os jogos wonder ponder são uma excelente provocação para o pensar. tendo em conta o tema do festival de filosofia de abrantes (a inteligência artificial, o trabalho e o humano), o jogo "I, person" tem sido uma das provocações nas oficinas de filosofia (1º e 2º ciclos).
hoje o desafio teve vários momentos:
- fazer perguntas sobre a imagem;
- dizer coisas (ou afirmar) sobre a imagem;
- responder a perguntas;
e ainda: fazer perguntas às perguntas. esta parte do desafio suscitou muita curiosidade por parte dos alunos. a ideia de fazer perguntas a uma pergunta pareceu-lhes, ao início, estranha (tão estranha quanto a imagem!).
o grupo aceitou o desafio e, com calma e paciência, conseguimos fazer 5 perguntas a uma das perguntas iniciais. este trabalho de perguntar à pergunta é um dos meus preferidos e que aconselho a qualquer pessoa que queira treinar os músculos do pensamento. obriga-nos a aprofundar e a explorar um conceito ou uma expressão na pergunta. quantas mais perguntas fazemos, mais dificuldade sentimos. a prática deste exercício vai afinando a nossa capacidade de perguntar e, às tantas, a dificuldade dá lugar ao gosto pelo perguntar.
esse é um dos objectivos destas oficinas: proporcionar uma experiência da filosofia, do perguntar, do investigar. deixamo-nos contaminar pela curiosidade e perseguimos as ideias que nos fazem "comichão" no pensamento.
a pressa é inimiga da prática da filosofia. e isso é uma das coisas que se tenta transmitir aos mais novos, quando estamos numa oficina de filosofia. não há que ter pressa em pôr o braço no ar ou em falar, sem que tenha sido dada a palavra. há que ouvir as perguntas até ao fim, as ideias até ao fim. não devemos ter o braço levantado quando estamos a ouvir um colega. porquê? porque enquanto fazemos isso não estamos verdadeiramente a ouvir, mas sim focados no que temos a dizer. ora, na filosofia (repito) não temos pressa. há que desfrutar do diálogo, com calma, com os braços poisados na mesa ou em cima dos joelhos, para que nos concentremos no que está a ser dito pelos outros.
numa das turmas do Sardoal e ao enunciar o tema do festival de filosofia de Abrantes lembrei-me de fazer uma pergunta à turma do 4º ano: "o que teria passado pela cabeça dos senhores que fizeram o festival ao propor um tema destes, para ser trabalhado por crianças de 9 anos?" - de uma forma mais simples: "que interesse tem este tema para as crianças da vossa idade?"
e lá partimos na investigação, orientados por esta pergunta e por outras que fomos registando no quadro: no final de uma hora o quadro estava cheio de ideias!
na Chainça o desafio foi diferente: pensar a partir de uma imagem do jogo Wonder Ponder e tentar responder à pergunta: quem gostarias de ter como professor: uma pessoa ou um robot? porquê? (sempre os porquês, não é?)
o carácter de imperfeição de ser pessoa foi assinalado por um dos meninos: "temos falhas, todos temos falhas e servem para aprender para a próxima vez não falharmos." a professora da sala, que é uma pessoa, às vezes até parece uma máquina pois faz imensas coisas ao mesmo tempo, para chegar aos 24 alunos que trabalham consigo diariamente. como podem ver pela imagem, houve mais pessoas a escolher o robot do que a pessoa. infelizmente não tivemos tempo para continuar a reflexão e tivemos de terminar com uma boa espreguiçadela: é que isto de pensar, cansa!
e quais foram as razões apontadas pela turma do 4º ano para dizer que o tema "IA, o trabalho e humano" é um bom tema para trabalhar com crianças de 9 anos? eis as razões:
- aprendemos mais coisas e ficámos a saber melhor o que era I.A.;
- tirámos muitas dúvidas;
- pudémos evoluir de nível na inteligência;
- fizemos muitas perguntas e com isso aprendemos mais;
- aprendemos um pouco de filosofia;
- divertimo-nos ao mesmo tempo que aprendemos.
conforme prometi aos alunos, vou passar a informação aos "donos do Festival" que assim podem ficar muito mais descansados pela escolha do tema: é um bom tema e as crianças de 9 anos interessam-se por ele. e até deixam perguntas como:
"quando nós somos bebés, a I.A. interfere connosco?"
