Teaching Philosophy as Education and Evaluation of Thinking Essay

ABSTRACT: Teaching philosophy and critical thinking is one of the main ways to clearly reaffirm the value of human persons and of goodness and freedom. It is not sufficient to propose a philosophical message, but we must teach it systematically (curriculum) with a real synergy between teachers and parents. We must also build a curriculum, which includes an evaluation model based on clear goals and objectives: the intermediate and final evaluation and assessment will enable us to be sure that we have reached our aim. It is also necessary to verify every step, evaluate it and compare it to the criteria (general project, goals, objectives) we put in our mind and use in our teaching. This critical evaluation needs methods and some teaching instruments described herein. The final philosophical education will be much stabler and assure us about our scientific and formative project. I. Teaching Philosophy Philosophical thinking includes an educational dimension, according to the dialogical structure of human thinking. First of all a preliminary question: is philosophy teaching and learning possible? This is the main problem, from Socrates to today: if a science exists and can be transmitted: without any objective and universal philosophical knowing about justice, goodness, truth, man becomes the measure of all things (according to Protagoras; science becomes sensation and human knowing is under subjectivism. But it's possible to get truth by dialogue: then it is also possible teaching and philosophically thinking using argumentation and research of universal ideas, transcending simple and unfounded opinions (CIFUENTES, 1997 #4922). This thesis, from Plato to Kant and German idealism (Fichte, Schelling, Hegel) seems the main scient... ...Three Tests of Critical Thinking, in  «Journal of Experimental Education », 29, 2, Dec, 177-182, 1960. RUST V. I., JONES R. S., KAISER H. F., A Factor-Analytic Study of Critical Thinking, in  «The Journal of Educational Research », 55, 6, 252-259, 1962. SMITH B. O., The Improvement of Critical Thinking, in  «Progressive Education », 30, 5, March, 129-134, 1953. WALLEN N. E., HAUBRICH V. F., REID I. E., The Outcomes of Curriculum Modifications Designed to Foster Critical Thinking, in  «The Journal of Educatinal Research », 56, 10 (Jul-Aug), 529-534, 1963. WATSON G., GLASER E. M., Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, Harcourt, Brasce and World, New York 1964. WILSON D. G., WAGNER E. E., The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal as a Predictor of Performance in a Critical Thinking Course, in  «Educational and Psychological Measurement », 1319-1322, 1981.