Philosophy courses are compulsory in all high schools and vocational schools in Turkey. These courses give students a vision by showing how problems have developed historically and been discussed systematically. Since 2006, a new course, called “Education of Thinking” has been introduced as an elective course for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. This course provides more opportunities for philosophical development in children’s activities. The aim of this course is to enable students to be “ a subject” and “ a (...) critical thinker” by doing philosophy and practising thinking skills.Education in philosophy is in fact the education of thinking. As indicated by Lipman, for the improvement of thinking in the schools, the most important dimensions of thinking to be cultivated are the critical, the creative, and the caring. Success in this education can be ensured by educating children in philosophy. In this paper, I will examine and share the benefits of doing philosophy in the classroom in Turkey. (shrink)

The Twenty-first Century will be the age of information, a century only those societies that reach to and produce information can achieve success. The individuals of this century must have along with the basic skill, the new and significant qualifications of problemsolving, learning how to think, creative thinking, decision-making, research and assume responsibility of one’s knowledge as active subjects. Therefore we have to teach our students how to think. Education of thinking is the education of philosophy. One has to be (...) taught in philosophy in order to learn thinking. Only an adequate philosophy education can create individuals with above qualifications. Such an education has to be supported by both the curricular and extra-curricular activities. This article will review these two dimensions of the philosophy education in particular on Turkey example and assert the contribution thereof on the philosophy education. (shrink)

The Twenty-first Century promises to be the age of information, a century in which only those societies that aspire to the production, transmission and marketing of information can achieve success. As such, the individuals of this century must possess, along with the basic skills, the new and significant abilities of problem-solving, creative thinking, decision-making, research skills, and the capacity to assume responsibility for one’s own knowledge as active subjects. It is necessary to teach students how to think, and the education (...) of thinking is one function of philosophy. Only an adequate philosophical education can create individuals with the qualifications listed above, and such an education has to be supported by both curricular and extra-curricular activities. This article will review these two dimensions of philosophical education, using recent educational developments in Turkey as an example. (shrink)