"When People Keep Talking, They Are Not Thinking: The Philosophy of Dialogue and Thought"

2020/01/22

Have you ever heard of the terms "Philosophy for Children" or "Philosophy Cafés"? These refer to activities where children or adults come together to think and talk freely about philosophical themes. For the past ten years, I have been involved in these activities, collectively known as "philosophical dialogue." I travel all over the country to provide guidance on how to conduct these dialogues, and I find myself getting busier every year. I am also frequently invited by companies to facilitate philosophical dialogues on themes such as "What is a good product?", "What is work?", and "What is compliance?" When people think of philosophy, they might have an image of someone reading difficult texts late into the night and thinking alone. However, as those who have read Plato's "Dialogues" know, in ancient Greece, people engaged in heated discussions in the agora—the public squares and marketplaces—about themes closely tied to daily life, such as politics, life, and morality. In that sense, Philosophy for Children and Philosophy Cafés are a return to the way philosophy was practiced in ancient Greece.

Until now, many guidebooks, introductory texts, and manuals on how to conduct philosophical dialogues have been published. My recently published book addresses problems that emerged as major philosophical themes during these practical activities. "Can the ability to think be nurtured?" "Do emotions and thoughts conflict?" "How should we deal with irrational people?" "What is the relationship between dialogue and democracy?" Surprisingly, these questions were themes that past philosophers did not address much, but I felt they are becoming increasingly important today, so I have attempted to discuss them. I believe that developing dialogue and thinking skills is a social challenge, not just one for school education. I would be happy if my book could contribute to this in some small way.

I feel that many university personnel involved in philosophical dialogue are Keio graduates or people influenced by them. Perhaps the ideas of Yukichi Fukuzawa, who valued discussion through spoken language and built the Mita Enzetsukan (Public Speaking Hall), Japan's first public speaking hall, still live on here.

"When People Keep Talking, They Are Not Thinking: The Philosophy of Dialogue and Thought"

Tetsuya Kono

Iwanami Shoten

256 pages, 2,300 yen (excluding tax)

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.