Strecthing Exercises for the Mind
A Philosophical Sort of Book
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About the Book
Stretching Exercises for the Mind is an attempt to lure people into philosophical thinking by posing a series of questions that call for reflection and discussion. My experiences as a teacher have confirmed over and over again that if people are asked the right questions, their own reflections will produce insights. This is something I learned from Socrates. The book has three parts. Part I is a series of questions for reflection and discussion. Part II is a set of classroom-tested exercises I have used to introduce people to the process of philosophical thinking. Part III has the same questions as Part I but with the addition of the author’s responses. These are in no way final answers. Their purpose is simply to continue the conversation. My goal for the book is a modest one. If even one of these questions or exercises initiates a process of questioning and inspires the thoughtful mining of experience for insights, it will have been successful.
About the Author
I was raised on an Iowa farm and early experiences there planted the seeds of philosophical interest. (See my little book: Earth, Air, Fire and Water: Recollections of a Rural Childhood published by Outskirts Press.) I first encountered the formal study of philosophy as a sophomore in college. I chose it as a major and went on to graduate school, earning a degree. Even though I was good at philosophy, it seemed a very abstract sort of study having little to do with ordinary human concerns. This view underwent a change when I began to teach philosophy courses to high school students. Unless the material was brought into dialogue with the adolescent life experience, students would not have chosen to take the course. Following early retirement from the high school job, I have had the privilege of been teaching philosophy courses in various older adult programs. My attempt to bring philosophical insights into dialogue with lived experience continues unabated. My hope is that this book may extend the reach of that work.