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Philosophy and the Young Child
Philosophy and the Young Child presents striking evidence that young children naturally engage in a brand of thought that is genuinely philosophical. In a series of exquisite examples that could only have been gathered by a professional philosopher with an extraordinary respect for young minds, Gareth Matthews demonstrates that children have a capacity for puzzlement and mental play that leads them to tackle many of the classic problems of knowledge, value, and existence that have traditionally formed the core of philosophical thought. Matthews’s anecdotes reveal children reasoning about these problems in a way that must be taken seriously by anyone who wants to understand how children think.
Philosophy and the Young Child provides a powerful antidote to the widespread tendency to underestimate children’s mental ability and patronize their natural curiosity. As Matthews shows, even child psychologists as insightful as Piaget have failed to grasp the subtlety of children’s philosophical frame of mind. Only in children’s literature does Matthews find any sensitivity to children’s natural philosophizing. Old favorites like Winnie the Pooh , the Oz books, and The Bear That Wasn’t are full of philosophical puzzlers that amuse and engage children. More important, these stories manage to strip away the mental defensiveness and conventionality that so often prevent adults from appreciating the way children begin to think about the world.
Gareth Matthews believes that adults have much to gain if they can learn to “do philosophy” with children, and his book is a rich source of useful suggestions for parents, teachers, students, and anyone else who might like to try.
Philosophy and the Young Child provides a powerful antidote to the widespread tendency to underestimate children’s mental ability and patronize their natural curiosity. As Matthews shows, even child psychologists as insightful as Piaget have failed to grasp the subtlety of children’s philosophical frame of mind. Only in children’s literature does Matthews find any sensitivity to children’s natural philosophizing. Old favorites like Winnie the Pooh , the Oz books, and The Bear That Wasn’t are full of philosophical puzzlers that amuse and engage children. More important, these stories manage to strip away the mental defensiveness and conventionality that so often prevent adults from appreciating the way children begin to think about the world.
Gareth Matthews believes that adults have much to gain if they can learn to “do philosophy” with children, and his book is a rich source of useful suggestions for parents, teachers, students, and anyone else who might like to try.
115 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 9, 2018
Siempre he tenido un conflicto muy grande entorno a cómo compaginar mi gusto por la filosofía y la literatura, sobretodo con la literatura infantil y juvenil. Este libro me ha enseñado a que sí es posible juntarlas de una manera maravillosa. Me gustan mucho la gran cantidad de ejemplos y bibliografía con la que cuenta el libro.
Y me maravilló cómo el autor es capaz de hablar de dudas filosóficas, presentes en los niños, de una manera seria sin llegar a ser pedante ni académica exagerada como suele suceder con la mayoría de los textos filosóficos. Sin duda pronto lo voy a leer nuevamente.
Y me maravilló cómo el autor es capaz de hablar de dudas filosóficas, presentes en los niños, de una manera seria sin llegar a ser pedante ni académica exagerada como suele suceder con la mayoría de los textos filosóficos. Sin duda pronto lo voy a leer nuevamente.
March 28, 2014
Interesting book. A little short and rushed in places. We are in agreement about the questionable value of Bettleheim and the importance of children's literature in supporting both emotional and intellectual development. Gave me several new books to track down. All in all, valuable.
to-keep-reference
March 2, 2022Lipman y su colega, el filósofo Gareth Matthews, comparten la idea de que los niños y las niñas son
capaces de formular planteos filosóficos interesantes, de que no pasan de una etapa a la otra siguiendo un camino predeterminado sino reflexionando activamente sobre las grandes preguntas de la vida, y de que las reflexiones que obtienen como resultado deben ser consideradas con seriedad por los adultos.
Sin fines de lucro pág.107
capaces de formular planteos filosóficos interesantes, de que no pasan de una etapa a la otra siguiendo un camino predeterminado sino reflexionando activamente sobre las grandes preguntas de la vida, y de que las reflexiones que obtienen como resultado deben ser consideradas con seriedad por los adultos.
Sin fines de lucro pág.107
February 5, 2024
A medida que iba leyendo este libro me ponía a reflexionar acerca de como no siempre se incentiva la cualidad de la curiosidad de los niños y niñas. Subestimamos a las infancias creyendo que no tienen la capacidad de razonar o de analizar el mundo que les rodea, sin embargo, al leer este libro nos damos cuenta que ellos tienen una capacidad de deducción y análisis extraordinarios. Eso es sin duda algo que destaco del libro.
March 12, 2019
Excelente texto para aquellos que se han dedicado a la enseñanza de filosofía en la educación básica y media. Los ejemplos y las reflexiones son muy pertinentes, además es un texto muy agradable de leer.
February 10, 2024
buenas ideas pero un poco pesado y muy tecnico.
February 21, 2024
Interesante las interrogantes y debates que se pueden generar de una simple pregunta de un niño.
July 30, 2011
Fascinating stuff. A book that was just waiting to be written and now, waiting to be re-discovered ^_^
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews