Introduction to the Anisa Model Dan Jordan July 1981 Lecture 2A & 2B Philosophy

Importance of Philosophy Philosophers have been concerned with major issues of existence for millennia Children are natural philosophers, natural wonderers, naturally curious Teachers should encourage that wondering and curiosity

Speculative Philosophy Metaphysics –What lies behind the appearance of things –See: Ontology –What is the nature of existence itself (being vs non- being) –See: –Existentialists Cosmology –What orders the entire universe –See:

Critical Philosophy Epistemology –Epistem – Greek word for knowledge –The study of the nature of knowledge –How can we be sure that what we know is true –See : –Jean Piaget: Genetic epistemologist –See:

Critical Philosophy Logic –Studies the nature of reasoning –See: –Won’t take care of everything Other ways of grasping other realities –Logic important for consultation –Understanding the nature of inference

Critical Philosophy Semantics –Study of relationships between words and meaning –See: –Disciplined inquiry into how language is connected to events and our experience of them –Examples of specifying what is meant Learning to learn Actualizing the full potential of the child Reality therapy

Critical Philosophy Semantics –Need to have clarity of definitions of terms Relate term to overall philosophical scheme under consideration Relate to something else in experience –Syntax – order of words determines meaning

Critical Philosophy Semantics –Examples (letters to welfare department): I’m forwarding my birth certificates and three children. One of them is a mistake, as you can see. I have given birth to a 10lb. boy. I hope this is satisfactory. My husband had his project cut off three weeks ago and I haven’t had any relief since. You have changed my little boy into a girl. Will this make any difference? In accordance with your instructions, I have given birth to twins in the enclosed envelope.

Critical Philosophy Semantics –Examples (letters to welfare department): I want my money as quick as I can get it. I’ve been in bed with a doctor for two weeks and he doesn’t do me any good. If things don’t improve I’ll have to send for another doctor. Mrs. James has not had any clothes for a year and is visited regularly by the clergy. I cannot get my sick pay. I have six children. Can you tell me why? I’m glad to report that my husband, who is missing, is dead. This is my eighth child. What are you going to do about it?

Critical Philosophy Semantics –Examples (letters to welfare department): I am very much annoyed to see that you have branded my son illiterate. This is a dirty lie as I was married a week before he was born. Unless I get my husband’s money pretty soon I will be forced to live an immortal life. –Anisa model focuses on developing a child’s ability to communicate simply understanding a child is not enough; must facilitate development of abilities to use language to communicate as it allows child to putting oneself in places in life where further potential can be actualized.

Judgmental Philosophy Axiology –A study of values; what is important See : Perspective; gradations in life Vector quality—force plus direction –Ethics—what is good and bad in human relations and why Oneness of mankind is basic principle Goodness cannot be organized around race, culture, etc.

Judgmental Philosophy Axiology –Aesthetics—in Greek, to feel What makes something beautiful (or ugly) and why Whitehead –My cosmology is, in essence, a grand aesthetic theory of the universe. –Order is the lure of beauty and beauty is the teleology of the universe. Sociopolitical philosophy –What are the ideal structures governing social organization and are these structures related to anything else in the universe

Basic Orientations Minimalistic –Skeptical –Positivistic Logical positivism (logical empiricism) Only two sources of knowledge –Logical reasoning –Empirical experience Reductionistic See: Maximalistic –Speculative, big picture

Basic Orientations Comparison –Minimalistic Get rid of illusions, confusions, unverifiable knowledge Focus on what is clear and testable –Maximalistic To do justice to all aspects of experience in existence and creation, including the things that cannot be made clear and which are not yet testable Education/Schooling Idea –If you can’t measure it, it’s not worth anything –Note: If you can’t measure it, there is no way to hold yourself accountable for helping students to achieve it