philosophy for children: ethical-political seed of a peace culture

After teaching the subject of ethics in a formal way, and in applying traditional school family rules to daily life, students typically do not appropriate ethical principles, for several reasons: they do not see them as useful, they do not understand the context in which they are applied, or they simply do not affect them, thus nullifying any interest in exploring them. This prevents them from developing a peace culture in their school environment, and makes it difficult for the teacher to introduce and mediate behaviors embodying such a culture. Given this situation, Philosophy for Children (PfC) curriculum and pedagogy represent an ethical -political dispositif that allows for strengthening critical, creative and caring thinking, thus preparing the ground for a peace culture. Diego Pineda, the founder of PfC in Colombia, argues that it is necessary to develop thinking skills in students that, in addition to a knowledge of civics, lead them to make ethically sound judgments in the process of resolving conflict. The gradual development of dialogical thinking follows on the closeness among the members of the inquiring community, and the steady acquisition of cognitive and ethical skills, enhanced by the PfC facilitator's use of the pedagogical tools of the program. As such, the practice of PfC acts to prepare students to assume reasonably argued positions as they face the inevitable conflicts that occur in a school setting, thereby enabling them to formulate arguments and to reach judgements enlightened by the inherent values of a functioning culture of peace.