The philosophical curriculum invented by Matthew Lipman began with Harry Stottlemeier's Discovery, a novel designed to teach children reasoning skills. This work established a movement centered on abstract thinking, shifting educational focus toward inquiry and judgment. Throughout his life, Lipman bridged the gap between academic logic and the classroom, impacting pedagogical methods across multiple countries.
Early Development and Academic Formation
Born in 1923 in Vineland, New Jersey, Lipman pursued undergraduate studies at Stanford University and the Columbia University School of General Studies. His academic trajectory included service in the United States Army during the Second World War. From 1950 to 1951, he held a Fulbright Scholarship at the Sorbonne in Paris. He later completed his Ph.D. at Columbia University in 1953, the same institution where he began a correspondence with John Dewey. His early scholarship, including the 1967 publication What Happens in Art, reflected a deep engagement with the metaphysical system of Justus Buchler.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Philosophy for Children
In 1974, Lipman co-founded the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children at Montclair State College alongside Ann Margaret Sharp. He moved away from traditional lecturing to develop a genre of philosophical novels for elementary and high school students. These books, accompanied by instructional manuals, introduced the concept of the community of philosophical inquiry. This protocol served as a central training tool for educators and philosophers globally, with Lipman launching the journal Thinking in 1979 to sustain the practice.
Scholarly Output and Later Recognition
Lipman maintained a prolific writing career, authoring 14 books, 53 book chapters, and 83 academic journal articles. His two-volume work Thinking in Education remains a significant contribution to the field. Following his retirement in 2001, he received the American Philosophical Association and Philosophy Documentation Center Prize for Excellence and Innovation. He died in 2010 in West Orange, New Jersey, after a career that spanned decades at institutions such as Brooklyn College, the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Columbia, and Montclair State University.
Fast facts
- Born: 1923, Vineland, New Jersey
- Died: 2010, West Orange, New Jersey
- Education: Columbia University, Stanford University
- Primary Field: Philosophy, Logic
- Key Publication: Thinking in Education
- Notable Role: Founder of Philosophy for Children movement
- Academic Home: Montclair State University (1972-2001)
- Autobiography: A Life Teaching Thinking (2008)
Questions readers ask
What was the primary goal of the Philosophy for Children movement?
The movement aimed to improve children's reasoning, inquiry, and judgment skills by teaching them to think abstractly through philosophical novels.
Did Matthew Lipman work with other scholars to develop his curriculum?
Yes, he co-wrote many instructional manuals with colleagues, most notably Ann Margaret Sharp and Frederick S. Oscanyan.
Achievements
- Held posts at Brooklyn College
- Fields: philosophy and logic
.jpg)
