Why is
Philosophy not taught to children in school? Philosophy teaches children that
everyone is subject to seeing the world through a worldview, that those in
power always seek to dominate the worldview of those under them, and that some
worldviews are inherently destructive and dangerous...
...Oh, I
think I answered my own question there.
Not everyone
will be a philosopher, that is for certain. But everyone has a philosophy of
life and everyone is subject to the exposure of the philosophies of others. Therefore,
everyone should be taught the basic skills of philosophical self defence. I don’t
think a strong wave of transgender kids or the rapid rise of many other social
ills would be possible if people were properly taught to judge and weigh up
ideas well.
I know many
people think philosophy is the domain of ivory tower academics, I once believed
that too. But it is very clear that everyone should be versed in how to think
about this world to one degree or another, just like everyone should be taught
to run, or to read, or basic computer skills. Otherwise people will be, and often actually are, helpless to the whims of the elites of society.
Napoleon I and
Napoleon III understood the danger of teaching kids philosophy...to their own
abuses of power:
"The
programmes were stripped almost completely of all those studies which might
tend to create or develop the critical spirit: philosophy and history,
etc."[i]
"History
and philosophy were discouraged as studies; they might lead to dangerous
political discussions and "discontent."[ii]
At the same
time that Napoleon was doing this in Britain and the U.S. children were
learning philosophy and both those civilisations were about to reach the peak of
their brilliance that would flow on into the next century.
Australians
are taught things like Philosophy and History will be of no use to them...I
wonder why we have in large part have been taught this? When the greats of
history almost always were well versed in both, and saw their great application
to improving the lives of their fellow man. Could it be that the greats of
history also saw through the lies their society believed, asked uncomfortable questions
and came to unauthorized conclusions? I suggest that is precisely the case. If
every school child were taught Aristotle in high-school it is not likely our
society would be suffering many of the ill-advised policies that an obsession
with equality causes today. That would be just one of many likely positive effects.
Some people are naturally good thinkers. Most people need to be trained to think. A lot of people can be trained to think, not everyone, but many people can be. Of course, it is better for corrupt leaders if people only think what they want them to think…or don't think at all...right...
[i] Davis,
William Stearns. A History of France from the Earliest Times to the Treaty of
Versailles (p. 319). Lecturable. Kindle Edition.
[ii]
Ibid, p. 409.
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