4-Week Philosophy Course (November)

This is a philosophy class for children running in four-week blocks.

Online philosophy class for all ages and abilities from everywhere - with home educated children in mind.  These will combine fun dialogue games that help children connect to one another, with opportunities for deep thinking and disagreement about juicy, debatable questions. 

This month's themes:

Week 1 - Carrot and Stick

From the naughty step to solitary confinement, wrongdoers are punished, and those who do good are rewarded with everything from Golden Time to being made Sir Somebody Something. What makes a punishment fair or unfair? Should a born burglar and someone with an instinct for charity work be treated so differently for doing what comes naturally? Do rewards have their own goodness?

Week 2 - No Place Like Utopia

The word "utopia" has entered the language as a place where everything is perfect. How different could the world be to the one we live in? And how would we get there? Or does utopia live up to its name, which in Greek means "no place". We'll look at some different ideas for what a utopia might look like, create some of our own and consider how close they might get to becoming reality.

Week 3 - Making an Ass of "U" and "Me"

Assumptions are the things we don't say, but that need to be true for an argument to work. They can save time. If we're being chased by a bear, we probably don't need to use precious seconds confirming neither of us wants to be eaten. But when we make assumptions without realising it, we can get into all sorts of problems. We'll look at some common assumptions and how our minds play tricks on us in making them. 

Week 4 - One is One and All Alone and Ever More Shall Be So

If someone lives entirely alone what is and isn't possible? Can you push yourself over? Can you steal from yourself? From Robinson Crusoe to Mowgli in The Jungle Book, and with real life examples in religious hermits and solitary soldiers outlasting their wars, such as Teruo Nakamura, there is someting fascinating about the idea of a solitary life. We'll explore what is lost in a world of one in a roundabout way of thinking about society.

Different times are available for different age groups.

Times shown are GMT