Educating for good questioning as a democratic skill

This chapter presents a central line of argument in support of educating for good questioning, namely, that doing so advances the aims of democracy and so benefits democratic society. It argues that good questioning aids understanding of democratic processes and institutions. The chapter shows that good questioning facilitates participation in democratic processes and institutions. In order to present the case in support of educating for good questioning as a democratic skill, it draws on two distinct but complementary movements in the philosophy of education: democratic education and skills-based education. The democratic education movement and the skills-based education movement together provide a rich theoretical framework for advancing the case in support of educating for good questioning as a democratic skill. The chapter identifies several distinct contributions that the skill of good questioning makes to democratic society. It highlights the ubiquity and import of questioning in contemporary democracy at both the individual and societal levels.