Tim LeBon's Personal Development through Philosophy and Psychology Newsletter. Issue 4 July 2007
Tim LeBon
Harry Potter - the end is nigh, but for who?
| Harry Potter and the Philosophers' Predictions |  |
As the publication date for the final installment in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, looms ever closer, the questions left unanswered in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince become every more urgent. As a Potter fan, I've been musing over questions like "Is Snape really evil?" and "Will Harry die?" ever since reading the (literally) shocking last chapters of book 6. I've re-asked them when listening to Stephen Fry's excellent reading of the book with my kids. And I became more worried when J.K. Rowling spoke of book 7 involving a "bloodbath" in her recent TV interview with Jonathan Ross (even if she did backtrack on this a bit).
My own hunch is that Snape can't be on the side of the Death-Eaters, because that would turn Dumbledore into a Neville character of the worst kind - Chamberlain not Longbottom. Dumbledore is really wise, right, so he can't make such a howler? Regarding Harry's survival -well I'd hate to see him die, but after JKR's "bloodbath" comment I'm a bit concerned. In the same interview she also said "I think that Harry's story comes to quite a clear end in Book Seven". Are we to see a Hamlet-like ending in which all the major protagonists are killed? As a reader who has seen none of Rowling's plot twists coming, perhaps I ought to leave the serious predicting to the experts....
But which experts? The fan sites are full of predictions, and I'm sure the correct ones must be there somewhere - but where? It so happens that three excellent books have been written by academics about the philosophy in Harry Potter. Perhaps "lovers of wisdom" who are also lovers of Harry Potter books can set my mind at rest. I tracked down the books' authors and they were kind enough to share their thoughts with us ...
 |
 |
 |
|
The Wisdom of Harry Potter |
If Harry Potter ran General Electric |
Harry Potter and Philosophy |
It's been said that if you put 3 philosophers in a room together and ask them a question, you'll usually hear at least 4 different answers. Surprisingly - and perhaps significantly - there was almost complete agreement amongst these three Potterphile philosophers.
So, over to Professors Kern, Morris and Klein ...
Read the full article at http://www.timlebon.com/blog/2007/07/harry-potter-end-is-nigh-but-for-who.html
Increasing numbers of schools in the UK now offer philosophy and
philosophy-related subjects such as critical thinking as part of their
curriculum.
The momentum for philosophy with children has grown since
research in Scotland, which demonstrated an IQ gain of over 6
points for primary
school children who had done philosophy with children.
But philosophy with
children is happening a lot closer to home than Scotland and is being developed
in innovative ways.
Peter Worley, 34, is a philosophical
practitioner who for the last four years has been developing his own successful
approach to teaching philosophy to London primary school children. I caught up
with Peter recently to find out exactly what happens when you mix philosophy and
eight-year olds ...
 London-based philosopher and teacher Peter Worley |
Tim LeBon: Peter, If I was to attend one of your "Philosophy in Schools" classes, what would I see?
PeterWorley: I think the best way to illustrate a session is to describe one...
Read the full article at http://www.timlebon.com/blog/2007/06/philosophy-in-schools-tim-lebon.html
Whilst probably not 500-1 - the odds offered against
England winning the 1981 Headlingley test before Botham's heroics - the chances
of Ian "Beefy" Botham becoming a knight of the realm must at one time have been
rated as pretty slim Even his own autobiography [2000 edition] describes itself
as "an intriguing cocktail of sex and drug allegations,personal upheavals [and]
confrontations with his peers" - as well as "remarkable achievements both on and
off the field"
Today few would deny the merits of Botham's knighthood. Raising over ten million pounds for leukemia-related children's charities far outweighs what are now discounted as minor blemishes. Yet the misdemenours didn't seem so out of character at the time. If you had to compare Botham to a Shakespearian hero, it would surely be that epitome of out-of-control hedonism, Sir John Falstaff. As Michael Henderson wrote back in 2000 :-
Watching [Botham] in his pomp must have been like eavesdropping on Falstaff in an Eastcheap tavern, as he feasted on sack and capons - though even the Lord of Misrule might have struggled to keep up with Botham on a heavy night.
|
 |
Read the full article at http://www.timlebon.com/blog/2007/06/beefy-compassion-and-road-to-meaning.html
These articles - and others - can also be found on my personal development through Philosophy and Psychology blog, Socrates Satisfied
Have a great summer
Tim LeBon