If you would like to join us, please register here
Thinking the Unthinkable
The theme for the Sophia Network meeting 2019 is Thinking the Unthinkable. This can be interpreted as philosophical creativity – thinking of ideas that have never been thought of, as well as philosophical critique – thinking that goes against traditional or established ideologies. Ireland can be said to have had its share of thinking the unthinkable with the 34th amendment on same-sex marriage, and perhaps it’s reputation as the green/emerald isle will provoke new ideas on nature and the environment.
O desafio? Realizar oficinas de filosofia, para crianças entre os 3 os 12 anos, a propósito do Festival de Filosofia de Abrantes, cujo tema é A inteligência artificial, o trabalho e o humano. Nesse sentido, procurei inspiração no jogo "I, Person", da dupla Duthie & Martagón. Levo na mochila provocações para pensar a relação entre as pessoas e os robots, procurando o que temos em comum e o que nos diferencia.
Até 18 de Novembro, Abrantes é o local onde a Filosofia vai sair à rua, questionando, incomodando, procurando perguntas e respostas que nos aproximem da humanidade.
nos dias 25, 26 e 27 de Outubro realizou-se em Ponta Delgada, na Universidade dos Açores (UAc), o III CICA (Congresso Internacional Interdisciplinar da Criança e do Adolescente).
a minha relação com os Açores sempre foi muito filosófica: foi no Faial que comecei a dar formação de filosofia para crianças e criatividade, em 2008, já estive em Angra do Heroísmo para comunicar num Encontro organizado pela UAc, fui (e ainda sou!) aluna do mestrado de filosofia para crianças.
em 2016 participei no I CICA e, tendo falhado no ano passado, este ano apresentei proposta de comunicação sobre a minha experiência na Rádio Miúdos, com o programa Filosofia é Coisa para Miúdos. não podendo estar fisicamente em Ponta Delgada, fiz a minha apresentação via zoom.
esta semana que passou foi intensa: entreguei (FINALMENTE!) a tese de mestrado e preparei-me para esta comunicação que, olhando para a tese, foi ligeira e até serviu para descontrair um pouco.
o mês de Novembro traz consigo o Festival de Filosofia de Abrantes para o qual fui convidada para dinamizar as oficinas de filosofia, para crianças (junto das escolas do concelho) e também para famílias.
na sala dos 3/4 anos investigámos uma pergunta curiosa: como distinguimos pessoas que têm o mesmo nome? e como distinguimos duas pessoas que, tendo nomes diferentes, são "géneas"?
afinal, o que faz com que eu, joana rita, seja reconhecida e não me confundam com a joana silva? é que na nossa sala há vários nomes que se repetem. e há uma magia que acontece quando alguém chama o nosso nomes: viramos a cabeça e procuramos quem é que nos chama.
filosoficamente, estivemos a tratar a identidade, partindo de uma situação que aconteceu no início da oficina: percebemos que havia duas JOANA na sala.
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na sala dos 4/5 anos a investigação passou por partilharmos ideias tontas e ideias normais. mas antes disso revisitámos o nosso amigo Rodrigo, um rinoceronte que faz muitas perguntas e usa muitas vezes o PORQUÊ.
filosoficamente, estivemos a tratar questões de sentido e de possibilidade: dizer "um unicórnio não se apita" é uma ideia tonta? e falar em unicórnios, não?
"Hello, my name is Amy Leask and I'm a philosopher!" - this is how Amy introduces herself at her ted talk (tedxmilton). I met Amy and her project RedTKids on Twitter.
Amy Leask is an author, educator, and children’s interactive media producer. She’s the founder of Red T Media in Ontario, Canada, and delights in finding new ways to reach curious little minds.
Can you recall the first time you heard about philosophy for children (p4c)?
I heard about philosophy of childhood while I was an undergraduate, but nothing about philosophy for children until I was teaching at the college level. There were a lot of intelligent young adults in my philosophy classes who had never really put together an argument of their own, and who didn’t realize they were allowed to disagree, or think critically about the ideas presented to them. Like most P4C advocates, I thought philosophy needed to be introduced at a younger age, and when I looked into it further, I found I wasn’t alone. There was a growing community of philosophers who wanted to bring a new kind of thinking to a younger audience.
How did you started working with p4c?
While I was teaching philosophy to big kids, I started writing material that presented philosophical ideas to children. I wanted to create something fun and entertaining that they could read to themselves, but that also encouraged them to ask questions, and to embrace logic and reason. Over the years, my original manuscript has turned into a number of books, as well as cartoons, games, apps, and teacher materials. Presently, I run an independent multimedia company that focuses almost exclusively on P4C, in interactive formats.
