Philosophical Practice: Transformative Reflection on Life – serie

When higher education recenters philosophy, students can become more than skilled workers: they can be virtuous people who promote the flourishing of those around them.Narratives surrounding higher education, particularly in the United States, tend to reduce the value of post-secondary education to vocational or economic goods. As a consequence, STEM and pre-professional programs thrive, while programs in the arts and humanities continue to be diminished, at least in part due to their perceived “impracticality” and lack of obvious alignment with labor markets. Kristopher G. Phillips argues that reducing the value and aims of higher education to narrowly prescribed vocational or economic ends dehumanizes students, robs them of the opportunity to be transformed—personally, epistemically, and civically—by their education, and leaves them ill-prepared to address the distinctly human aspects of their lives. The solution, he argues, is to reconceptualize both academic philosophy and higher education generally; philosophy should return to its Socratic roots and focus on the cultivation of an excellent character. Phillips articulates a vision of a philosophically-grounded, transformational education that facilitates student flourishing. Drawing parallels between, and teasing out assumptions inherited from, the scientific revolution in 17th and 19th-century -Europe, Phillips demonstrates that education can and should help students become the sort of people who embody personal virtue and promote the flourishing of their communities.

How can the arts enrich philosophical practice and help us better investigate the complexities of human existence?This interdisciplinary edited collection delves into the interplay between philosophy and the arts, showcasing how their combination can inspire new ways of thinking, connecting, reflecting, imagining, and understanding. By discussing ways in which art forms—literature, music, drama, visual arts, and more—and arts-based methods can be integrated into philosophical practice, the book reveals how abstract ideas can be made tangible, and dense philosophical concepts can be expressed in accessible and profound ways. In the continual process of human self-examination, the arts have played and still play an important role as reflective, embodied practices in what it means to lead a human life, what it means to be a human being, and how humans relate to each other. Though the arts can be a mere distraction, they can equally engage the human mind and body in pondering the existential paradoxes and puzzles of being. The arts and philosophy share a mutual aim: to question life’s fundamental aspects without proposing final answers, embracing creativity, openness, and exploration. From discussing values and virtues to addressing human vulnerabilities, this book, edited by Jeanette Bresson Ladegaard Knox, illustrates how philosophical practice becomes vibrant and impactful when it engages with the emotional and sensory world of the arts. Through theoretical insights, practical applications, and creative interventions, it illuminates how the arts and philosophy can jointly enhance professional fields and contribute to the art of living.