Paul Castles

Dr. Anne van Leeuwen is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at James Madison University. In her now classic book on pedagogy, bell hooks writes that education is enabling, that it “enhance[s] our capacity to be free.” Studying philosophy embodies this promise of freedom and equality precisely because it encourages a use of reason that is … Practicing Philosophy with Kids in the Shenandoah Valley

Karen S. Emmerman is PLATO’s Education Director. Some readers of Wondering Aloud will know that I have a long-standing interest in building philosophical skills in ways that are joyful and themselves philosophical. To be together in a community of philosophical inquiry requires that we all articulate our ideas as clearly as possible and also ask … Thinking Clearly Through Art

My name is Naphat Prateepveruriya (my nickname is In). I’m a 4th grade student at International Community School (ICS) in Bangkok. I really love my school because it is a place where we care about “who we are” as much as “what we learn.” My teachers always encourage us to be curious, and since my … Why I Wonder

Jana Mohr Lone is PLATO’s Executive Director. I Am Henry Finch by Alexis Deacon (illustrations by Viviane Schwarz) tells the story of Henry, a member of a community of finches, all of whom think and act alike. The flock is always together, and they do the same things, day after day. They are never quiet; … I Am Henry Finch: Identity, Courage, and Thinking for Yourself

Peter Fristedt is a member of PLATO’s Academic Advisory Board. He holds a PhD in philosophy from Stony Brook University and has published scholarship on ethics, Continental philosophy, and the philosophy of history.  I recently had the opportunity to attend a screening of the new documentary film “The Bowl,” from Ethereal Films and filmmaker Eli … “The Bowl” – A New Documentary Showcases High School Ethics Bowl

Karen S. Emmerman is PLATO’s Education Director. When my son was in elementary school, there was an alarming incident in one of the classrooms. A teacher had a cerebral event that led to her acting very strangely. The young students knew something was wrong, but when two asked to get help outside the room the … The Library Lion

Aanya Padhi is a sophomore at Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, California. She is interested in applied ethics and political philosophy and is active in advocacy work to overturn wrongful convictions and address prosecutorial misconduct.    A few months ago, I started becoming more interested in political philosophy because I realized it connected two … Through Mental Prisms: What Online Learning Taught Me About Ethics and Justice

Jana Mohr Lone is PLATO’s Executive Director. “The age of five is the most philosophical age you can be.”– Mo Willems  Mo Willems’ We Are in a Book! raises in a playful way some of the deepest questions of epistemology and metaphysics, including questions about reality, identity, knowledge, the relationship between the mind and the … We Are in a Book!

Wes Siscoe is an Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University. With a passion for making philosophy accessible, Wes founded the Philosophy Teaching Library as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Notre Dame.  I grew up the son of a Baptist preacher. We lived right next door to the church. As a little boy, … My Dad Was a Baptist Preacher – I’m a Philosophy Professor

Karen S. Emmerman is PLATO’s Education Director. Thinking philosophically requires, among other things, developing a set of philosophical skills. Doing philosophy in elementary schools (students between 5 and 11 years old) for over a decade has drawn my attention to just how important it is to help young people build these skills. For the youngest … Monster at School