ABSTRACT

The late 1980s and early 1990s was a period of intense debate around the value of using different types of stimulus material to promote philosophical inquiry. Why had Lipman, Sharp, and others written dedicated stories? Was there anything about these narratives that made them more suitable to engaging children in philosophical inquiry than using good children’s literature? In 1990 the Victorian Philosophy for Children Association established a special sub-committee to explore this question. Jennifer Glaser published its findings in an article titled What’s so Special about this Story Anyway? In this chapter Glaser reflects on this article in light of her current understanding of the genre in which these stories were written.