Grote gedachten. Verhalen over filosofie

The six chapters of this book follow the teacher Mr. Swart as he introduces his class to philosophy. This is not a dry lesson in intellectual history, but a fluently written story about a teacher who tries to inspire his pupils to engage with the ideas of important thinkers, including Socrates, Plato, Nietzsche and Hannah Arendt. It extensively explores questions that are the foundations of knowledge, democracy and morality. This discussion runs parallel to a narrative in which some pupils are brought to life as very credible characters, with all their adolescent traits and interpersonal relationships. The philosophical ideas discussed surface again in the pupils’ own stories. They experience situations in which they have to make choices, choices that the historical philosophers also reflected upon. Janny van der Molen succeeds in inspiring her readers to think for themselves and to understand that philosophy is a fascinating and perennial pursuit, and that you do indeed learn more about yourself by engaging in it.