We have conversations all day long and are in constant contact with each other, we all ask questions, but how many of us are asking the right questions? Often, we are more talking than listening, whereas the right question can get a valuable conversation going.
Elke Wiss is the founder of The Thinking Mind and works as a speaker, author and trainer. Elke guides philosophical conversations and provides training and education in critical thinking, practical philosophy, the art of questioning and creative thinking. She develops thinking materials, e-books, workshops and thinking pathways and online products around thinking and creativity. She also writes books, articles and a column in Philosophy Magazine and can be hired as a speaker.
Practical Guide
Elke wrote the book 'Socrates on sneakers' a practical guide to asking good questions using Socrates and other famous philosophers. More than 100,000 copies have been sold and that is a major achievement in the Netherlands.
What is your background that led you to writing this book?
"That actually started when I was working as a theater producer and theater teacher. I was making performances with actors about quite abstract subjects. I felt in myself a kind of need for tools to structure my own thinking, but also to ask better questions of my actors. It started as a need of my own and then from there I became a preacher after all, because when I was introduced to practical philosophy. Then I thought how come we all don't know this?".
Philosophy
Elke purchased a home study package. But when she saw the quality, she was closer to crying than to laughing. "I then thought, who has specialized professionally in thinking clearly and critically and in asking carefully sharp questions? They are philosophers! Especially the practical philosophy where you learn to ask good questions and think critically". So in the end, according to Elke, choosing philosophy was a very logical option.
Curious about questioning skills, technique, tips and pitfalls? And how best to use them? Then listen to the latest episode!
Links
More about Elke Wiss
Find the book 'Socrates on sneakers' here.
More about the Working Professor
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