A panel discussion
With Dr. John McCARTHY, Dean of the School of Philosophy, The Catholic University of America, and Dr. Jana MOHR LONE, Director and Founder of the University of Washington’s Center for Philosophy for Children
Presented by Crossroads Cultural Center

By and large, today philosophy is not part of the standard American educational curriculum. It is generally regarded as one item in a long list of specialized academic disciplines which intellectually-minded people pursue, but which are of limited interest to the non-specialist. This situation is unfortunate, because, in fact, philosophical questions, what we could call a “philosophical mindset” really belong in all disciplines. Scientists, artists, legislators, parents, cannot avoid, if they are serious and thoughtful, asking fundamental questions about what they do, about the larger context for their actions, about the hidden presuppositions and logical implications of their evaluations. Philosophy means simply looking at any aspect of life in its totality, and exploring its relationship with the rest of reality, that is, its “meaning.”

As such, philosophy is really just human reason in its fullness, and any culture that tries to do without philosophy will, at best, take its philosophy for granted, and at worst slowly degrade reason and become victim of irrational impulses. We are pleased to have two speakers who think that philosophy is important, and who have dedicated their life, in different ways, to philosophical education precisely in the sense of an education to the full use of reason. And we will also hear how, quite surprisingly, all of the above is understood and lived by children.

The event is free and open to the public.