Alexandra Guité

The socioecological crisis has been described not only as an environmental crisis but also as a crisis of attention, perception, and human relationships with the living world. While philosophical dialogue has traditionally emphasized conceptual analysis and argumentation, less attention has been given to the perceptual and affective conditions that make philosophical inquiry possible. This article explores the pedagogical potential of a secular adaptation of lectio divina as a preparatory and hermeneutic practice within environmental and philosophical education. Drawing on pragmatist philosophy (John Dewey), environmental ethics (Val Plumwood, Donna Haraway), contemplative pedagogy, and the philosophy of dialogue, it argues that attention constitutes a fundamental epistemic condition for philosophical inquiry and the development of ecological ethical judgment. Through classroom experiences conducted with college and university students, the article examines how slow, attentive reading can cultivate receptivity, emotional awareness, and critical reflection without abandoning philosophical rigor. Particular attention is given to a classroom activity based on Val Plumwood’s Being Prey, illustrating how affective and embodied responses can initiate philosophical inquiry into anthropocentrism, vulnerability, and ecological interdependence. Rather than replacing conceptual analysis, philosophical lectio divina broadens the conditions under which inquiry emerges by integrating perception, emotion, and lived experience into the formation of judgment. The article concludes that contemplative reading practices can enrich philosophical education by fostering forms of attention that support both critical thinking and ecological responsibility.

Contemporary socioecological crises call for educational approaches that move beyond the transmission of environmental knowledge toward the cultivation of critical judgment and responsible citizenship. This article argues that Philosophy for Children (P4C) offers a valuable framework for enriching environmental education by fostering the epistemic dispositions required to navigate complex ecological challenges. Drawing on virtue epistemology, particularly the work of Linda Zagzebski and Quassim Cassam, the article introduces the concept of epistemic training as a pedagogical process aimed at cultivating intellectual virtues such as humility, curiosity, intellectual flexibility, and epistemic courage while countering epistemic vices including dogmatism, arrogance, oversimplification, and epistemic negligence. Through a theoretical analysis of philosophical dialogue and communities of inquiry, the article examines how collaborative inquiry, deliberation, and multidimensional thinking can strengthen students’ capacity to evaluate information critically, deliberate ethically, and respond thoughtfully to environmental issues. Building on the educational philosophies of John Dewey, Matthew Lipman, Margaret Sharp, and Michel Tozzi, it argues that philosophical dialogue can contribute to the development of ecological citizenship by integrating critical reflection, ethical responsibility, and democratic participation. Ultimately, the article proposes epistemic training as a promising avenue for rethinking philosophy education in support of environmental education and the formation of reflective, intellectually virtuous citizens capable of addressing the complexities of the socioecological crisis.