Writing Philosophical Essays

Practicing Citizenship in the Republic of Letters

Abstract

The aim of this essay is to illustrate, by means of a detailed teaching plan of Descartes’ Meditations, how a genuine invitation of young students (11th grade) to be part of an ongoing philosophical conversation is possible. The educational goal is to practice involvement in the philosophical concerns of the thinkers we read, actually to experience the unrest that fuels their written work. The didactic proposed is geared towards fulfilling this goal. It rests on several principles, chief among which are a) paying close attention to the text in its full literary richness, b) learning through writing in response to carefully devised prompts, c) teaching that represents the personal journey of the teacher; and d) engaging students in collaborative learning. Many of the practices described are inspired by the methods developed in the Institute for Writing and Thinking (IWT) in Bard College.