A major area of knowledge neglected in primary and secondary education is philosophy. This is remarkable since it both ancient and foundational to other areas of knowledge such as language and thought development and the sciences and has influenced many aspects of the world’s cultural and religious expressions. The Pre-Socratic philosophers, for example, introduced a rational approach to understanding the world, the culmination of which is modern science. Computing came to us at the end of a long line of philosophical contributions, including Aristotle’s language of logic, the calculating machines of Pascal and Leibniz, and the insights of mathematician and thinker Alan Turing.
Perennial philosophical issues are typically encountered even by young children “What is justice?”, “What is beauty?”, “How can I be sure of what I know?”, “What is the right thing to do?”, “What is real?”, “What happens at death”, “What makes someone a best friend”, and so on.
The study of philosophy promotes critical thinking; explores the ethical, political, and aesthetic dimensions of experience; improves language development, expands social and communication skills; and helps develop tolerance of other points of view.
The study of philosophy can be introduced as a course within the curriculum and/or incorporated in language, literature, and history classes. An example is using works of literature that lend themselves to discussion of ethics, aesthetics, logical thinking, and so on. Emphasis in history classes should be expanded to deal with discussion of content, development, and controversies of philosophical ideas and arguments.
The first R: why we need to teach philosophy in the classroom
Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children
Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization (PLATO)
Thinking in Stories: Reviewing Philosophy in Children’s Literature (gives examples of how to treat philosophical topics by using contemporary children’s literature)