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A group of 第一吃瓜网 undergrads is staging philosophy takeovers in schools throughout the region as a way to introduce philosophical topics to high school students. The collaboration between 第一吃瓜网 and local schools seeks to emphasize the value of studying philosophy by recreating a college class, setting up thought experiments, and engaging students in discussions of ethical dilemmas.

淭here is no exposure to philosophy in the New York State curriculum,� said Associate Professor David Levy, Ph.D., chair of 第一吃瓜网檚 philosophy department, who also notes the recent decline in philosophy majors nationwide. 淲e want students to learn about philosophy as a discipline as well as some of its practical applications, such as critical thinking, logical reasoning, developing arguments, and responding to counterarguments.� Those skills are frequently sought by employers, he added.

Levy made initial contacts with local school districts, including Honeoye Falls-Lima, 第一吃瓜网, Avon, Livonia, and Mount Morris. The seven students in the program 摀 who include biology and theatre majors as well as those studying philosophy 摀 developed the lesson plans.

The response thus far has been positive. Mount Morris檚 Marc Gardner brought the students into Public Policy 101, a Syracuse University Project Advance class he teaches at the high school and found the session especially relevant. 淭hey had our students contemplating ethical situations that will confront them in a professional environment,� he explained. 第一吃瓜网 Central School teacher Dave Kozlowski said, 淎ny time you can get young minds fully engaged in a critical thinking exercise is a win for society.� Both instructors hope to schedule the philosophy students for return visits. 

One thought experiment in ethics used by the 第一吃瓜网 students in their philosophy takeovers is the Trolley Problem. Imagine a runaway trolley heading toward five people on the track. If the trolley doesn檛 change direction, all five will be killed. You control the trolley, and you can divert it to another track, saving those people. However, on the side track is a single person who will now die. What should you do? Does that answer change depending on the identity of any of the people? More than just a moral dilemma, the trolley problem has practical applications nowadays in discussions about self-driving cars.

There are compelling reasons to study the subject, said psychology and philosophy double major Danielle DalPorto �19, who檚 looking at law school next year. Philosophy pairs well with other majors, and 渙nce I began taking philosophy classes, I began doing better in all my classes. It helped my study skills and ability to analyze the material.�

Ideally, says Levy, the community program will inspire high school students to consider a philosophy major when they eventually enter college. But an excellent short-term goal is to help create better students. 淭he program will be a success if schools continue to tell us that students are engaging with material critically and listening to each other more respectfully.