aidemia--modules-lessonstartideas_type	Give a creative idea how to begin a lesson
Which subject	Philosophy
What age group	Doesn't matter
What topic	Reasoning
Quantity	1
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Engaging Introduction to Reasoning in Philosophy

Objective

Welcome your students by sparking their curiosity about reasoning, a fundamental component of philosophy. This lesson aims to introduce them to the concept of reasoning and its significance in philosophical thinking.

The Thought Experiment: "The Ship of Theseus"

Opening Activity

Begin the lesson with an intriguing thought experiment: The Ship of Theseus. Present the following scenario to your students:

Imagine a ship that has all its wooden parts replaced over time. If none of the original parts remain, is it still the same ship? What if you took the original parts and built a new ship? Which one is the true Ship of Theseus?

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Discussion Questions

Facilitate a lively discussion by asking your students thought-provoking questions:

• What do you think about the identity of objects over time?
• How does this relate to the concept of reasoning—are we reasoning about the identity of the ship or about our understanding of identity itself?
• Can reasoning lead to different conclusions based on the same starting points, and if so, how does that affect our judgments?

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Transition to Lesson Content

As the discussion unfolds, highlight how this thought experiment touches on key elements of reasoning:

• Deductive Reasoning: How can we make conclusions based on known premises?
• Inductive Reasoning: How do we form generalizations from specific instances?
• Abductive Reasoning: What are the best explanations for the scenarios we’ve presented?

Make a note to explore these types of reasoning in relation to the Ship of Theseus as the lesson progresses.

Conclusion

Conclude the introduction by emphasizing that philosophy often utilizes reasoning to explore complex concepts and that today’s lesson will equip them with critical thinking skills necessary for philosophical inquiry. Invite them to consider how their reasoning shapes not only their answers to philosophical questions but also their everyday decisions.

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Now, let’s dive into the details of reasoning in philosophy!