Book Summary / Introduction (Content Introduction)

The Japanese educational system is changing, with a new emphasis on creative and critical thinking.
Philosophy – the practice of imaginative questioning, charitable listening, and rigorous reasoning first developed by the Ancient Greeks — has a powerful role to play in this shift.

Thinking Experiments is the first book that brings philosophy into Japanese schools.

This book contains:
• A comprehensive introduction to philosophy as a subject
• A practical guide to facilitation
• Thirty tried-and-tested lesson plans based on questions that are fascinating, challenging, and accessible

Example questions include:
• Can we think without language?
• Are memories more like dreams or facts?
• Should we always obey authority?
• What is weakness?
• Is inequality bad?

Thinking Experiments invites teachers to participate in a novel approach to learning that puts authentic philosophical dialogue at the heart of the classroom.

It is an essential resource for all teachers who consider independence of mind indispensable for the moral and academic development of their students.

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Author Profiles (Author)

Alexander Dutson
• Has taught philosophy since 2009 at two high schools in Tokyo
• Studied philosophy to postgraduate level at York, Berkeley, and Cambridge
• Accredited specialist with The Philosophy Foundation (London-based organization promoting philosophical thinking in schools, businesses, and the wider community)

James Hill
• Teaches high-school philosophy in Tokyo, Japan, where he has lived since 2015
• Completed his PhD in philosophy at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

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