Do you think p4c is necessary to children? Why?
21st century learning is founded on thinking practices that, ironically, have been around for millennia in philosophy. Children today may be digital natives, but they still need low-tech skills like critical thinking, problem solving, communication and creativity in order to successfully navigate school, the working world, and their personal life.
I see P4C as an effort to teach children survival skills, but also to empower them, and to engage them in a practice that’s shared by all humans. Beyond the necessary parts, children really enjoy asking big questions, and it’s actually fun for them to engage in discussion. Why not make the most of what comes naturally to them?
Nowadays children ( @ Portugal) have a lot of activities at school and after school. Why should we take philosophy to schools?
It’s expected that teachers cover things like critical thinking and problem solving in their curriculum, but both are fairly difficult things to teach, especially in a crowded classroom, with limited time and resources. P4C enables teachers to reach so many learning objectives. What’s more, I think a learning environment that encourages big questions creates a bond of trust between students and their teachers. If a child knows his or her teacher isn’t afraid to dive into inquiry, he or she will feel more supported and comfortable going beneath the surface of ideas.
P4C has cross-curricular applications, and is helpful in supporting children’s mental health, anti-bullying programs, and an appreciation of diversity. It works wonders, both inside and outside the classroom, and it helps children become well-rounded thinkers.
What makes a question a philosophical question – from a p4c point of view?
I think most philosophical questions have a “why” component to them. We have to use different lines of thinking to answer them, different than we would use to answer a scientific question. I’d say a philosophical question is one that has more than one answer, although some answers are still better than others. Philosophical questions are about our place in the universe, our relationships with other beings, and about ourselves.
The beautiful thing about P4C is that children seem especially adept at asking these kinds of questions (and taking their parents by surprise in doing so). It’s a privilege and a pleasure to help them reason their way through them.
What’s the biggest challenge p4c faces, nowadays?
Philosophy itself is in need of rebranding. It has a reputation of being for adults, and for belonging only in the academy. Most grown-ups, let alone children, don’t know much about it, and those who do know about it are often intimidated by it. The challenge lies in extending the reach of philosophy and making it part of people’s everyday lives. It needs to be mainstream, and people need to know how helpful, how interesting, and how much fun it is. We need to find ways to demonstrate that it really is for everyone.
Can you give the teachers and the parents some kid of advice to help them deal with the children’s questions?
First and foremost, don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t know. As adults, we fear that in admitting this, we’ll be letting our children down, that they’ll no longer have confidence in us. However, it’s actually quite liberating, and being vulnerable in front of a child like this can encourage trust. What could be more enriching than exploring a problem together, and learning together?
Besides that, it’s important to recognize that children do philosophy differently. They might only want to ponder big questions for short periods of time, and they often do so through art projects, science experiments, or dramatic role-play. Philosophy is still philosophy, even when it’s done with toys, books, and games.
Did the children ever surprised you with a question? Can you share that question with us?
I’m always surprised by questions children ask. They seem to get right at the heart of the matter, wondering why we exist, how they’re supposed to behave, and who decides what’s fair. Their answers surprise me even more. I once did a workshop in which an older child brought his preschool-aged sister. She spent most of the time running in circles, doodling with crayons, and giggling, and we assumed she wasn’t listening. But when we posed the question “What makes a human?” she blurted out “Love makes us human, silly!” and then went back to running and playing, like it was nothing. It took the discussion in a totally different direction, and it reminded me that even very young children can surprise us with their insights.
"o que viemos fazer aqui?" - perguntou o professor José Rosa, na conferência de abertura do Congresso. e, agora que já terminaram os trabalhos, estou em condições de responder: vim até à UBI, na Covilhã, para me deixar encantar pelo azul do céu e o ar da montanha e, sobretudo, para partilhar e colocar a filosofia em prática.
o painel de filosofia aplicada
há uns meses recebi um e-mail do Pepe Barrientos-Rastrojo no sentido de propormos um painel de filosofia aplicada no 3º Congresso Internacional de Filosofia, organizado pela Sociedade Portuguesa de Filosofia.
