Intro to philosophy AND philosophers!
For young thinkers 9-12. Meets weekly for 30 weeks, you can book a block at a time.
Available spots
Course Description
This 25-session course introduces Thinkers aged 10 to 13 to the foundational questions of political philosophy. Rather than focusing on memorising philosophers or historical texts, this course encourages students to think critically and creatively through age-appropriate thought experiments, real-world scenarios, and collaborative dialogue. Throughout the course, students will examine key ideas such as justice, freedom, power, equality, and the role of government. They will learn to ask thoughtful questions, express their views clearly, and consider the perspectives of others. Socratic Dialogue Each session is centred around fun, welcoming discussions. Students are encouraged to ask questions, challenge ideas respectfully, and explore multiple sides of an issue. Interactive Learning Concepts are introduced through role-playing, simulations, simple games, and guided stories. This makes abstract ideas accessible and engaging for younger learners. Philosophical Thinking Thinkers will be encouraged to keep a personal journal—"Thinker’s Thoughts"—to record questions, reflections, and creative responses. This helps them develop their own philosophical perspective over time. Course sessions (this is a flexible outline to be changed, to follow Thinkers' interests) Block 1 Intro to philosophy and critical thinking Session 1 - What is philosophy? How do we think, how do we know, how do we communicate ideas. Session 2 - Logical fallacies and critical thinking. Session 3 - Ancient philosophers and questions of ethics Session 4 - Contemporary challenges AI and global challenges, how do we philosophise about these? Session 5 - Review and consolidation Block 2 - Personal politics and Power 1 - What is a good life? (Aristotle and Hellenistic school) 2 - Who should rule (Plato and democratic theory) 3 - What is human nature? (Hobbes and contract theorists) 4 - What do we want from leaders? (Machiavelli) 5 - Review and consolidation Block 3 - Philosophies from around the world - a taster 1. Golden age of Islamic Philosophy 2. Eastern philosophies 3. Latin American thinkers 4. African philosophers (guest Scholar) 5. Review and consolidation Block 4 - Enlightenment and beyond 1. What do you know and how? (Hume and the skeptics) 2. How do we decide what is a good rule? (Kant) 3. Is the best of the most the best? (Utilitarian ideas) 4. Can we control history or does history control us? (Hegel and Marx) 5. Review and consolidation Block 5 TBC
Cancellation Policy
All our classes require a minimum number of Thinkers to run. As soon as enough Thinkers sign up you will receive an e-mail from the Scholar running your class with a link to your virtual classroom. If we cannot gather enough thinkers to run a class we will, sadly, have to cancel and/or reschedule. If this is the case, we will e-mail 24 hours before your class is scheduled to start to let you know. To help ensure that your class does take place, please invite others to join you. We find that word of mouth is the best way to let new families know about Thinkers Meet Up. Thank you!
Contact Details
thinkersmeetup@protonmail.com