101 Philosophy Problems 

Rare Collectable First Edition

My impression, he goes on, is "that some are too difficult". 
 

Martin Cohen takes up the challenge:

What would Bertie Russell have said, Harry! Philosophy problems are meant to be difficult. After all, the problems are more interesting than the answers.

Actually, the introduction to the book foresees such attempts to use it so. (After all, '101' is not primarily a textbook, it is - I like to imagine anyway! - to be read for pleasure.) It even warns against 'throwing problems to students like bones to dogs', whether to be anxiously gnawed over or happily chewed. Students may be grateful enough at what Harry Gensler calls 'the change of pace' - even perhaps in some classes at a temporary release from the drone of philosophical facts being supplied, but such an approach can sometimes become essentially unphilosophical. 

Far better is to see the problems as tools for stimulating thinking, and real, meaningful discussion. Debate and discussion is a group activity, not a solitary one. Philosophy, I am sure, is best carried out on the same basis, although all too rarely it seems that it is.

So how can philosophy problems be used best in a 'learning context'?  Actually the answer is the same as in a 'fun' context, and there should be no surprise in that.

I have tried throughout '101' to present philosophy problems as ones which students engage in, with their tutors, as equals. There is no reason, in principle, why their insights are not as important, not only as those of professors, but indeed those of 'famous philosophers'. (This, of course, is also the 'Socratic' approach.)

In a tutorial, seminar, or lecture group - or any toher group just interested in discussing philosophy - I have found distribution of written 'scenarios' together with subdivision of the whole into smaller groups of say 3-5, is one good starting point. Each small group is then charged with a responsibility to arrive at a collective view - very difficult often given the nature of the problems! This they then present to the larger group, and justify their conclusions.

For myself, I have been constantly surprised, amazed and encouraged by the clarity, intuition and perception of the open-minded in approaching philosophy problems which more tutored thinkers make heavy weather of, and so little progress on. This is what 101 is all about - developing critical thinking skills, rationality, logical skills, but also intuition and empathy - and human skills. 

And these last are best fostered in debate. 

I use a handful of the scenarios to initiate a debate and discussion tangentially related to the topic and course under discussion. I do not attempt to pin the debate down very precisely - if the problem is apparently rather different from their practical concerns, then the students will always identify the important links for themselves - even discover new ones I had not thought of.

Some examples

Universities:

Martin Cohen has used the problems with all levels of undergraduate students and on specialist courses

In a course on the origins of social inequality for people likely to become social workers, youth workers and so on, for a Community Studies degree course, I considered Problems 11 and 12 and 21-23, the 'Diktatia' series of public policy debates, as too literal - looked at from the point of view of Community Studies, questions about the whether sweets (read drugs) should be banned are likely to more political than philosophical! I found, however, through checking key words in the index in the back of the book, that Problems 50 and 51, 'Indispositional Problems', were concerned with the question of 'human nature' . This connected with my lecture on Hobbes and Rousseau differing views of this important matter, and addition the following problem, 'The Sleeping man', introduced the philosophical concept of 'free will', a different aspect the group made the connection to for themselves.

Other courses, such as the ubiquitous American Philosophy 101 introduction courses, lend themselves to similar free-ranging discussions but largely drawing on the 'paradoxical' and 'logical' problems of the first part of the book.

Courses on bioethics and medical ethics, I have found, tend to be helped by at least initially starting with problems which have a specifically bioethical aspect, (Problems 72-78, for example) but by using problems couched in imaginary language, I have found they help to keep nursing or medical students on the philosophical aspects, and to transcend the limits of any one scenario.

A course on Applied Social Studies did indeed consume numerous 'problems', but as it says in the introduction, it is best to take problems one at a time, in philosophy as in life, and not risk problem 'overload'!

The problems are triggers, not material in themselves, just as philosophy should be a process, not a body of material to be passively learned, That at least, is the my starting point, and the philosophy behind '101'.

Schools:

Michael Brett (teacher, UK) uses the problems with classes between the ages of 10 and 13.

Which problems work best with school students? 

" I find they like the economic ones - esp Frederick's stamps,
potatoes etc., and the puzzle-y type things esp the barber who can't cut his
own hair etc.

I bought a similar [book to 101 Philosophy Problems] American one called The Book of
Questions -which had lots of questions which I thought they'd like -most of
which were ethical- but they preferred 101's 'barber', 'stamps and potatoes'...

I've learned that they like to see a point to what they are thinking about:
understanding economics, money etc., or the interest of puzzles. They aren't
that bothered about questions that bear little on their lives -  as they see
them."
 
 

And now for something, if not completely, at least slightly different. Let's have a student perspective. Here's this from a web chat group

Cornelia asked:

Hello. My name is Cornelia Privitera, I'm 17 years old and living in Austria. My problem is the
following: At my school, I'm obliged to teach my school mates for 2 weeks about any topic I like! As I am a philosophy lover I would like to give my schoolmates an insight into philosophy. I want to light their interest in philosophy and make them wonder about every day things!

[Teacher: Yes, yes!]

My problem is that I don't know how to teach them! All I know for certain is that I don't want to tell them about the Greek philosophers or the history of philosophy, as it might not be of great interest for a bunch of 16 year old students!

[Teacher: hmmmm...]

I would like to teach them about ethics, religion...things they face every day! But how can I do that? Are there any philosophical games we could do in class room!? Do you have any tips on how I can introduce them to the topic?

Tim Sprod replies on the list

My recommendation is to try to get hold of Martin Cohen's book 101 Philosophy Problems
(Routledge) and to pick one or more that you like. 

[MC: Good advice, Tim!] 

Then ask your classmates to ask questions about the problem you have chosen. Once you have their questions, invite the class to try to answer them. If you can't get the book, [ MC: Try harder!] pick out a couple of philosophical problems you like and try the same method (Gyges' Ring in Plato's The Republic is a good one).

There is a whole movement of teachers and philosophers who want to get school students discussing philosophy. In Austria, one of the leaders of this movement is Daniella Camhy, in Graz.

Those interested in some of the pedagogical ideas some people say are lurking behind '101', in particular the use of small group discussions, (but be warned off 'Philosophy as a blood sport'!) might like to see the report on Philosophy Teaching in the UK produced by George MacDonald Ross with Martin Cohen and Jim Parry, which is archived at Liverpool University at: 

Philosophy and enterprise The original report on small group discussions in Philosophy teaching. 

George MacDonald Ross's new enterprising inititiative...a honey of a philosophy network including...

GMR's article on Socratic Method versus sophism or (worse) Aristotelianism

and an article by Martin Cohen on the use of 'problems' in particular

And here's a jolly picture of a keen 'problems based' reader! (Perhaps, 'the only'.) From the UK.

Some reviews of 101 Philosophy Problems and 101 Ethical Dilemmas

 

The second edition featuring Daisy from Problem 1, 'the cow in the field'

The third edition, illustrated by the French artit, Judit, and  featuring a rabbit from nowhere very much...

and a serious looking German edition

Dodgy Chinese mainland editon with publisher's name across cover image - actual book lacks this feature...

The Dutch edition, with a wise, but subversively inclined, owl

Chinese edition cover,Taiwan. The alien is saying "all Martians are liars"

The Spanish edition, featuring a tangled Mobius loop, partially coloured in.
 
 

And a more mysterious Piper edition for Germany

Spanish Miscellaneous edition

Farsi version for Babylonia 

Classical edition for Portuguese readers