How Philosophy Can Help Us Grieve

Merlin MCC | Grief Image | Scholarly Articles

Navigating the Wake(s) of Loss: How Philosophy Can Help Us Grieve Marisa Diaz-Waian, International Journal of Applied Philosophy 28:1 (2014): 19-48. ABSTRACT: How might approaching loss philosophically help us grieve? What does it mean to approach something philosophically? Why might such an approach be advantageous to studies of grief? In…

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My Mom the Magician Superhero: Showing Up & Being There

Growing up without a father can be difficult & painful.  Comedian, storyteller, actor, and philanthropist, Anthony Griffith, shares his story about life without a dad, the superpowers of his mom (his magician superhero), and the kinds of thinking you have to “put away” when growing up.  Listen to his moving…

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Learning Critical Thinking through Deliberate Practice

Merlin MCC | Critical Thinking Image | Scholarly Articles

Argumentation Step-By-Step: Learning Critical Thinking through Deliberate Practice Ann J. Cahill and Stephen Bloch-Schulman, Teaching Philosophy 35:1 (2012): 41-62. ABSTRACT:  In this paper, we offer a method of teaching argumentation that consists of students working through a series of cumulative, progressive steps at their own individual pace—a method inspired by…

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Does Philosophy Have a Place in Slow Medicine?

Merlin MCC | Scholarly Articles | General

Does Philosophy Have a Place in Slow Medicine? Marisa Diaz-Waian, Authored & Presented at the 2014 American Philosophical Association (Eastern Division Conference), National Philosophical Counseling Association Meeting. ABSTRACT:  If one were to tour a museum showcasing images of how we (as a modern culture in the U.S.) tend to the…

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Cognitive Science & Teaching Critical Thinking

Merlin MCC | Critical Thinking Image | Scholarly Articles

Teaching Critical Thinking: Some Lessons from Cognitive Science Tim van Gelder, College Teaching 53:1 (2005): 41-46. ABSTRACT:  This article draws six key lessons from cognitive science for teachers of critical thinking.  The lessons are: acquiring expertise in critical thinking is hard; practice in critical thinking skills themselves enhances skills; the…

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Plato’s Allegory of the Cave (In Clay)

Allegory of the Cave

Bar none…..one of the best adaptations of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave you’ll ever find.  Creative, imaginative, thought-provoking,  and just plain fun (it’s in clay after all!)…hmm, dare we say “Clayto?”  Enjoy and become enlightened by this Plato & Socrates inspired gem of a short film from the Bullhead Entertainment…

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What is Philosophy?

The Death of Socrates | Picture

Wondering what philosophy is?  Or why and how it is relevant?  The word ‘philosophy’ (philosophía) is Greek in origin and means a friend or lover (phílos) of wisdom (sophía).  Philosophy’s investigations are led by reason & the general maxim that the unexamined life is not worth living.  It pertains to…

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Reflective Equilibrium

reflective equilibrium

Have you ever wondered what it takes to think like a philosopher?  According to many, the capacity for reflective equilibrium is imperative.  According to Massimo Pigliucci, Professor of Philosophy at City College of New York, it is a fundamental tool in the philosopher’s toolbox.  But what exactly is reflective equilibrium…

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