Description
Book SynopsisThe If Odyssey draws out the philosophy that lies behind each story in Homer''sepic tale to introduce children not only to the exciting fables of Odysseus,but also to that other great Ancient Greek tradition, philosophy. Explore withOdysseus the value of happiness, non-existent entities, moral dilemmas, thephilosophy of prophecy, and the nature of love among many other philosophicalissues. From the author of The If Machine, this book offers stories andsession plans suitable for use across the curriculum with children aged 8-16.Online you''ll find maps of Odysseus'' journey, The Words of Tiresias thatprovides clues for the children as to Odysseus'' progress and an Ancient Greek languageworkshop with accompanying worksheets. You can use the ''Storykit'' section, whichprovides hints and tips on storytelling skills, to bring the tales of TheOdyssey to life and stimulate independent, critical thinking with yourclass.
Trade ReviewThis imaginative journey through the events of Homer's Odyssey will delight and engage children and adults in a philosophical adventure. Worley offers a masterful guide, providing rich philosophical questions and a clearly outlined method to support teachers in nurturing creative and critical thinking in their students. He has interwoven ethics, theory of knowledge, metaphysics, social philosophy, aesthetics into a narrative 'odyssey', using the iconic story of the human search for truth, beauty and goodness. I can easily see this text being adopted in elementary, secondary and even college level. Wendy C. Turgeon, Associate Professor of Philosophy, St. Joseph's College, New York, USA -- Wendy C. Turgeon
What Peter Worley has achieved with The If Odyssey is nothing short of genius! As a secondary school teacher of English, Theories of Knowledge and Philosophy, I find this book an irreplaceable resource. Not only does it present the teacher with crucial pedagogical instruction, but with a systematic program in how to cultivate the requisite skills of storytelling. Moreover, Worley synthesises, with clarity and precision, how to relate key philosophical concepts to each of the stories from The Odyssey. Simply brilliant!? Mark C. Blythe, Teacher and Postgraduate Researcher in Philosophy of Education -- Mark C. Blythe
Anything that inspires people to think and to understand how to think is a great boon. This book is just such a boon, and a great addition to the Worley assault on unthinking-ness. ?Professor A. C. Grayling, Master of the New College of the Humanities -- Professor A. C. Grayling
Brilliantly thought provoking, the If Odyssey hooks you from the start and draws you in as cleverly, compellingly and seemingly effortlessly as if it had been put together by the 'wily' Odysseus himself. This is philosophy at its most approachable. David Stuttard, writer, classical historian and author of Power Games: Ritual and Rivalry at the Ancient Greek Olympics -- David Stuttard
This splendid book by Peter Worley offers excellent material to help teachers introduce philosophical dialogue in their classes. Worley presents a good classic story, adapted to our time while remaining faithful to the original text, and suggests a multitude of activities and didactic orientations. It is one of the most useful books I've ever read. Félix García Moriyón. Presidente of the International Council of Philosophy with children -- Félix García Moriyón
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements \ Preface \ Section One: How to use The If Odyssey \ Introduction \ Ariadne: The Art of Facilitation \ Aoidos: The Lost Art of Storytelling \ Logos: Teaching Strategies \ Section Two: The Odyssey \ 1. The War (The Wooden Horse) \ 2. The Battle (The Ciconians) 3. Happiness and Forgetting (The Lotus Eaters) \ 4. Nobody's Home (The Cyclops) \ 5. Captain or Crew? (Aeolus and the Bag of Winds) \ 6. Dinner Guests (The Laestrygonians) \ 7. Choices (Circe and the Pig Men) \ 8. Under the World (Tiresias and the Underworld) \ Chapter 9. The Singing Women (The Sirens) \ 10. The Horror of The Rocks (Scylla and Charybdis) \ 11. Clouded (The Cattle of Helios) \ 12. The Concealer (The Island of Kalypso) \ 13. The Storyteller (The Phaeacians) \ 14. The Stranger (The Return Home) \ Section Three: After The Odyssey \ Appendix 1: The Hero \ Appendix 2: Introduction to Ancient Greek \ Appendix 3: Ancient Greek Workshop \ Appendix 4: Winged Words (Oidipus and The Riddle of The Sphinx) \ Bibliography
