Philosophische Praxis

Abstract

Ute Gahlings opens up the professional field of philosophical practice with its various forms of activity such as consolation and life orientation, education and personality development as well as political and social commitment. On the basis of concrete situations in philosophical practice, she traces the complex intersubjective processes phenomenologically. She illuminates the importance of intuition, presence and atmosphere as well as the professional framing of the encounter in the field of tension between proximity and distance. In this multidimensionality, the author is always concerned with core questions of an ethically based anthropology. Therefore, she also deals with professional ethical considerations and develops a code of ethics.

Perspective Chapter: Last Questions – How Philosophical Practice Contributes to Developing Death Literacy

“…Since then, various international and national associations of Philosophical Practice have been founded whilst the body of literature has remained modest still. It has been growing more recently, however, since more and more philosophical practitioners are beginning to discuss and publish their approaches [5,7,11,12]. Regarding actual practices, the café philosophique initiated by Marc Sautet in Paris in the 1990s, and various approaches to "philosophy for children" are forms of Philosophical Practice which are known to a wider public today.…”

“…It is typical of the dialogical style that its representatives refuse to ascribe to one single method: "[…] the idea that what is happening can be approached programmatically-methodologically is misleading" ( [5], p. 138). Philosophy stands for the freedom of thought, from which methods develop if necessary, and the methods cannot and must not be determined in advance.…”

“…"The strength of Philosophical Practice lies in the fact that it is an Perspective Chapter: Last Questions -How Philosophical Practice Contributes to Developing... DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1003175 art […]", the Philosophical Practitioner is therefore challenged in their creativity. Emphasis is therefore placed on the dialogical relationship, which Gahlings calls "solidary participation" ( [5], p. 62). As already described by Plato, the spark of thinking between people arises through continuing community of life and thought.…”

“…To capture the various ways in which philosophy can be practised and to define the characteristics of Philosophical Practice, Ute Gahlings [5], inspired by Georg Boehme, differentiates four categories. These build on Boehme's concepts of four manifestations of philosophy: philosophy as a science, as worldly wisdom, as a way of life, and as a Philosophical Practice.…”