As a facilitator in the community of Enquiry it is useful to have some knowledge and understanding of philosophical concepts. A skilled facilitator will endeavour to highlight the philosophical elements of the children's statements or questions and help them expand their thinking into that area.
Some examples of concepts that often arise:
Love
Hate
Revenge
Justice
Power
Reality
Consciousness
Freedom
Religion
Authority
Friendship
Morality
Death
Identity
These concepts might lead to questions such as:
Why are we born?
Should children be punished?
How do we know what is real?
Can life ever be fair?
Should we always do as we are told?
Would I still be me if I swapped brains with my friend?
Was there ever a first thing?
Is it ever right to hurt someone?
Why is it OK to eat meat but not our pets?
How do we know that life is not a dream?
Will I still be the same person when I am old?
We have recommended some books and organisations on our
Links & Resources page. These have helped us to have a better understanding of basic philosophical concepts. This, in turn, has helped us to develop as Facilitators.
