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.
God, I’m a horrible father.
You and Pandora should talk.
He’s talking about philosophy not politics.
Or religion.
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.
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.
I’ll tell them Arc said so.
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.
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 …
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.
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.
hmm… iiinteresting. 
Will have to check that out later.
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.
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.
One thing that a lot of people fail at is realizing which questions can only be answered with a guess.
It’s too late. My kids are onto me. Anytime I bring up a philosophical-sounding question, my daughter covers her ears.
Are they American? If so, this is normal.