Should philosophy be taught to children?

by kir Posted 2012/06/29 21:01:52

Related Topics: Exercise, Philosophy, Education, Country, Countries

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	Yes, children should study philosophy.	19 votes	68%
	No, children should not study philosophy.	3 votes	11%
	What is philosophy?	1 vote	4%
	Undecided	5 votes	18%

Philosophy is a wonderful exercise of the mind; it teaches us to question that which we think we know. In many other countries philosophy education begins at a young age, should it be the case here as well?

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Zeruke 2012/07/14 21:55:10 (edited)

Yes, children should study philosophy.

I myself was studying philosophy by myself before I entered Jr High because I'v always went out of my way to read any book

for that one of the books that I like a lot and for that matter re-reading right now is "An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals" by David Hume (can be found at Project Gutenberg http://www.gutenberg.org/eboo... )

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dePSyChO 2012/07/08 23:10:03

Yes, children should study philosophy.

+1
Anyone who says no has no clue why philosophy is so important.

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Angi 2012/06/30 20:34:53

Undecided

I think children can be very philosophical but yes but not when they are very young.

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kir to Angi 2012/07/02 12:57:43

Philosophy is all about asking questions; that's something children are great at doing. Children around the world learn philosophy, starting at a very young age so why can't American children?

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Angi to kir 2012/07/02 13:13:20

I think you make a good point.

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kir to Angi 2012/07/02 14:32:50

+1
Thank you.

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Dogman 2012/06/30 12:28:13

Yes, children should study philosophy.

Under what circumstance would we not want children to think?

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kir to Dogman 2012/06/30 12:30:44

+1
Authoritarians who run the education system don't want children to think: http://politicoid.blogspot.co...

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Dogman to kir 2012/06/30 12:41:07

No argument from me there. The educational system in America is a mess. I didn't know that we were entering a debate on the educational system. The question asked; "Should philosophy be taught to children?"

My answer to that question is a resounding "yes". Everyone should be taught to reason and use logic to find the truth. This can be done at any age if the lesson is age appropriate.

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kir to Dogman 2012/06/30 12:46:06

Not only can it be done, but it must be done or else this country will continue on its fast decline; at least that's my opinion.

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Radical Ed 2012/06/30 11:38:18

Yes, children should study philosophy.

me and a group of schoolmates were able to get a petition approved for philosophy to be taught in the upper years, too bad we left for college the same year.

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kir to Radical Ed 2012/06/30 12:31:11

I'm glad to see people are making an effort. Keep it up!

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Scott 2012/06/30 07:30:27

Undecided

Can the average child's mind grasp the complexities of philosophy?

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kir to Scott 2012/06/30 11:12:44

The average adult mind can not grasp the concepts of philosophy. You start off light and then build up. The only way for anyone's mind to be able to grasp the complexities of philosophy is to practice philosophy.

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Scott to kir 2012/06/30 17:56:37

Do you think that most young children would take an interest in philosophy though?

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kir to Scott 2012/06/30 18:00:40

Oh definitely! Children are already inclined to asking questions; philosophy natures that natural tendency.

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Scott to kir 2012/06/30 18:19:31

Never cared much for it myself.

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kir to Scott 2012/06/30 18:22:46

When was the first time you came into contact with the concept of philosophy?

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Scott to kir 2012/07/02 12:24:37

Probably when I got to college. My friend was studying the subject but it held no appeal to me.

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kir to Scott 2012/07/02 12:58:47

That's my point: most people aren't inerested because it's not until the time they get into college that they are even given the option of thinking in a philosophical way; it's completely foreign to them.

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RicardoCabeza 2012/06/30 02:36:28

Yes, children should study philosophy.

+1
Perhaps the critical process of thought being instilled at young ages would give them very large brains.

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Kryo 2012/06/30 01:27:05

No, children should not study philosophy.

They should develop their own philosophy (like I'm doing right now!).

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kir to Kryo 2012/06/30 01:34:00

How can one develop their only skills in philosophy without others? How do you even know to ask questions such as is there right and wrong, do we have free will, etc without someone at least lighting the flame of wondering?

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KrSpo 2012/06/29 22:49:30

Yes, children should study philosophy.

absolutely, it broadens the mind

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OPOA912 2012/06/29 22:04:59

No, children should not study philosophy.

How about the Constitution so they won't find themselves in the same mess as we are today.

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kir to OPOA912 2012/06/29 22:05:41

+1
And without the understanding to question why the constitution is so important and why we should worry about violations of the constitution what's the post?

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serethiel 2012/06/29 22:02:57

Yes, children should study philosophy.

+1
i wish my school taught it. instead, i have to look up the things i want to learn. i'm finding it hard not to blame the education boards for this - shouldn't schools have the child's best interests?

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kir to serethiel 2012/06/29 22:04:40

That's partially why I posted the link above with this post; the education system being as it is was not unintentional: http://politicoid.blogspot.co...

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serethiel to kir 2012/06/29 22:15:31

i know, i read it. it is very informative. however, i live in the UK, and so perhaps the statistics would be different if they were recorded here? i think at least people should have the *option* to study philosophy, and then only take it if they can cope with the understanding and knowledge involved. it's unfair to disallow every student the chance, surely?

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ed 2012/06/29 22:01:30

Yes, children should study philosophy.

it's a good idea it sure beats some of the stuff they are being taught now

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Pops 2012/06/29 21:33:21

Undecided

It isn't?

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kir to Pops 2012/06/29 21:38:54

+1
Nope; most students don't have an introduction to philosophy until they're in college--if ever.

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ed to kir 2012/06/29 22:03:08

+1
it would have to be broke down so they could understand it better

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Pops to kir 2012/06/29 22:39:16

Philosophy is any personal belief about how to live or how to deal with a situation. You may find there is more to learn than what is in a book! ;))

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kir to Pops 2012/06/29 23:02:42

+1
No; that is not philosophy--it is not a personal belief--it is the act of questioning everything and attempting to form an understanding as a whole.

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ray 2012/06/29 21:28:09

Yes, children should study philosophy.

+1
Philosophy and moralistic lessons were incorporated into elementary reading lessons .
Until the Dumbing down movement of the early 70's

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ed to ray 2012/06/29 22:04:44

+1
and even today when they are being taught about same sex marrige as being okay and singing songs of praise to obama

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KrSpo to ed 2012/06/29 22:52:58

Do you get off on trying to hijack someone's thread? This was not a political thread, it is one about what someone would like to see taught or not taught. Has no line of thought towards politics. The absolutely worst thing to happen in the last 20 years is Bush's No Child Left Behind and he teaching of "intelligent design" as a valid science. Both are utter nonsense, and both have completed destroyed the learning process..

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ed to KrSpo 2012/06/29 23:20:10

+1
how do you see that I am trying to hijack this thread I simply made a comment on this thread not meaning to offend anyone not even you.

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KrSpo to ed 2012/06/29 23:28:18

Your comment was way outside the scope. You brought in gay marriage, and 'singing songs of praise' the question was simple. and you veered way away

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