PHILOSOPHY FOR CHILDREN: A MODEL FOR A BIOETHICS COMMUNITY OF INQUIRY

1. PHILOSOPHY FOR CHILDREN: A MODEL FOR A BIOETHICS COMMUNITY OF INQUIRY Leonardo D. de Castro, Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy, University of the Philippines Vice Chair, UNESCO International Bioethics Committee Secretary, International Association of Bioethics

2. Not merely informative Forum for community debate and discussion Facilitate a social process of ‘reflective conversation’ By which a community discovers and continually evaluates developments in society Checks how developments fit with society’s core values Bioethics: a democratic approach to education L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

3. Why self-discovery and self-evaluation are extremely important: Contemporary questions about biotechnology are actually questions about who we are what we want to make of ourselves Reflective Conversation L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

4. THIS PRESENTATION: “Community of inquiry” as a model for bioethics learning. • Central features of philosophy for children • A short narrative on Xenotransplantation • Lessons that bioethics education can learn from philosophy for children L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

5. I. Philosophy for Children L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

6. Challenge: Do these observations apply to bioethics? not only for children but also for adults? L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

7. Natural curiosity develops inquiry • A philosophical community of inquiry exploits children’s natural curiosity to raise questions and issues. L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

8. Differences among the participants enrich the process of learning • Learning is different for each individual child. • “The ideal philosophical community is one in which . . . differences . . . serve to enrich the inquiry [rather than to divide the participants].” (Lone, 2001) L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

9. The teacher does not direct students • Each child contributes something essential to the classroom. • All children have unique ideas and interests that motivate them to seek answers to their questions. • The role of the teacher is to guide students in this process, not to direct them. • She does not seek to control the conclusion. L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

10. The capacity to change one's mind • Criticizing one's own views and changing one's mind is a natural part of the process of philosophical thinking. L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

11. Education enables children to think for themselves • "Anything that helps us to discover meaning in life is educational, and the schools are educational only insofar as they do facilitate such discovery" (Lipman, Sharp and Oscanyan,1980) L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

12. Community of Inquiry • Thinking for oneself is a central aim of philosophy for children. • Children should recreate the society in which they live as they grow up in a critical, careful and creative way. L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

13. Community of Inquiry -- Features: • An agenda determined by students • Free exchange of ideas • Atmosphere of openness • Participants’ ownership of discussion • Relevance to life • Question finding • Teacher as participant and learner. (G. Smith 1999) L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

14. A genuine community of inquiry is based on: • Mutual respect • The members’ volunteer commitment to search for something in common. L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

15. Guiding Principle: The process, rather than the product • In the community of inquiry • emphasis the discussion process • not a particular conclusion L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

16. Learning as Discovery and Invention To learn something is to learn it again with the same discovery spirit that was experienced when it was discovered, or with the same spirit of invention that prevailed when it was invented. L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

17. II. XENOTRANSPLANTATION: The story of Jerry and Bibi L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

18. A xenotransplantation narrative • Jerry and Bibi were in the waiting room at the clinic of one of the best transplant doctors in the country. L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

19. A xenotransplantation narrative Jerry was a sickly 12-year-old boy Bibi was Jerry’s pet pig Jerry’s kidneys were failing. He needed a transplant. L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

20. A xenotransplantation narrative • Inside the clinic, Doctor Snow examined Jerry. • He explained that there was a long list of people who needed organs • It would take a lot of time before Jerry could have a transplanted kidney. Dr. Snow with Bibi L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

21. Bibi: “How could that happen? Are there not enough good people? Why can’t a person give a kidney to someone who is dying?” Dr. Snow : “It’s not as simple as that. One has to take risks in giving a kidney. One has to go through an operation.” A xenotransplantation narrative L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

22. A xenotransplantation narrative • Bibi: “I’m not afraid! I’ll give Jerry one of my kidneys.” • Dr. Snow: “Are you kidding?” • Bibi: “I’m serious! I’ll do anything for my dear friend.” L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

23. A xenotransplantation narrative • Jerry: “But that’s not fair. Why do animals always have to suffer for human beings? Are you not going to die if you do that?” L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

24. Bibi: “Isn’t that what animals are supposed to do? Isn’t it our responsibility to support the needs of human beings?” Jerry: “But you are my friend! You’re my best friend! We are equally valuable! You should not think of yourself merely as a tool to make me live long or live happily.” A xenotransplantation narrative L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

25. A xenotransplantation narrative • Dr. Snow was concerned about other things: “Let’s not decide so quickly. I am not sure that Jerry can use one of your kidneys, Bibi. People and pigs do not necessarily match.” • Bibi: “What do you mean?” • Dr. Snow: “Pig kidneys are different from human kidneys. Pig kidneys will not work inside human bodies. Pigs and humans are made differently.” L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

26. Bibi inquired: “Is it because we have different genes? I read somewhere that differences in the genes inside our bodies make pigs different from other animals.” Dr. Snow: “That’s right.” Bibi was insistent: “Can’t you do something about my genes in order to make my kidney work inside Jerry’s body? Dr. Snow: “Well, some clinics have been studying how to do that but they have not been successful.” A xenotransplantation narrative L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

27. Bibi thought aloud: “That’s too bad. Scientists must work harder.” Dr. Snow explained: “On the other hand, some people think scientists should not move too fast.” Bibi: “Do they think my kidney is the wrong one for Jerry? Are they afraid Jerry is going to turn into a pig? Dr. Snow: “No, but some think we should not mix our genes because genes are part of God’s design for His creation. We have to respect what God wants.” A xenotransplantation narrative L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

28. A xenotransplantation narrative • Bibi: “I can’t understand that. If we want to avoid people dying of kidney diseases, scientists must move even faster. Surely, God wants to save lives. Lives are more important than genes, are they not? There must be a way to help my best friend.” • Dr. Snow: “I can assure you that we are doing what we can to help Jerry but don’t you agree that we have to consider also what other people think?” L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

29. A xenotransplantation narrative • Bibi: “That may be so. But it just does not seem fair that my best friend is dying and I cannot do what I think is right in order to keep him alive. There must be something wrong when that’s happening. Don’t you think so?” L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

30. A xenotransplantation narrative • Bibi was full of questions in his head: “It also does not seem fair that we are the best of friends but I cannot give Jerry the only gift that can save his life. I wonder what other people think. What do you think, Dr. Snow?” L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

31. A xenotransplantation narrative • What do you think? L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

32. III. Bioethics for Children L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

33. Curiosity and bioethical inquiry • Natural curiosity develops bioethical inquiry. • Education has to explore that natural curiosity in order to raise questions and issues that are important to the individual and to the whole community. L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

34. Respecting difference • Bioethics learning is different for each individual. • It differs on account of one’s cultural and religious background, one’s upbringing, and a lot of other things. • Difference is not something to be despised. On the contrary, difference enriches the totality of our humanity. • Difference ought to be encouraged. L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

35. Learning through the lenses of one’s own experiences • People – whether children or adults – realize what things are important through their own experiences. • This is how things come to have meaning for them. • Lessons must be drawn from each person’s own experiences. L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

36. Thinking for oneself • Thinking for oneself is a central aim of bioethics education. • Technology is going to advance even faster than it has done in the last few years. • Similarly the world is going to change faster. • The best way to get people ready for these changes is to make sure that they learn to think for themselves. L DE CASTRO UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

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