philosophy with children

[gib]

Has anyone here tried doing philosophy with children. I have two children of my own, a son (Kaden) and a daughter (Cassidy). Kaden's 6 and Cassidy's 8. Both really smart kids. Very imaginative.

I try testing their philosophical wits every now and then. Here's a few samples.

===

A year ago:

Daddy: Hey guys, if God created the universe, who created God?

Kaden: Jesus!

===

Around 2012 or so, Cassidy is 4:

Daddy: Hey Cas, what if we're not really walking down this sidewalk? What if the sidewalk's really moving backward, and the whole world too?

Cassidy: Uh... yeah... and what if this cookie is really chicken?

===

Just the other day:

Daddy: Hey guys, can you think of a number less than 1 but greater than 0?

Kaden: Uh... 1?

Daddy: Is 1 less than 1?

Cassidy: Half.

Daddy: Right!

Cassidy: But you can also have a quarter.

Daddy: That's right, and what if you split that quarter in half?

Cassidy: Uh... you'd get half a quarter.

Daddy: That's right. That's called an eighth. In fact, there's infinity numbers between 1 and 0. Because half an eighth is called a sixteenth. And half a sixthth is called a thirty-secondth. And half a thirty-secondth is called a sixty-fourth. And half a sixty-fourth is call a hundred-and-twenty-eighth. And it keeps going forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever! [inhale]

[Cassidy stairs at me unimpress]

Cassidy: You're weird.

Next I'll try Zeno's paradox.

===

Anybody have kids? Every try their brains at philosophy?

[James S Saint]

Has anyone here tried doing philosophy with children.

Everyone who has tried "doing philosophy" on these forums.

[Pandora]

I wouldn't force philosophy on kids. You might give them the impression that you are smart and know all the answers already. We already force all kind of ideologies, trainings and rules on our kids. And kids are very impressionable and are psychologically vulnerable. So, garbage in-garbage out, and you may build a whole garbage foundation that they will struggle to shake off later on in their life.
Just be honest with them.

[Kriswest]

We just encouraged our son to read and ask questions. That asking questions part will bite you in the butt at least twice a week .
He had fun books and study books at the age of 5. LOL I went up to his school at least once a week because of fighting and arguing with his teachers about subjects. So be careful when you put a child's desire to learn and curiosity into overdrive.

[Ultimate Philosophy 1001]

Exposing a kid to violence is the best way to get a kid into philosophy. Start him with the violent videogames, then the violent movies. Oppression will trigger the nobility reflex and he will start asking questions like "Why, why am I here, why do humans think the way they do," etc.

[gib]

I wouldn't force philosophy on kids. You might give them the impression that you are smart and know all the answers already. We already force all kind of ideologies, trainings and rules on our kids. And kids are very impressionable and are psychologically vulnerable. So, garbage in-garbage out, and you may build a whole garbage foundation that they will struggle to shake off later on in their life.
Just be honest with them.

God, I'm a horrible father.

Exposing a kid to violence is the best way to get a kid into philosophy. Start him with the violent videogames, then the violent movies. Oppression will trigger the nobility reflex and he will start asking questions like "Why, why am I here, why do humans think the way they do," etc.

You and Pandora should talk.

[Mr Reasonable]

I wouldn't force philosophy on kids. You might give them the impression that you are smart and know all the answers already. We already force all kind of ideologies, trainings and rules on our kids. And kids are very impressionable and are psychologically vulnerable. So, garbage in-garbage out, and you may build a whole garbage foundation that they will struggle to shake off later on in their life.
Just be honest with them.

He's talking about philosophy not politics.

[gib]

I wouldn't force philosophy on kids. You might give them the impression that you are smart and know all the answers already. We already force all kind of ideologies, trainings and rules on our kids. And kids are very impressionable and are psychologically vulnerable. So, garbage in-garbage out, and you may build a whole garbage foundation that they will struggle to shake off later on in their life.
Just be honest with them.

He's talking about philosophy not politics.

Or religion.

[Mr Reasonable]

Most people think, "philosophy" is whatever set of reasoning goes along with their own world view. They honest to god can't get outside their own religious or political perspective. It's really hard.

[gib]

Most people think, "philosophy" is whatever set of reasoning goes along with their own world view. They honest to god can't get outside their own religious or political perspective. It's really hard.

Yeah, there is a difference between doing philosophy and philosophical views. It's just like how people confuse science for the discoveries of science.

