Philosophical Adventures With Children by Michael S. Pritchard, Reviewed by Dale Cannon

Abstract

Introduction:  A better written introduction to what the Philosophy for Children Program is meant to be like in sustained practice is not likely to be found than this book.  There have been transcripts published of good philosophical discussions by children accompanied with insightful commentary in Analytic Teaching and Thinking: The Journal of Philosophy for Children.  Yet before this book, there has not been a comprehensive sampling of such discussions with a commentary that pulls it all together.  What makes it even more attractive is that it is written so that the primary focus is places where it should be - namely, on the children's philosophical inquiries as something worthy of the reader's attention for their own sake, rather than on some extrinsic concern such as a theory about children's thinking, a discussion of the Philosophy for Children Program, or a set of philosophical theses that the children just happen to have been exploring.