Philosophy as a School Subject Integrating Student Knowledge

Abstract

The authoress of the article formulates and defends the thesis that contemporary modeling of teaching philosophy can be analyzed in a paradigm of integrating knowledge of pupils. In the first part of this article she describes the complexity of a problem of modeling the philosophical knowledge of a pupil. It is caused by a solid tradition which divides science and philosophy. In Kamińska’s opinion this tradition forms opinions among academics and practitioners, which determine the place of philosophy in relation to other school subjects. Authoress argues, that the ‘integrative knowledge’ model is able to execute the expectations of the employers according to social and intellectual abilities of their potential employees.  To achieve this, she mentions the research on the expectations of the employers towards the professional competences of the graduates. Skills and abilities relating to the cultural and social roles need philosophical competences like analytical and effective thinking, model operating, logical and moral skills of graduates.

The main theoretical basis of the presented model are Bertalanffy’s methodology, Paul Hirst’s and Joseph Schwab’s pedagogical conceptions which relate to contents of didactic structure used in school practice and substantial structures of relevant scientific knowledge. Furthermore, it is also based on Henryk Struve’s conceptions of stages of development of philosophical skills.

The second part of this article is dedicated to practical aspects. Authoress shows in examples the possibility of implementation of this model to school practice.