To introduce this lesson, the instructor will draw a line on the board with marks from 1 to 10. 1 is “completely fiction,” 10 is “completely non-fiction,” and in-between might be marked, “based on a true story.” The class will be asked where on the number line a standard newspaper might fall. At the end … Examining Perspectives in the News
Existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre in Nausea Students will be introduced to Existentialism through discussion and excerpts from Jean-Paul Sartre’s novel, Nausea, which describes a certain vague feeling that the main character, Roquentin, calls “nausea”. This feeling is basically a result of suspecting that there is a reality behind what we perceive as reality, an objective … Exploring Existential Angst and The Self in Social Media
Quite often we find ourselves in situations where we know we are not in control, such as being a student, or having a job, or being bullied. The most important factor in this is the perspective you as an individual bring to the situation. In this lesson, we are not discussing the merits of any … Are we in control? Hegel’s Lordship & Bondage
Seattle hip hop rapper Macklemore (aka Ben Haggerty) is one of the few widely-known rappers that is white. In his song “White Privilege” (2005), Macklemore sings about his experience as a white rapper, and how being white was advantageous in the music industry. In 2016, Macklemore collaborates with Chicago singer Jamila Woods to release the … Macklemore’s White Privilege II
Materials needed: Prior to Bowl: A useful general description of ethics designed for High School Ethics Bowls – to use as supplement to in-class teaching (see Supplemental Materials below) Copies of cases (given to students to prepare) from the National High School Ethics Bowl archives (sample case provided below) For Bowl: Scoring criteria (available on … In-Class Ethics Bowl
Students engage with the ‘Ring of Gyges’ story from Plato’s Republic and John Rawls’ concept of the ‘veil of ignorance’ to examine how a just society might be organized.
Materials needed: John Locke’s Second Treatise on Government, chapters two and eight. An alternative is James Rachels’ The Elements of Moral Philosophy, chapter eleven, “The Idea of a Social Contract” (see full citations and links in the ‘Resources’ section) A questionnaire (see below) Poster board for displaying the finished constitution Optional: online discussion forum; wig … Social Contract Theory: Creating a Cooperative Learning Environment
Introduction Students should be given a week to do the following assignment (though it can be revised as needed to fit your time constraints): Pick as many “beautiful” songs as you are old. So, for example, if you are 16, you will pick 16 of the songs you feel are the most “beautiful”. Please make … What Do We Find Beautiful?
An introduction to argumentation that uses comedic skits from Monty Python to support understanding the components of an argument and how to evaluate an argument.
High school logic lesson in which students identify the premises and conclusions of arguments. Then they creatively enact their own deductive arguments.
PLATO is part of a global UNESCO network that encourages children to participate in philosophical inquiry. As a partner in the UNESCO Chair on the Practice of Philosophy with Children, based at the Université de Nantes in France, PLATO is connected to other educational leaders around the world.
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