Towards a small Socrates ... a child-oriented philosophy in Tunisia

Badreddine Al-Wahaibi - Tunisia

The discoveries regarding the child's intellectual abilities are still developing and amazing the world since the American logic professor Mattiulibman (1922-2010) in the 1970s refuted the theory of the Swiss philosopher John Biagi (1896-1980) that linked the mental adaptation of man to biological adaptation, confirming the ability of children to practice action The philosophical about what is the art of asking to find rational answers.

Four decades after the spread of the concept of "children's philosophy", this intellectual trend has set its sights in Tunisia since April 2019 to join the countries that pay attention to developing the philosophical faculties of children, by creating a section of modern philosophical practices that deals in a large part of its activities with a philosophy directed at children. And, by organizing philosophical workshops that push their small minds to wake up around them.

Many thinkers adopt the child's right to philosophy as a critical thinking that builds on the question and enhances the capabilities of thinking and the realization of the mind in a world where digital tendency has become overwhelming for most activities related to children, where they are taught the principles of intellectual superficiality and excessive mental laziness and drives them to turn to computer screens instead of meditation, thinking and realizing Their world.

Intellectual awakening
The philosophy of children has penetrated away from the classic concept of philosophy that is taught in educational institutions as a culmination of advanced stages in human sciences and literature, as it is interrupted with the exhibition aspect of philosophers and their philosophies to be a self-creativity experience that starts from concepts and daily scenes used and coexisted by children to reach ways of reasoning, proof and logical thinking Based on criticism of what is considered familiar from their perspective.

Hoda Al-Kafi, a professor of philosophy, head of the department of modern philosophical practices at the Tunis Institute of Philosophy, says that the experiences of Western countries in this field have proven the child's ability to practice philosophy, as he tends by his instinct to try to understand what is going on around him, given that his thinking is free from prejudices and projected things, which He makes his simple questions driven by an eagerness to realize the facts and to discover the perceptions and interpretations of his peers.

Al Kafi adds to Al Jazeera Net that the Tunisian experience, despite its novelty, its initial results are promising due to the steady increase in the number of philosophical workshops resulting from an increasing interaction from supervisors of educational institutions, and from the educational framework that Al Kafi considers the main portal and reflective mirror from which children are inspired by ways to perceive, shape and develop their perception of this. The world, therefore, is keen to frame them before launching each workshop.

The philosophy of children introduces a new arrangement for learning priorities based on intellectual awakening, as the status of answers and ready-made cognitive molds resulting from the learned indoctrination methods that greatly limit their thinking are allowed to open up to the desire to ask questions according to their own representations of the facts that allow them to develop horizons Their intellectual and psychological assimilation, and the acquisition of the capabilities of proof and analogy with others.

Science curriculum
The focus of the discussion is chosen in the philosophical workshop following discussions with the educational framework of the sponsoring institution. Usually, the topics raised are faithful to the international days that live in most countries of the world, such as the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, and the International Day of Peace, in addition to other topics that may be imposed by national and local events, such as difference Violence and poverty, which in most of them provide free spaces for questioning and expression.

Philosophy workshops for children attach great importance to the issue of presenting and presenting discussion points for children, so they often depend on drawing stories, short videos or wall lights in the form of short messages that are presented in succession, and the child who follows them can absorb their contents.

Al Kafi says that the workshops are an entry point for practicing and acquiring the skills of democratic coexistence among children, as respecting the rules of discussion is an impartial matter during the workshop, and the participants are obliged to listen to each other and not boycott even in cases of difference, and respect the priority of taking the word according to the arrangement of places to sit, and ask questions individually Then arrange them differently by voting.

It considers that these workshops push children to practice an intellectual exercise that is extremely important, which is the generation of ideas and questions by listening to each other, developing their awareness by contemplating a dissenting opinion and the principle of converting intellectual difference into a ground that allows the development of ideas and perceptions, especially not feeling embarrassed from being inspired by The other, if you find his thoughts in the minds.

The discussion sessions consist of the chairperson who is keen to ensure the conduct of the discussion and respect the rules without interfering with the content, and we also find the moderator who tries to draw attention to the most important questions, then a reformulation official who works to help the participants to send ideas that can be distracted to avoid falling In contradiction sometimes without directing a particular idea or conclusion that would change the substance.

Little Socrates
Weaving a pattern like Mathiolibman, who was the first to publish a philosophical novel targeting children between the ages of 10 and 11, which in 1974 carried the title "The Discovery of Harry Stolmere", Professor Hoda Kefi puts the finishing touches before releasing a series of children's philosophical novels titled "Socrates the Little", which You will be the first Arab literary child to address philosophy directed at children and intellectual awakening.