Philosophy finds a rare opportunity to support women and the homeless
Wisdom’s Edge Foundation runs Philosophy for Women in its fifth year at the newly built facility, The Lord's Place Burckle Place III. This new facility prioritizes helping senior homelessness, giving 50 percent of their beds to senior women. With the amazing result that women 55 years and older will live with women in their 20s and 30s - intergenerations of women helping one another navigate through life's challenges.
The women come to The Lord's Place Burckle Place III with nowhere else to go. They either were underemployed or lost employment. They lost their housing. They may have come from homelessness or incarceration. They may be struggling with low self-esteem and feelings of hopelessness. They may be looking for direction to begin building for themselves a new life. They may want to go back to school but fear of not belonging. Wisdom's Edge provides an educational environment that is wholly inclusive and sensitive to women's challenges while providing instruction in philosophy.
The women come to The Lord's Place Burckle Place III with nowhere else to go. They either were underemployed or lost employment. They lost their housing. They may have come from homelessness or incarceration. They may be struggling with low self-esteem and feelings of hopelessness. They may be looking for direction to begin building for themselves a new life. They may want to go back to school but fear of not belonging. Wisdom's Edge provides an educational environment that is wholly inclusive and sensitive to women's challenges while providing instruction in philosophy.
Inspiring Women's Supportive Housing Initiatives
Wisdom's Edge Foundation feels grateful and honored to be one of the first organizations to serve this new community of women in the service of philosophy. This teaching project consists in leading the women at Burckle Place III, most if not all of whom have never been exposed to philosophical discussion, through Plato’s dialogues.
We are grateful to the sponsor of this program, PLATO (The Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization) who generously gave us a grant to fund our course this year. This is the first time that the text and materials, as well as the teaching, are fully supported through collaboration with Wisdom's Edge Foundation, PLATO, and Hackett Publishing. We are also grateful to the continued instructional support from Dr. Benjamin Lukey at p4cHI.
We are grateful to the sponsor of this program, PLATO (The Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization) who generously gave us a grant to fund our course this year. This is the first time that the text and materials, as well as the teaching, are fully supported through collaboration with Wisdom's Edge Foundation, PLATO, and Hackett Publishing. We are also grateful to the continued instructional support from Dr. Benjamin Lukey at p4cHI.
20 Women. 5 dialogues. Here's how it's done
Each of the twenty women are given journals and their own copy of Plato’s Five Dialogues, published and generously donated by Hackett publishing. The dialogue facilitator creates videos for the women to watch before they meet that introduces them to the text and surveys key passages to assist in literacy and understanding. In person, the dialogue facilitator leads the women through focused discussions using the Plain Vanilla Inquiry format, a process of inquiry used by the University of Hawai'i's Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education. Following Plain Vanilla, the women use Dr. Thomas Jackson’s Good Thinker’s Toolkit to create a question for discussion. The women vote on their favorite two questions; the woman with the question that got the most votes begins the discussion, which then proceeds democratically with the help of a community ball that is co-created by the women during the first session. After the discussion, the participants will evaluate the session in respect of: community, inquiry, and progress. The participants are encouraged to probe deeper into the original question and text, and broaden their perspectives and insights into life.
Reading schedule
May 16th: Introduction to the course. Co-create our community ball. Decide on community rules and expectations. Course materials and books given to the participants. Special acknowledgements to PLATO and HACKETT PUBLISHERS.
May 30th read: "Euthyphro," in Plato's Five Dialogues, 2nd ed. Hackett Publishing. Discussion: Introduction to the GTTK - the Good Thinker's Toolkit.
June 6th read: "Apology," and "Crito," in Plato's Five Dialogues. Discussion: The Philosophical Virtues (humility, rigor, skepticism, character)
June 13th read: "Meno," in Plato's Five Dialogues. Discussion: What is teaching and learning? Can virtue be taught?
June 20th read: "Phaedo," in Plato's Five Dialogues. Discussion: Analyzing the proofs for the immortality of the soul.
June 27th read: "Phaedo," in Plato's Five Dialogues. Discussion: Analyzing the proofs for the immortality of the soul.
May 30th read: "Euthyphro," in Plato's Five Dialogues, 2nd ed. Hackett Publishing. Discussion: Introduction to the GTTK - the Good Thinker's Toolkit.
June 6th read: "Apology," and "Crito," in Plato's Five Dialogues. Discussion: The Philosophical Virtues (humility, rigor, skepticism, character)
June 13th read: "Meno," in Plato's Five Dialogues. Discussion: What is teaching and learning? Can virtue be taught?
June 20th read: "Phaedo," in Plato's Five Dialogues. Discussion: Analyzing the proofs for the immortality of the soul.
June 27th read: "Phaedo," in Plato's Five Dialogues. Discussion: Analyzing the proofs for the immortality of the soul.
Hope springs eternal
Philosophy for Women at Burckle Place III follows many projects successfully brought to communities by Wisdom’s Edge. Plain Vanilla Inquiry and the Good Thinker’s Toolkit are tried and true. They are used by everyone from children to veterans, to retired professionals, to nursing home residents, to ex-offenders and to those taking part in Wisdom’s Edge’s many featured zoom presentations and discussions.
Philosophy, as Plato knew, is for everyone, because it addresses questions that are central to human life. Wisdom’s Edge believes that those whom society often thinks are least equipped for philosophical inquiry may actually be most equipped, ready to come to discussion with curiosity and a fresh mind.
Thus, the purpose of Philosophy for Women at Burckle Place III is to give the participants the opportunity to learn a new way of thinking that sharpens skills they already possess (thus increasing their confidence in themselves), the opportunity to be exposed to some of the greatest texts of the last 2000 years, Plato’s dialogues, and the opportunity to experience an intellectually and emotionally safe space where they are able, if they choose, to reflect on their lives and the world around them.
Philosophy, as Plato knew, is for everyone, because it addresses questions that are central to human life. Wisdom’s Edge believes that those whom society often thinks are least equipped for philosophical inquiry may actually be most equipped, ready to come to discussion with curiosity and a fresh mind.
Thus, the purpose of Philosophy for Women at Burckle Place III is to give the participants the opportunity to learn a new way of thinking that sharpens skills they already possess (thus increasing their confidence in themselves), the opportunity to be exposed to some of the greatest texts of the last 2000 years, Plato’s dialogues, and the opportunity to experience an intellectually and emotionally safe space where they are able, if they choose, to reflect on their lives and the world around them.