Active learning ideas
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.
Activity 01
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.
What does it mean to wonder?
Activity 02
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.
How do philosophical questions differ from scientific ones?
Activity 03
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.
Why did early humans start philosophising?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Methods used in this brief
Logic and Argumentation
An introduction to constructing and evaluating logical arguments. Students learn to identify premises, conclusions, and common logical fallacies in everyday discourse.
8 methodologies
The Socratic Method
Students practice the Socratic method of cooperative argumentative dialogue. They learn to stimulate critical thinking through continuous, respectful questioning.
8 methodologies