Lessons in Life - Learning Philosophy From My 7-Year-Old-Daughter
Synopsis of the book (20 lessons on 222 pages):
LESSONS IN LIFE dispels the illusion that philosophy is an activity reserved only for individuals with unique knowledge who are far removed from the day-to-day affairs of a community. It shows that the philosophical quest is an integral element of human imagination that is exercised in our day-to-day encounters. This is made possible by looking at the philosophical questions raised by children. As part of understanding the world they live in, children develop philosophical questions that are rationally oriented in their nature. This reflection is pre-theoretical and rudimentary, and is part of how children understand the world that they live in. This is the philosophical form of thinking that we have lost today, since we are immersed in a consumerist culture. Based on the assumption that children raise deep philosophical questions aimed at problematizing the nature of reality, knowledge, and human values. In my book, I detail the proto-philosophical ideas and questions that my seven-year-old daughter Amara has raised. These ideas are not established in a well-developed philosophical theory, but they are my daughter's attempts to make sense of the world she is living in through reason and rationality. I wrote down these ideas to show that even children are philosophers, as they make meaning. Someone once said that the life of parents is the book that children read. For me, it is Amara's life that I wanted to wrap into a book for all of us, to help us learn more about the world we inhabit. The 20 essays in LESSONS IN LIFE show that children can raise some important philosophical questions. Based on this, we can gain insights into the developmental inquiries of children, and also examine and reflect on the purpose of philosophy as it pertains to our everyday existence.
For more information go to learning-philosophy.com
The Conspiracy of 1291 Revisited
How the Myth of William Tell Continues to Frame Swiss Politics
ETH Zürich, CAS Public Governance & Administration, 5 December 2018
Abstract: Switzerland's unity was never defined by a single ruler, natural boundaries, or a common language. Switzerland is justified only by its history because all nations require a historical narrative to legitimize their existence. Of all the stories that have helped to shape national identities, few have shown more power to make a more lasting impression than the legend of William Tell. However, modern historical research has established that Switzerland was not founded in the year 1291 and the brave crossbowman William Tell never existed, but the Swiss people still built their Confederation around the stories of the Confederacy's beginnings. Therefore, William Tell stands for a way of reading Swiss history, which substitutes shared values for common identity. This paper will focus on the research question: How does the evolving myth of William Tell continue to frame Swiss politics?
Variationen im lockeren & strengen Denken zur Schweizer Sozialhilfe hergeleitet aus Gregory Batesons logischen Kategorien von Lernen und Kommunikation
ZHAW BA Soziale Arbeit Bachelorarbeit im Herbstsemester 2017
Abstract: Der Spannungsbogen dieser Bachelorarbeit beinhaltet das Leben und Werk von Gregory Bateson vorzustellen, das System der Schweizerischen Sozialhilfe und die besonderen Herausforderungen für die Sozialarbeitenden dort kennenzulernen. Im Wesentlichen geht es in dieser Arbeit darum herauszufinden, wie sich die öffentliche Sozialhilfe der Schweiz nach Batesons logischen Kategorien von Lernen und Kommunikation verstehen lässt. Batesons Werk, die Schweizerische Sozialhilfe sowie die Sozialarbeitswissenschaft werden ausserdem auf einer Metaebene zueinander reflektiert. Die Arbeit stellt folgendes fest: Sozialarbeitende in der Sozialhilfe befinden sich in einer paradoxen Umklammerung von wissenschaftlichen Lehrmeinungen, politischen Positionen des Berufsverbandes, Ansprüchen der Klientel, rechtlichen Vorgaben und Pflichten gegenüber ihrem Arbeitgeber. Sozialarbeitende lösen die pathogene Situation, die Gregory Bateson "double bind" benannt hat, indem sie sich mit ihrer eigenen Funktion im Sinne eines staatlich organisierten Hilfsangebotes identifizieren.