Dialogues with Children

by Gareth B. Matthews, Robert Coles (Foreword)

Every week for a year, a professional philosopher and eight children at a school in Edinburgh met to craft stories reflecting philosophical problems. The philosopher, Gareth B. Matthews, believes that children are far more able and eager to think abstractly than adults generally recognize. This engaging book has profound implications for education and for our understating of the range of relationships between adults and children. With the example of these dialogues Matthews invites parents, teachers, and all adults to be open to those moments when they can share with children the pleasures of joint philosophical discovery.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published October 11, 1984

Reviews

[armin · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a person who has taught 8 to 11 year olds, I have thought about transcribing some of the conversations we had in the class. Now that I am past those years and memories are slowly fading. However, I do believe this book is a failed attempt at doing so. There are ten dialogues about happiness, desire, ethics, time,etc.The dialogues, although tape-recorded, do not sound as accurate as they are supposed to be. What's more, they are badly conducted. They are also too repetetive since the writer starts with an incomplete story, pitches it to the class where kids converse about it, and then goes back to completing the original stories based on those dialogues. There probably gotta be better books in this genre, I guess.

[Pia Vilmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hieno ajatus tämä, että filosofian professori heittäytyy filosofiseen keskusteluun lasten kanssa. Ja hienoja keskustelut ovatkin! Voiko kukka olla onnellinen, kun sillä ei ole mieltä? Mitä voimme tietää varmuudella - vai voimmeko mitään? Onko juusto tehty ruohosta, jos lehmä syö ravinnokseen ruohoa? Gareth B. Matthews perusti 1970-luvun alussa Filosofiaa lapsille -liikkeen. Käsityksemme lapsista ja kehityspsykologiasta on noiden päivien jälkeen muuttunut, mutta tämä pikkukirjanen on pohdinnoissaan edelleen osuva ja hauskasti ajattelua ravistava. Kirja on suomennettu ”Filosofisia keskusteluja lasten kanssa”.

[Gene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as objective as I thought it would be— but the entire premise is so interesting, and Matthews’ argument that the idea of developmental psychology has affected developmental psychology way more than any real developmental psychology wasn’t anything I had thought of before.
Made me wonder how I would’ve approached this as a child, how I should approach them with my children, and how I would want them to approach it.

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dialogues with Children by Gareth B. Mathews- Hindi language translation by Sarla Mohanlala- Author is a philosopher and psychologist. In this book, author narrates that children are aware and they can understand serious issues as adults do. Adults must bring these difficult issues with children treating them as equals. Author has narrated his views in 11 chapters containing interesting stories. I have read the Hindi language translation of this book.

[Ville Verkkapuro · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little book with a great premise: having philosophic conversations with children, lead by a professional. Sounds way better than it was though. But it wasn't bad, just fell a bit short. Good insights and good recaps of some concepts.

[Evan Grillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children are better at philosophy than I am!!! Delightful book.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely little book. The stories are heartwarming. I want to do something like this! Children are good at philosophy!

[Cosmo Hinsman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun.

[Maughn Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matthews' persona in this little book is curious, intelligent and humorous; learned but never pompous -- the ideal combination for doing philosophy in the way he describes, and for dialogue (with children or adults). And the method he contrived is brilliant: making up the beginnings of short stories in which children philosophize, sharing these with children at a local school, and incorporating their actual dialogue in the stories' endings, which always turned out as delightful surprises for Matthews.

[Moniquekaba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful dialogues! It would be thrilling to have such conversations with children. To take the world and ourselves seriously, start since young age. The story in prologue is so moving. To forgive and to pray, what a strength should we assume to take such a weight! The epilogue is so beautifully written.
Looking forward to read its series.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly charming!

[Sue Lyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite books from a man who clearly respects children as full human beings that we can all learn from.

[Napalmlolita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought Piaget was right in his assessments of child psychology? Think again!