Philosophy for Children: Some Problems

Abstract

Introduction:  Philosophy for Children has a short but interesting history.  It began in the late sixties when Matthew Lipman, a professor of philosophy at Columbia University, noticed and became upset about two problems in primary education.  The first problem had to do with the fact that children did not seem to be thinking as well as (a) they had been, or (b) as educators would like them to think.  Lipman looked at scores on standardized tests, observed children in and out of the classroom, talked to teachers and concluded that there were significant problems with the way education sought to encourage thinking skills.