Occupation Author Name Christopher Phillips Notable works Socrates Cafe | Period 1996–present Nationality United States Role Author | |
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Alma mater College of William & Mary (B.A.) Montclair State University(M.Ed) Edith Cowan University (Ph.D) Books Constitution Cafe: Jefferson, Socrates Cafe: A Fresh Tas, Six Questions of Socrates, Socrates in love, Damned Yankee |
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Christopher Phillips (born July 15, 1959) is an American author, educator, and pro-democracy advocate. He is best known for his 2001 book Socrates Café. Public Radio International called Phillips the "Johnny Appleseed of Philosophy."
Contents
- Christopher phillips biochemical weapons specialist arrested in ottawa
- Christopher phillips on between the lines full episode
- Early life and education
- Cafs
- Academic career
- Books
- Papers
- NPR features
- References

Phillips's latest book The Philosophy of Childing: Unlocking Creativity, Curiosity and Reason through the Wisdom of Our Youngest was published in May 2016. Foreword Reviews says this about it: "More concerned with opening communication and dialogues than drawing hard conclusions,The Philosophy of Childing is a springboard for debate, addressing everything from moral development and imagination to the idea of “ripeness” as a human being."
Christopher phillips on between the lines full episode
Early life and education
Phillips relates in his latest work, The Philosophy of Childing, that he read Plato's Socratic dialogues when he was about 12. After graduating from Menchville High School, he received a BA in Government from the College of William & Mary; In 1997, he earned an M.A.T. in Teaching from Montclair State University, and studied in the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children. In 2000, he earned an M.A. external degree in Humanities, with an emphasis in philosophy, at California State University, Dominguez Hills; He also has a Master of Science in natural sciences degree from Delta State University, which was the first of his master's degrees. Phillips received a Ph.D. in communications from Edith Cowan University in Australia.
Cafés
Phillips freelanced for national magazines—and before that was a school teacher and newspaper reporter—before launching Socratic explorations in cafés, coffeehouses, diners, day care centers, nursing homes, assisted-living residence, churches, schools (where the gatherings are sometimes called Philosophers' Club), universities, hospices and prisons. Phillips' idea of having open-invitation meetings in cafes to methodically delve into philosophical questions in Socratic fashion was inspired in part by Matthew Lipman, the founder of the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children who was dedicated to introducing philosophy into schools and under whom Phillips studied, as well as by Marc Sautet, whose Café Philosophique Phillips became aware of after reading an article about Sautet. In his most recent book "Constitution Café," Phillips chronicles his journey across the US facilitating dialogues, with a version of the Socratic Method that he developed for the Socrates Cafés, combined with the Jeffersonian idea of democratic freedom and inclusiveness. His latest endeavor is the Declaration Project, featuring a comprehensive collection of declarations of independence, causes, rights, principles from across the ages and continents, and MyDeclaration, where visitors to the site can post personal declarations.
Academic career
Phillips was a 2012 recipient of the Distinguished American Leadership Award, along with Adam Braun, founder of Pencils of Promise. He is the founder of Democracy Cafe, a nonprofit dedicated to creating more open and participatory societies, and which includes advisory board member Lawrence Lessig. Phillips has also taught in the graduate program Media, Culture and Communication at New York University, and at the University of Pennsylvania as a Senior Writing Fellow. He has been Senior Education Fellow at the National Constitution Center and 2014-15 Network Fellow at the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University. He also blogs at Huffington Post, as well as on the SocratesCafe.com and Childing.org sites.
Books
The books published by Phillips are (the ISBNs refer to paperback editions, where available):
Children's book:
Papers
Phillips wrote, among many others, the following papers: