online philosophy workshops
Developing Thinking Skills
We work together on thinking skills that allow us to be more objective, more serene, more lucid and more open in our daily lives. This work will be particularly useful to professionals in human relations, to parents who wish to have a deeper relationship with their children and to all those who want to develop their ability to better conduct their thinking.
Attitudes make it possible to move forward more confident in reality, more serene in the face of the ruptures in our world and with a spirit that favors astonishment and reflection rather than reaction, defense and withdrawal into oneself.
This practice is mainly derived from Socrates but also incorporates the methodological teachings of more than 2500 years of history of philosophy (for the details of the skills I refer you to my work "philosophical practice" (Eyrolles, 2014).
The goal is to support you in the development of the following skills by practicing exercises:
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Intellectual and behavioral flexibility: to be agile and adapt
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Logic and strength of the argument: to have a more objective speech
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Critical sense and discernment: to identify and respond to problems
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Analysis: to separate the problems
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Synthesis: to communicate clearly and get to the point
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Listening: to understand others
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Questioning: to investigate oneself, others and the world
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Conceptualization: to gain height in the face of the complexity of reality
.....and the adoption of new attitudes:
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Confidence in oneself and in others: to facilitate initiative and commitment
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Presence: to better perceive your environment and others
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Authenticity: for more human and transparent relationships
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Suspension of judgement: to think about a crisis before acting
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Responsibility: to assume one's freedom
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Positive confrontation: to build and deepen new ideas
Developing Thinking Skills
If you want to understand more precisely what this practice consists of, you can make an appointment with me for an individual work session, the first half-hour being free, which will allow you to see the essence of this practice very quickly.
I also have videos available that I can send you.
Finally, you can also give me a call so that we can have a preliminary discussion.
How can we develop individual skills in a group?
Philosophical practice has several original characteristics:
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it lends itself very well to group work because the others become our "sparing partners" as in a martial art where everyone can train with their neighbor and change partners at will. This does not prevent everyone from individually working on their skills under the guidance of the philosopher-practitioner.
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she is not interested in intimacy which means that there is no embarrassment in expressing or acknowledging her problems in the face of thought, especially since we are all in the same boat.
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The problems that philosophical practice deals with are universal: lack of confidence, feeling of being worthless or not up to it, of being an impostor, compulsive speech, permanent confusion, _cc781905- 5cde-3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ inability to construct an argument or to clearly express one's thoughts, fear of judgement...
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the group serves as a "sounding board" or choir as in Greek tragedy, as a fully-fledged interlocutor of the dialogue. Thus the group both contains all the individuals and speaks to each individual.
The 10 Socratic principles
The 10 agreements of the Socratic Pact
As a framework for any consultation or philosophical workshop, here are the few principles that provide a framework for Socratic-type dialogue and that allow you to take full advantage of this approach.
1 - Raison is our framework, it must guide our thoughts and our dialogue. Reason is a demanding passion, free and joyful, boundless and provocative, always in search of truth.
2 - You will answer directly the question but only the question, the whole question, accepting it as it is, without trying to modify it, dilute it or deviate from it, insofar as it is a real question to which we can answer. The question is an invitation to dialogue and a challenge offered by your interlocutor: if he asks you it, it is because he is interested in you and your way of thinking. In the same way, you will also question others, even if it is difficult.
3 - You will trust your interlocutor, without fear of any Machiavellian plan, because you have nothing to lose. We are together to practice thinking, to confront perspectives: not to trap you, convince you or dominate you.
4 - Common sense will be our arbiter. You can go against it in conscience and with reason, but you cannot ignore it by imposing the evidence of your own subjectivity.
5 - You will not be afraid of judgments that will be done upon you, or that you will do upon others, because judgment is a crucial tool of reason, which you must assume and practice. Remember that judgments depend on the arguments on which they are based.
6 - "Know thyself". You will accept questions that challenge you, even if the initial subject does not concern you directly and if it is uncomfortable. A speech is embodied in the one who carries it, and you will have to account for yourself as well as for your speech.
7 - You will not deny what you said: what is said is said. You reveal yourself more by what you say than by what you would have liked to say.Our own words show the finitude and the determination of our being.
8 - You will not seek to be in your right, to impose your opinion or to defend yourself: no one is here to attack you. Dialogue is a mutual reflection where everyone reveals themselves and develops, not a competition.
9 - You will not apologize for what you said or regret it. Everything you say has meaning and expresses your being, however tenuous or powerful, however fallible or accomplished your speech may be. It's just about seeing what is, understanding it and being aware of it as much as possible.
10 - You will temporarily put aside your sincerity, in order to distance from yourself and be more authentic. You will not be attached to your opinions. You will not put forward your emotions as an argument. You will submit your being to criticism, seeking its limits and its faults.