Thursday, April 19, 2007

MIS-EDUCATION : called "training, training and training.

Can you imagine philosophy ( with a small "p") activated in schools? I have been trying to find out the European way. Norway is one country that enjoys philosophy in schools and for those young folk that are about 8 years old or more.

Of course non-Western societies may work a philosophy too but in Europe there seems to be few Nation States that even contemplate allowing philosophy for kids or teenagers or adult education centres. Is Norway the only one?

One argument I found myself involved with was from a UK "expert". He insisted that philosophy was only for those that had really lived and experienced the world. This was an adult thing, he said. Philosophy is not for kids!

Thank you UK.

Strange though that as a kid in the UK my philosophical adventures of the mind were so strong even as I asked simple questions like who am I? What is up there in the sky? Do I belong to this sky? I certainly did not belong to the UK ways. I asked too many questions. To be child-like was to admit philosophy in some way. A good way.

What the fuck happened to adventure education? Why was philosophy denied to the kids that are alright anyway? Why? What happened I ask.

Or am I merely an Angry Old Man?


4 comments:

zola a social thing said...

Who am I if my society is different?

anticant said...

There's an excellent book for kids by Stephen Law [he of the blog] called "The Philosophy Files". Very entertaining and thought-provoking. When I gave a copy to a young teenage cousin, he said to his mother "Oh dear, do I have to read all this?" Grrrh! So much for English educashun.

I'm currently reading "Confessions of a Philosopher" by Bryan Magee, whom I knew when he was a television presenter and a Labour MP. Like you, me and others who post here, he asked those "who am I?" questions as a child and has been fascinated by philosophy ever since. It's a first-rate read.

Anonymous said...

Does ZoZo have any pals in Ikea at the top level?
Lavender has 'a beauty' which could be the new 'Green Lady'.
Answers on a bottle of Black Sheep..

Anonymous said...

Is that an incentive or a disincentive, merkin?

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