The Philosophical Child

What does it mean to be good? Why do people die? What is friendship? Children enter the world full of questions and wrestle with deep, thoughtful issues, even if they do not always wonder them aloud. Many parents have the desire to discuss philosophical ideas with their children, but are unsure how to do so. The Philosophical Child offers parents guidance on how to gently approach philosophical questions with children of all ages. Jana Mohr Lone argues that for children to mature emotionally, they must develop their desire and ability to think abstractly about themselves and their experiences. This book suggests easy ways that parents can engage with their children's philosophical questions and help them develop their "philosophical selves."

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments Chapter 1 – The Philosophical Self Chapter 2 – Philosophical Sensitivity Chapter 3 –Death, Reality and Identity Chapter 4 –Knowledge and Belief Chapter 5 –Morality and How to Live Chapter 6 –Art and Beauty Chapter 7 – What Do We Want for Our Children? Bibliography

About the Author :
Jana Mohr Lone is the director of the University of Washington Center for Philosophy for Children.

Review :
University of Washington’s Jana Mohr Lone, director of the Northwest Center for Philosophy for Children, gives her advice to parents on how to approach philosophical questions with children. The book offers guidance on answering abstract questions such as “What is happiness?” and “What does it mean to be real?” We owe it to our children and to the future of our world to heed the lessons of this book. Call it the work of real philosophy, or call it simply the joyful work of nourishing the love of Truth and the Good. Whatever we call it, this warm and wise guide shows us why we must bring philosophy to our children (and, at the same time, to ourselves). Jana Mohr Lone is at the forefront of the burgeoning movement to support philosophical inquiry among children. In this book she draws on years of experience with children, teachers, and parents to offer--in accessible, lucid prose--workable suggestions for how to inspire children to philosophical exploration. The book could just as well have been, What to Expect When They're Reflecting, and deserves to be mandatory reading for anyone teaching or raising a curious child. Mohr Lone (Univ. of Washington) presents both an argument for and description of how to raise children who are philosophically aware. The book includes ample examples of discussions, sometimes led or inspired by children's literature, which will allow parents to engage with children. Throughout, Mohr Lone explicitly draws on the work of the late Gareth Matthews and the late Matthew Lipman, in addition to recent work by Thomas Wartenberg (Mt. Holyoke) and others in the philosophy for children movements. The first two and the last chapters nicely lay out for the uninitiated why philosophy is a key component of raising children who become critical and engaged thinkers; the middle four chapters provide background on some branches of philosophy. Among these "content" chapters the discussion of aesthetics, a generally overlooked aspect of philosophical reflection, is especially welcome. Though the book is aimed at parents, it also could be easily adapted for use in educational settings, and would be of interest to developmental psychologists. Easily integrated into multiple academic programs, this volume will interest anyone who is around children. Summing Up: Highly recommended.