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

Have you ever heard of terms like "Philosophy for Children" or "Philosophy Cafés"? These are activities where children or adults come together to think and talk freely about philosophical themes. I have been involved in these activities, collectively known as "Philosophical Dialogue," for about ten years now. 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 may have an image of someone reading difficult texts late into the night and thinking alone. However, as those who have seen Plato's "Dialogues" know, in ancient Greece, people engaged in heated discussions in the agora (public squares or markets) on 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 instructional books, introductory books, and manuals on how to conduct philosophical dialogues have been published. My recently published book treats the issues that emerged as major philosophical themes for me during the practical activities mentioned above as philosophical problems. "Can thinking skills be nurtured?" "Do emotions and thought conflict?" "How should we handle 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 discussed them through a process of trial and error. I believe that developing dialogue and thinking skills is a challenge not only for school education but for society as a whole. I would be honored if my book could contribute to that 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, are still alive 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 those at the time of publication.