Sir, - It is indeed a source of mystery why philosophy remains absent from our second level schools, as Michael Tierney points out (EL, April 23rd). This school, however, has been teaching it once a week to all primary and post-primary pupils for the past 15 years. Mr Tierney's article also correctly says that one of the greatest tasks of philosophy is that of ethics, where arguments are examined "using the tools of human reason and reflection on experience".
Readers may not be aware of the contribution of W.B. Yeats to this debate, when, in a pithy statement in the Dáil in February 1926, he said this: "Ireland has produced only two great men of religious genius: John Scottus Eriugena, who lived a long time ago, and Bishop Berkeley, who kept his Plato by his Bible; and Ireland has forgotten both."
Ireland has certainly forgotten what we could call "applied" philosophy. This would seem an ideal time to rediscover what Yeats meant by lauding philosophy in this religious context.
There is a misguided suspicion of philosophy, as if it is opposed in some way to faith and religion. Nothing could be further from the truth. Reason and reflection, far from distancing religion from philosophy, only bring them closer together. The same point was also made in the "Faith and Reason" encyclical by the Pope a couple of years ago.
Let us start again to embrace philosophy, put Plato back beside the Bible, and find out how enjoyable it is to apply reason and reflection to the hugely important issues of the day. The children in this school certainly have found that philosophy adds a new dimension to their lives. - Yours, etc.,
Dr MICHAEL TELFORD,
Principal,
John Scottus School,
Morehampton Road,
Dublin 4.