"06. First Edition (1976) of Lisa" by Matthew Lipman
 

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ISBN

0-916834-034

Target Grades

Middle School

Publication Date

1976

Publisher

Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children

Number of Pages

158

Summary

LISA is the story of a school year in the life of an adolescent girl and her classmates, a year studded with physical, aesthetic and ethical awakenings. Various events in these young people's lives prompt them to puzzle over such issues as animal rights, sexism, racism, justice, divorce and death. All of them struggle with issues of identity and thinking for oneself - philosophical issues of perennial concern to adolescents. As they begin to recognize the ethical dimensions of their experience, Lisa and her friends puzzle over such philosophical concepts as the right, the fair, the good, perfection, and naturalism. In so doing, they become aware of their interdependence with one another and with nature, and begin to appreciate the complexity of ethical concerns and the multiple capacities involved in making sound ethical judgments.

Excerpt

After dinner, Lisa went outside. She had hardly reached the sidewalk when Mr. Johnson came along with his dog on a leash. Mr. Johnson was new to the neighborhood; Lisa really didn't know him ai all. When he and the dog got in front of Lisa's house, the dog spotted a squirrel by a tree and started after it. Mr.Johnson pulled up on the leash and the dog went sprawling. Then it was up again, growling and straining after the squirrel which had disappeared behind the tree. Mr. Johnson started to walk on, but the dog stayed put. The more the leash was pulled and yanked, the more the dog resisted. Mr. Johnson called to his dog, he shouted at it, but the dog did not move. Finally he picked up a small switch from a nearby bush and began to hit the dog which crouched, motionless, absorbing the blows. Lisa stared at the two of them in horror. She couldn't even cry out. Suddenly she sprang forward and tried to grab the switch. "You stop doing that!" she commanded furiously. Surprised, Mr. Johnson snatched the switch clear and turned, saying: "What's it to you?" Beside herself with rage, she blurted out, "I'm a dog too!"

Editions

  • Lipman, Matthew (1983) Lisa. Montclair, NJ: Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children.
  • Lipman, Matthew (1976) Lisa. Montclair, NJ: Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children.

Translations

Keywords

education, ethics, ethical inquiry, middle school curriculum, moral education, philosophy, philosophy for children

Disciplines

Applied Ethics | Education | Philosophy

Published Reviews and Research

  • Hanna, Patricia (1982) Review of Lisa by Matthew Lipman and Ethical Inquiry: Instructional Manual to Accompany Lisa by Matthew Lipman, Ann Margaret Sharp, and Frederick S. Oscanyan. Teaching Philosophy 5(3): 234-236.
  • Reed, T.M. (1980) Review of Lisa by Matthew Lipman. Journal of Moral Education 10(1): 70-71.
  • Martin, Michael (1977) Review of Lisa by Matthew Lipman. Teaching Philosophy 2(2): 205-210.

06. First Edition (1976) of Lisa

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