A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest

by Lynn Cherry and Mark J. Plotkin

Questions for Philosophical Discussion
by Heather Slutz
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Sickness and Health:

1. When we get sick we go to see a doctor, but Kamanya saw a shaman.
2. Would you go to a shaman? Why or why not?
3. What makes something a medicine?
4. Can medicine come from plants?
5. Do you know of any medicinal plants?

Exploration and Religion:

1. What are missionaries?
2. What did the missionaries overlook when they claimed they were bringing religion to the village?
3. It is good that missionaries shared their religon with the Tirio village?
4. Can there be more than one God?
5. Is a religon based on one god better than one based on multiple or many gods?
6. Is the missionaries religon better than the religion of the Tirio people?
   

Wisdom and Shamanism:

1. It is said that the shaman is wise. Do you think the shaman is wise?
2. Do you know anyone who is wise?
3. When attending school you learn lots of things. Does this mean that you are wise?
4. Is wisdom the same thing as knowledge?
5. What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?
6. Is it important for the book of medicinal plants to be translated into Tirio for future shamans?

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