Tangible Philosophy

Eli Shupe recognizes that many philosophical concepts aren’t so easy to parse.

But the assistant professor of philosophy and humanities has an answer for that: Make Philosophy, her collaborative, open pedagogy project offering a repository of original 3D prints, lesson plans, and more, all designed to teach learners of any age about philosophical problems.

With her team of researchers, including Morgan Chivers, the maker literacies librarian for experiential learning and director of open pedagogy for Make Philosophy, and Iliana Martinez, an undergraduate interactive media major, Shupe is developing tangible, interactive “toys” to help facilitate learning and engaging with thought experiments.

Providing this kind of hands-on experience for undergraduate students is an important part of the program, one that benefits both the student and the project, Shupe says.

Beyond the challenges inherent in making these thought experiments into objects that students can hold and manipulate, Chivers is intrigued by the potential impact of Make Philosophy.

“These thought experiments are all designed to help people think through some of life’s big questions,” he says. “It’s crucial for a healthy society to have people who are thoughtful and empathetic; hopefully, Make Philosophy can play some small role in students’ growth toward these ideals.”