The Pedagogy of Philosophical Inquiry

In the Pedagogy of Philosophical Inquiry, the writer discusses more on how the need to
think the problems through rather than just give an opinion. It’s a good idea because it was an
effort in order student to think critically and not only gives an opinion. In this case, an amount
of information or knowledge student gained is less essential then the development of their
intellectual judgement.
According to the writer, the Philosophical Inquiry also deal with philosophical
question-essentially contentious. They do not call for correct answer, they demand further
investigation and admit of different answers that may have one merit or another. From my point
of view, they require students to think critically and participate actively in the discussion.
Teacher want the students to solved the problem in different way means the answer not only in
a book, by using calculation or from the teacher have said in the class, but the need of answer
is from the explorations of thinking from nature of the relation in real life. means the writer
want students use a philosophical question as a tool to explore across the curriculum. I am fully
agreed with the writer point of view but still students need a teacher as a guidance to think in
a right path.
According to this book, a good philosophical discussion should meet the following
criteria:
1) The net result indicates progress as contrasted with the initial conditions- progress in
understanding, arriving at a consensus, or in formulating the problem.
2) A sense that something has been accomplished; a group product has been achieved.
3) It is not linear or episodic but cumulative.
4) It is not brainstorming
5) It needs not involve everyone present to be speaking
6) It needs not occur just because many verbalize.
All of these criteria conclude that, a good philosophical discussion no need everyone to be
speaking or verbalize their own opinion, but its full enough if they are progress in finding the
solutions and a group product has been achieved. Means that everyone in a group of
philosophical discussions has their own role in giving an idea in solving the problems. Like
what state in this book “the whole relationship-don’t play your role well, then the whole team
will fail”.
The Community of Inquiry (CI).
According to the writer, the Community of Inquiry means the discussions of knowledge
have two ways communications. For the Philosophical inquiry to occur there must be a
dialogue between at least two persons that is an interplay of the questions and answer between
them. However, the major problems with most pedagogy claim that teacher not well prepared
in the class so there is no proper critical and creative thinking process occur. However, in this
statement, I totally disagree because nowadays, teacher is not only teaching but also doing
other duties for example the current burden of teachers especially those related to
administration, is not only interfering with the teaching and leaving process, in the classroom
and even leads to teaching preparations. The teacher has to use the leisure time at school to do
the same and requested administrative work. Then, they did not have time to make a preparation
in teaching but they try to teach it a good ways long as that is follow the syllabus.
Actually, the community inquiry method has been practiced since the Prophet time in
educating the companions, also in the ancient Greek that practiced by Socrates. In Malaysia
also practicing the same method, which is community inquiry has been used in the classroom
during the teaching sessions, if students do not understand the subject, they may ask the
questions in order to understand more. From these activities, it built consistence practice
confidence in their own belief and knowledge and able to articulate their own views and
communicate effectively.
In the statement of “the teacher is a thinking coach and a philosophical guide he/she
chooses the stimulus material to lead the philosophical discussions, facilitate it and his/her
thought”. Means that student need a guide in practicing or to teach them an etiquette in
resolving conflict in democratic and civil society in a peaceful way, so then everything will go
smoothly and no disputation. Instead of it, teacher guidance is more important in order make
students in a right path. If they are going cross the philosophical guide, they will be gone far
and belief in unexpected way of thinking. Basically, students have potential in thinking creative
and critically, but they do not know how to start and how to think critically. But if teacher
coaching them, try to provoke their mind, the potential will come out and as one they will
practice it and use it always.
Challenges in Cultivating Philosophical Inquiry

This subtopic, the writers elaborate more on challenges in Philosophical Inquiry.

The first challenges are Malaysians do not know much about philosophy because they do not
practice it at school also not offered at universities as a discipline. So, students especially youth
have no exposure about the philosophy. when they come to learn it at first sight, they will have
much attention on it.
They second challenge is there is a serious misunderstanding that studying philosophy
is just talking and no action and thus is a waste a time. Besides that, many quarters have
negative perceptions and attitudes toward the term and the activity of philosophy. They feel
philosophy can result in one being more liberal in faith due to the excess use of reason.Actually,
philosophical inquiry is a good thing toward children. It is to help children and youth to be
more thoughtful, ethical and critical thinkers. In Malaysia, the pedagogy; curriculum at school
has been teaching with HOTS skills that is High Order Thinking Skills. So, at this chance,
children applied the thinking process critically and creatively in the subject discussed.
According to the writer, the aims of Hikmah Pedagogy differ slightly from
philosophical for community which is born of secular worldview. Hikmah Pedagogy in the
context of a Muslim society cannot be separated from lining it to understanding of the faith
especially as a means of encouraging ijtihad (deep, critical thinking of the Quran, Hadith and
other sources of the Islamic Law taking into consideration of the proper context). The Hikmah
pedagogy likes community of inquiry but not to the extend of separating one from the Islamic
faith, with this statement, we strongly agree with the writer point of view.
From the views of the writer in culturally, especially in the east, students have been
trained to respect the teacher and should always think that teacher is right and ought not to be
questioned because that would be impolite and disrespectful. Actually, this point looks
ridiculous because the student is use to think everything that has been discussed in the class
session, so that the thinking process will be arise or built. So, if students are not giving a chance
to trough out their opinion, or their point of view, what point students attend the class or
attending the discussion? Actually, the nature of students itself they are want to know and in
the process of exploring something new. If their mind is barred, so they will feel unsatisfied
without knowing anything that want to know about. One more thing is if the teacher is always
right, what if they give the wrong facts or views? Students also will do so and will practicing
something wrong without knowing that is wrong.
 In discussing the literatures or stimulus materials applied in the Philosophical for
Inquiry program, Lipman’s materials in general are excellent, useful and relevant to the
Hikmah program especially those related to ethics and aesthetics. However, they are not
adequate because they do not give students the opportunity to reflect on matters related to their
faith and belief. Actually, we do not have a chance to think as long as we are not cross the right
path. But when we are not giving a chance to a child to voice out their point of view it will
hidden inside and their thinking process will stop and continuously listening without thinking
and accept it either it right or wrong. If they have no enough knowledge about something, they
will use logic as their guidance as long as it right for them and it was a dangerous thing if the
knowledge is not based on Al-Quran and Hadith. Like what the writer have said “it would be
difficult for new ideas to arise in such a situation as history as shown the battle between the
ulama’ and Afghani in Egypt and the Kaum Tua and Kaum Muda in the Malay world. Even
Hamka and Za’ba had been labelled as Mu’tazila for their effort to bring back reason and
philosophy into the Muslimah culture”.