Philosophy · 3rd Year · Foundations of Philosophical Thinking · 1.º Período

The Nature of Inquiry

Students explore what makes a question philosophical and distinguish between different types of knowledge. They practice the Community of Philosophical Inquiry (CoPI) method to foster collaborative thinking.

TL;DR:This topic introduces students to the transition from mythological explanations to rational inquiry. In the context of the NCCA Philosophy Short Course, it focuses on the 'Big Questions' that humans have asked for millennia. Students learn to identify the specific characteristics of a philosophical question, such as its open-ended nature and its focus on fundamental concepts like existence, truth, and beauty. This foundation helps them distinguish between empirical questions that science can answer and conceptual questions that require reasoning.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA Philosophy LO 1.1: Outline what philosophy is and how it differs from other subjects.
• NCCA Philosophy LO 1.2: Engage collaboratively in a Community of Philosophical Inquiry (CoPI).

About This Topic

This topic introduces students to the transition from mythological explanations to rational inquiry. In the context of the NCCA Philosophy Short Course, it focuses on the 'Big Questions' that humans have asked for millennia. Students learn to identify the specific characteristics of a philosophical question, such as its open-ended nature and its focus on fundamental concepts like existence, truth, and beauty. This foundation helps them distinguish between empirical questions that science can answer and conceptual questions that require reasoning.

Understanding the origins of wonder allows students to connect with the history of human thought, from early Greek thinkers to contemporary Irish philosophers. It encourages a mindset of curiosity and intellectual humility, which are central to the Junior Cycle Key Skills. This topic comes alive when students can physically sort and categorise different types of questions through collaborative movement and peer discussion.

Key Questions

1. What makes a question philosophical?
2. How do we engage in respectful and productive dialogue?
3. Why is philosophy relevant in today's world?

Active Learning Ideas

Stations Rotation

Question Sorting

Set up three stations labeled Scientific, Factual, and Philosophical. Small groups move between stations with a set of mixed question cards, debating where each belongs and moving them if they find a more suitable category based on group consensus.

40 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share

The First Wonder

Students reflect individually on a moment they felt genuine wonder about the world, share it with a partner to find common themes, and then present one 'unanswerable' question to the class that arose from their experience.

20 min·Pairs

Inquiry Circle

Myth vs. Reason

Groups examine an ancient Irish myth and a modern scientific explanation for a natural phenomenon like the Giant's Causeway. They identify the 'philosophical gap' between the two and present why humans still feel the need for stories even with scientific facts.

45 min·Small Groups

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I explain the difference between a hard science question and a philosophical one?

Explain that science asks 'how' things work through observation and measurement, while philosophy asks 'why' they matter or what the concepts actually mean. For example, science explains how the brain functions, but philosophy asks what it means to have a mind or a soul.

Is this topic too abstract for 14-year-olds?

Not at all. Junior Cycle students are naturally at an age where they begin to question authority and social norms. Using concrete examples from their own lives, like the fairness of school rules, makes the abstract nature of 'wonder' much more accessible.

How can active learning help students understand the origins of wonder?

Active learning shifts students from passive recipients of history to active investigators. By using strategies like 'Question Walls' or 'Socratic Circles', students experience the process of wonder firsthand. Instead of reading about why Greeks wondered, they engage in the same cognitive struggle, making the historical transition to rational thought feel personal and relevant.

What Irish resources can I use to teach the transition from myth to reason?

Look at the Salmon of Knowledge or the stories of the Tuatha Dé Danann. These myths provide excellent starting points for discussing how early Irish culture used narrative to explain the world before the development of formal philosophical inquiry.