and social context, the author shows that P4C's revolutionary stance on education relies on the fruitfulness of Lipman and Sharp's intellectual cooperation and on their manifold abilities as researchers, teachers, trainers, communicators, motivators, and community-builders. The book analyzes their philosophical-educational vision and the scholastic curriculum they developed jointly; additionally, it provides a critical appraisal of P4C's achievements as well as of its future perspectives.

Author Biography

Roberto Franzini Tibaldeo (PhD in Science of Culture, Modena 2005, and PhD in Philosophy, Torino 2011) is Professor adjunto (Associate professor) of philosophy of the post-graduate programme in philosophy (PPGF) at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (Curitiba, Brazil). From 2015 to 2018 he served as F.R.S.-FNRS Chargé de recherche (Postdoctoral researcher) at the Université catholique de Louvain (Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium), and from 2010 to 2015 he was Assegnista di ricerca (Research fellow) in Political Philosophy at the Scuola Universitaria Superiore Sant'Anna (Pisa, Italy). Research interests: continental philosophy (esp. Hans Jonas), ethics and politics of responsibility, philosophy for children/communities (p4c), interculturality, landscape studies.