And even then, there's a difference between doing philosophy and asking philosophical questions. That's really all I'm doing with my children: asking them philosophical questions and seeing how their little minds process it. If anything, I'm helping them exercise their thinking skills. If I can get them to understand that there's an infinite range of numbers between 0 and 1, they'll light years beyond their peers.

[Arcturus Descending]

Try talking to them about the wonders of the universe, in childlike terms.
Take them outside to look up at the night sky and the constellations.
Don't forget to tell them how important it is to hug a tree.

[gib]

Don't forget to tell them how important it is to hug a tree.

I'll tell them Arc said so.

[gib]

Daddy: Hey guys, does God have a body?

Cassidy: No.

Daddy: Then how does he exist? Where is he?

Cassidy: God is the wind. <-- I like that answer.

Daddy: Did you guys know there are some people who believe that after God created the universe, he just walked away? These are call deists.

Cassidy: What? But God wouldn't walk away if he loves us.

Daddy: Well, it might be like when mommy drops you guys off at school.

Cassidy: But God doesn't drop people off at school.

Daddy: Well, maybe he just had to go and do something. Like maybe he had to go get groceries.

[kids laugh]

I think my daughter's gonna be a regular philosopher. In fact, she asked me the other day if I could setup an ILP account for here. As much as I'd love that, I told her: maybe when you're older.

[pilgrim-seeker_tom]

Exposing a kid to violence is the best way to get a kid into philosophy. Start him with the violent videogames, then the violent movies. Oppression will trigger the nobility reflex and he will start asking questions like "Why, why am I here, why do humans think the way they do," etc.

Trixie ... I don't read many of your posts ... the posts I have read I find ... in a word ... unsavoury.

OTH ... I have learned some utterly profound truths in some of your words ... subtle profundity. I'll file the above post in the subtle profundity drawer ... the same drawer I filed your following words ...

If it wasn't for yang energy we would still be shitting in the dirt in Africa.

[gib]

Kaden: Can you sleep with me for 5 minutes?

Daddy: Ok, I'll sleep with you for a looong five minutes, how 'bout that.

Kaden: Ok.

Daddy: Kades, do you think there can be a short five minutes and a long five minutes?

Kaden: Well, maybe in those other places around the world that have different times.

Daddy: You mean different time zones?

Kaden: Yeah, I think so.

Daddy: So you mean, maybe somewhere else in the world, five minutes is really six minutes long?

Kaden: Maybe.

Daddy: Do you think time is longer on the Moon?

Kaden: [laughs] Daddy, there aren't any people on the Moon.

Daddy: [laughs] Oh, right, what was I thinking?

[Kaden thinks a bit]

Kaden: ... actually, I think you can have time even if there's no people.

Cassidy: Five minutes is five minutes. It can't be different. Sometimes time can feel like it's taking longer, but it always takes the same amount of time.

Well, that settled that.

[Faust]

Your kids are very bright. Children are naturally better at philosophy than most adults. Often, they are better at drawing, composing simple songs and telling certain kinds of stories. It's mysterious but obvious. Philosophy is an art.

[pilgrim-seeker_tom]

Your kids are very bright. Children are naturally better at philosophy than most adults. Often, they are better at drawing, composing simple songs and telling certain kinds of stories. It's mysterious but obvious. Philosophy is an art.

Is it such a mystery Faust?

The clay is simply clay until the potter forces it into some particular shape.

[matty]

http://www.thephilosophyman.com/

[gib]

http://www.thephilosophyman.com/

hmm... iiinteresting. Will have to check that out later.

[gib]

Today, I showed my children a mobius strip.

I told them I could make a piece of paper with only one side. They doubted me. So I showed them. I cut out of strip of paper, colored one side purple, the other side green, and then made a mobius strip out of it. I showed them that if you keep following the strip on the purple side, you eventually get to the green side, and then back to the purple side.

I think it flew over their heads.

[Mr Reasonable]

You should ask them in the universe has an end. If they say no, then ask them how we could ever know if its just over the horizon from our point of view. If they say yes, then ask them whats on the other side of the border of the universe.

[Mr Reasonable]

One thing that a lot of people fail at is realizing which questions can only be answered with a guess.

[gib]

It's too late. My kids are onto me. Anytime I bring up a philosophical-sounding question, my daughter covers her ears.

[Mr Reasonable]

Are they American? If so, this is normal.

[gib]

Are they American?

Um... I hope not.