Preaching by Example: Thoughts for a Model Teaching of Philosophy

Abstract

Teaching is an activity inseparable from the vocational exercise of philosophy, up to the point that authors such as Seneca have characterised the philosopher as the «educator of mankind». In a philosophy class, however, we can’t be content with developing a series of intellectual competences through studying, reading and analysing texts, reflecting, debating and investigating. According to the specific orientation of our discipline, we must ultimately aspire to the achievement of excellence through the transmission of a true knowledge. In a word, we must help our students become wiser. But how can we collaborate in the achievement and transmission of wisdom if we ourselves have not yet reached it? How could we set out and organise our philosophy classes in a fashion that was coherent with both our abilities and our limitations?

Keywords: teaching of philosophy, philosophy classes, pedagogy, teaching.