From Pre-Concepts to Reasons

Empirically-Based Reconstruction of a Philosophical Learning Scenario

Abstract

In this article, I present findings from a workshop with high school students focusing on a problemoriented learning scenario about the leading questions in the just-war-debate. The underlying scientific and methodological framework refers to contemporary questions in the field of didactics of philosophy, mainly considering the relevance of pre-concepts in philosophical learning processes. In referring to the empirical example of the workshop, this paper will show how a learning progress in philosophical reasoning is possible. The learning steps of the students are explained among others by reference to performative linguistic theories. The article concludes with a normative discussion of the learning results considering two issues. First, it considers the relationship between reasoning and understanding in philosophical education in general. Second, it shows that especially in teaching philosophy it is necessary to be aware of and distinguish the different ethical and educational dimensions of teaching practices. I will argue that understanding in a wider sense only takes place under the condition that students are able to refer to the genetic development and context-dependence of a set of arguments. This step of learning, then again, helps to keep in mind the different dimensions and aims of teaching practice.