The Philosophical Child

By (author) Jana Mohr Lone

Publication date:

13 September 2012

Length of book:

160 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Dimensions:

236x157mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9781442217324

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."

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

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?”