Friday Philosopher: Me, a Philosopher?

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My favorite quote by Charlotte Mason (which I have shared here before) comes from the end of the first chapter of Towards a Philosophy of Education:

The teacher who allows his scholars the freedom of the city of books is at liberty to be their guide, philosopher and friend; and is no longer the mere instrument of forcible intellectual feeding.

“Philosopher” is, for me, the most intriguing and inspiring part of that description, and also the most intimidating. I’m acting as a guide when I plan out the curriculum for the year, and being a friend comes pretty naturally. But what does it mean to be a philosopher?

Karen Glass has written an excellent article: The Teacher as Philosopher, which has really been helpful for me in pondering this. The two main ingredients of philosophy that she emphasizes are wonder and questioning, which concurs with what Josef Pieper says in his essay The Philosophical Act:

To philosophize means to withdraw – not from the things of everyday life – but from the currently accepted meaning attached to them, or to question the value placed upon them. This does not, of course, take place by virtue of some decision to differentiate our attitude from that of others and to see things “differently”, but because, quite suddenly, things themselves assume a different aspect. Really the situation is this: the deeper aspects of reality are apprehended in the ordinary things of everyday life and not in a sphere cut off and segregated from it, the sphere of the “essential” or whatever it may be called; it is in the things we come across in the experience of everyday life that the unusual emerges, and we no longer take them for granted – and that situation corresponds with the inner experience which has always been regarded as the beginning of philosophy: the act of “marveling”.

Of course this wonder is (or should be) directed towards God Himself, His creation, and how He is unfolding history; and this questioning is not skepticism, but a genuine desire to know the truth. I like how C.S. Lewis put it in The Great Divorce:

Thirst was made for water; inquiry for truth.

Both authors also emphasize the “everydayness” of philosophy – it can be a part of our normal lives, not something done in a university somewhere. As the teacher of my children, I can be their philosopher, asking them questions which will help them think about what they are learning, and helping them seek answers to the questions they have. I can model wonder and questioning as I continue the lifelong journey of self-education. This is why I have decided to start this series: to have a place to share my thoughts about the ideas I’ve encountered, and how I’m learning to be a “philosopher teacher”. 🙂 I don’t know if it will be a weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly thing – it depends on life, and how my brain is functioning. 😉 But I’m looking forward to the challenge!

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