Why Philosophy for Young People?

Wonder and Curiosity

We are born curious. Children wonder if dreams are real, where the sky ends, why we die. We don’t think of these questions as philosophical, but they are.

  • Six-year-olds ask, “Is it fair that she got three pieces of candy and I only got one?” 
  • Philosophers ask, “What is fairness?” 

These questions, though one is more abstract, are the same. Philosophy doesn’t happen only in colleges and universities; it is alive within all of us, beginning early in our lives.    

Why Philosophy for Children?
The United States is one of the few countries in the world that does not require philosophy in school, even in high school. As a result, many educators, students, and parents are not aware of its value. 
 
Conversations about their deeper questions are important for young people because they foster reasoned reflection. Philosophy sessions create an open environment for examining difficult topics thoughtfully and imaginatively.
Philosophy is Practical – and Relevant

Philosophy teaches us to:

  • Strenthen analytic reasoning skills
  • Sharpen writing, listening, and problem-solving abilities
  • Question our assumptions
  • Critically evaluate information and beliefs
  • Appreciate complexity 
  • Develop confidence and skill in expressing our views
  • Understand that there are many ways to see the world.  

In classrooms that engage in “communities of philosophical inquiry,” teachers and students inquire together. Students generate their own questions about issues relevant to their lives and learn to give good reasons for their beliefs. Every student’s voice is valued and all views are taken seriously. Students come to realize that they are engaged in a conversation that has been going on for thousands of years.

Students find these discussions challenging and compelling because philosophical questions do not have settled answers, removing the pressure to find that “one right answer” students so often face in school. No one has all the answers – and sometimes, reaching an answer isn’t as important as asking the questions. 

Not every young student will become a professional philosopher. But all students should have the opportunity to cultivate philosophical habits of mind, which nurture lifelong learning and encourage us to become more thoughtful friends, neighbors, and citizens, better able to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

“It doesn’t frustrate me that we don’t have the answers to these questions. I like hearing what other people think about them, because there are so many different ways people think about things. That’s what’s great about philosophy, you realize that everyone sees things so differently.”
— Fourth grade student