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Philosophy Index The following appeared in Volume 96, Number 2 (Spring 1997) of the APA Newsletters.
Matthew Lipman, Natasha: Vygotskian Dialogues. Teachers College Press, Columbia University, New York, pp. 141 + xxiii, Index, Chronology of Philosophy for Children, Afterword by Arkady Margolis. Reviewed by Christina Slade, University of Canberra, Harkness Fellow, New York University, 1996-7
Matthew Lipman’s work has, in the past, been of two quite distinct styles. On the one hand, he has written in somewhat Deweyan cadences of the theory of the teaching of philosophy for children-closely reasoned, carefully thought through work, with evidence of a wide and thorough reading of relevant literature (eg, 1991, 1985, 1988). On the other hand, he has produced a body of work consisting of novels and manuals for teaching philosophy for children. The fictional novels (Lipman, 1974, 1976,1978,1980, 1984, 1990) and the accompanying manuals of exercises designed to foster philosophical discussion among children(Lipman & Sharp, 1979, 1980, 1980a, 1981, 1983, 1984) are unlike Lipman’s theoretical work. The novels have an elusive narrator who speaks in a voice of wonderment about philosophical issues, who has not finally "figured things out." The manuals, although designed for teachers, have the same tone. There may be a list of questions for kids to discuss-"Are you the same person if you change your clothes/ if you change your name/ if you change your mind?," for instance-but there are no discussions of what Locke or Parfitt would have thought about the answers. Children themselves are set the task of "figuring it out."
Lipman’s new work, Natasha: Vygotskian Dialogues, falls between the two genres described above. It is a theoretical work, raising questions about the correspondences between his approach to, and justification of, teaching philosophy for children and the work of such Russian theorists as Vygotsky, Leont’ev and Davydov. However, Lipman draws on the philosophy for children format in presenting the debate. Natasha is a fictional tale about the eponymous heroine, a Russian scholar. She visits Lipman and cross questions him about approaches to education. The complexities of their lives intervene in their debates, just as plot lines interweave in the novels Lipman writes for children. Philosophical discussion is interrupted by coffee and "delicious cookies," moments of misunderstanding and even an accident.
For those who have followed Lipman’s work closely, Natasha: Vygotskian Dialogues raises many tantalizing questions: What pedagogical theories gave rise to philosophy for children? What role do philosophical debates play in Lipman’s novels? How does Lipman himself justify his approach? There are, however, no easy answers. The conversation wings between remarks about when Lipman had first read Vygotsky (probably in an early translation of the first chapter of Thought and Language in the journal Psychiatry), through excerpts from the novels which make ‘Vygotskian’ claims, to careful exegesis.
The issues raised by Natasha and the narrator-here a version of Matthew Lipman himself-cut to the heart of educational theory. They discuss Vygotsky’s insight that children learn best in the "zone of proximal development" rather than in cognitive isolation. For Vygotsky, when children work in a group, the teacher and other students can provide a framework or scaffolding, and allow students to leapfrog stages of intellectual development. This is related to Lipman’s procedure in the philosophy for children classroom, which is to encourage participants to "engage.. in cognitive cooperation with their peers and mentors" (p.45). Davydov’s argument that abstraction precedes concrete knowledge is also closely linked to the procedure in philosophy for children, in which children are invited to speculate on abstract matters much earlier than Piagetian models would prescribe.
However, it is not easy to summarize the argument of Natasha: Vygotskian Dialogues. It calls out for further discussion. Very often, as with the philosophy for children texts, the story is there to stimulate debate, to give rise to further clarification. This is true not just of the philosophical exposition, but of the tale of Natasha and her family. There is a subtext of expatriate politics, of illness and recovery, and questions about the adoption of philosophy for children in Russia since the events of 1990-1991. The novel not only deals with the influence of and correspondence between Lipman’s work and that of Russian theorists, but also with Russian reactions to philosophy for children. In an afterword, Arkady Margolis, Director of the Department of Teacher Education and of the Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Education, describes his view of the links between major Russian theorists and Lipman’s approach. Perhaps the tantalizing fact that Lipman’s work has received greater official recognition in Russia than in the United States is related to the congruence between his approach and that of the Russian theorists he discusses.
Lipman himself shows evident delight in recounting his experiences in Russia. He quotes with wonder one child’s response to his question of whether all one’s thoughts need to be supported by reasons-
"Only those you express; not those you think"
The thoughts expressed inNatasha: Vygotskian Dialogues move on a variety of levels, encompassing games, reflexive fun and serious philosophical reflection. It will take some time to figure out the reasons for the thoughts Lipman has expressed here.
Selected Works of Matthew Lipman:
Lipman. M. (1985) "Thinking Skills Fostered by Philosophy for Children" in (ed) Segal, J.W., Chipman, S.F. & Glaser, R. Thinking and Learning Skills Vol 1, Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Ass 83-108
Lipman, M. (1988) "Critical Thinking: What can it be?" Educational Leadership, pp 38-41
Lipman, M. (1991) Thinking in Education, Cambridge: CUP
Lipman, M. (1990) Elfie, IAPC, Upper Montclair: N.J
Lipman, M. (1984) Kio and Gus, IAPC, Upper Montclair: N.J
Lipman, M. (1981) Pixie, IAPC, Upper Montclair: N.J.
Lipman, M. (1974) Harry Stottlemeier’s Discovery, IAPC: Upper Montclair, N.J.
Lipman, M. (1976) Lisa, IAPC: Upper Montclair, N.J.
Lipman, M. (1978) Suki, IAPC: Upper Montclair, N.J.
Lipman, M. (1980) Mark, IAPC: Upper Montclair, N.J.
Lipman, M. and Sharp, A.M. (1984) Wondering at the World: Instructional Manual to Accompany Kio and Gus, IAPC: Upper Montclair, N.J.
Lipman, M. and Sharp, A.M. (1981). Looking at Meaning. Instructional Manual Accompany Pixie, IAPC, Upper Montclair, N.J.
Lipman, M. and Sharp, A.M. (1979). Philosophical Inquiry. Instructional Manual to Accompany Harry Stottlemeier’s Discovery, (2nd ed.), IAPC: Upper Montclair, N.J.
Lipman, M. and Sharp A.M (1983). Ethical Inquiry Instructional Manual to Accompany Lisa, 2nd ed. in preparation, IAPC: Upper Montclair, N.J.
Lipman, M. and A.M. Sharp (1980). Writing, How and Why. Instructional Manual to Accompany Suki, IAPC: Upper Montclair, N.J.
Lipman, M. and A.M. Sharp (1980a). Social Inquiry. Instructional Manual to Accompany Mark, IAPC: Upper Montclair, N.J.