Dialogues on Abolition

This discussion-focused worksheet is designed for students in Grades 8, 9, and 10 to deepen understanding of C.S. Lewis’s The Abolition of Man through structured Socratic dialogue. Learners respond to seven open-ended prompts addressing morality, technology, human nature, and ethical authority, then generate follow-up questions that invite deeper conversation, encouraging analytical thinking, respectful debate, and collaborative meaning-making around complex philosophical ideas.

Learning Goals

• Collaborative Discussion Skills (Grades 8-10)
  Students practice contributing thoughtful ideas and questions in a structured dialogue format.
• Ethical Analysis & Philosophical Reasoning
  Learners examine Lewis’s arguments about objective value, moral education, and human nature.
• Constructing Open-Ended Questions
  Activities help students generate inquiry-driven questions that advance discussion.
• Evaluating Arguments Through Dialogue
  Students analyze, challenge, and refine ideas through peer interaction and reflection.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource
  Designed by educators to align with secondary ELA, philosophy, and speaking/listening standards.
• Socratic Seminar Ready
  Built specifically to support discussion-based instruction and collaborative learning.
• Structured Yet Flexible Format
  Initial responses and follow-up questions balance preparation with open exchange.
• Promotes Respectful Debate
  Encourages listening, responding thoughtfully, and engaging with multiple viewpoints.
• Printable & No-Prep
  Easy to implement in classroom or homeschool discussion settings.

This Dialogues on Abolition worksheet helps students engage deeply with Lewis’s philosophical arguments through conversation rather than lecture. By preparing responses and questions for Socratic discussion, learners strengthen critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and communication skills. Whether used as preparation for a seminar or as a reflective dialogue activity, this printable resource supports meaningful, student-driven exploration of moral philosophy.

This worksheet is part of our Abolition of Man collection.