desse painel também fizeram parte a Magda Costa Carvalho, a Maria Teresa Santos e a Dina Mendonça. falámos de filosofia, de filosofia aplicada, bem como de como são "velhas" as novas práticas filosóficas. a filosofia para/com crianças foi um dos pontos de ordem deste painel, onde apresentámos pontos de vista diferentes:
- o Pepe falou-nos de como é possível transformar a filosofia de Rorty em espaços de oficinas, onde crianças, jovens e adultos podem trabalhar e desenvolver as competências do pensamento crítico, criativo, colaborativo e cuidativo > "A criação privada do eu e a solidariedade pública com os outros na Filosofia para as Crianças. Uma aproximação à disciplina desde Richard Rorty";
- a Magda apresentou-nos uma reflexão sobre o papel da filosofia para crianças na revitalização da própria filosofia: "A Filosofia para Crianças con-quista a Filosofia";
- a Dina trouxe-nos uma comunicação em que abordou "A Filosofia para Crianças e o aprofundamento dos processos de aprendizagem – o diálogo filosófico e as capacidades argumentativas";
- a Teresa partilhou um trabalho de reflexão de Marta Naussbam sobre o trabalho de Lipman e o modo como o programa age sobre a vivência da democracia; a comunicação intitulava-se "Em defesa das humanidades e da democracia. O elogio de Martha Nussbaum a Matthew Lipman".
Kant e a prática da investigação filosófica
procurei apresentar uma reflexão pessoal em torno de Kant e do Kant que me chegou por via do Lipman. acabei por partilhar um pouco do processo de pensamento e de construção da comunicação, que conheceu avanços e recuos, mudanças justificadas e procura de fundamentos. afinal, o processo de investigação que a comunidade de investigação filosófica possibilita é algo que pratico na minha investigação individual, para a qual convoco as pessoas que me são próximas, como a Gabriela Castro e o Pepe Barrientos, com quem dialoguei via e-mail ou via messenger; além dos textos dos filósofos com os quais dialogo e construo (desconstruo) o meu pensamento.
viagem ao passado e a homenagem, no presente, ao professor Artur Morão
voltar à Covilhã, oito anos depois da minha primeira visita, traduziu-se no (re)encontro com os professores José Rosa e António Amaral, que me acompanharam na licenciatura. houve ainda lugar, durante o congresso, para uma homenagem ao professor Artur Morão, cujas aulas não esqueço, cuja alegria de ser e de estar é contagiante. o motivo da homenagem: as inúmeras obras traduzidas pelo professor que nos permitem dialogar com tantos textos fundamentais da filosofia - e não só!
filosofia fora e dentro da escola
o Alves Jana, do Clube de Filosofia de Abrantes, partilhou uma comunicação sobre os espaços de intervenção da filosofia, fora dos muros da escola: "a sociedade a que pertencemos precisa do contributo da filosofia, mesmo quando não sabe que precisa".
o João Teodósio falou-nos de experiências que aproximam a filosofia das vicências dos alunos e da realidade em que vivem - aprendizagem experiencial da disciplina de filosofia no ensino sedcundário. partilho convosco uma curiosidade: eu e o João Teodósio fizemos parte de um documentário realizado pelo Guilherme e pelo João, no Fundão, sobre filosofia: a sala 13.
Leila Athaides partilhou um trabalho muito interessante sobre o impulso lúdico em Schiller e a sua aplicação em conteúdos de filosofia, no ensino médio. a Leila veio do Brasil, cruzou o oceano para nos brindar com uma apresentação cuidada e pertinente sobre um trabalho que, a meu ver, pode cruzar muito com as estruturas da filosofia para/com crianças.
a minha primeira apresentação num encontro da Sociedade Portuguesa de Filosofia data de 2013 e consistiu numa oficina de filosofia pensada e criada com a Celeste Machado. foi com muita honra que voltei a participar num evento da SPF e em tão boa companhia!
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ainda sobre a minha apresentação e o início onde resumi algumas das ideias do primeiro dia do Congresso:
Sinto que a filosofia para/com crianças e jovens é um “imperativo categórico”, nos tempos que correm.
Na linha da comunicação da professora Adela Cortina, encaro com seriedade o compromisso de empoderar as crianças e os jovens na defesa dos seus pontos de vista.
Um empoderamento que é [metafísico, ético e] cordial e implica o ser humano na sua inteireza, tal como defendeu Kant na terceira Crítica. O ser humano é inteligência, vontade e afectividade.
M. Luísa Ribeiro Ferreira falou-nos, a propósito do ensino da filosofia no ensino secundário, da necessidade dos alunos pensarem por si próprios. Sublinhou também o papel inquietante e des-instaladorda filosofia, perante os alunos e os professores.
Neves Vicente relatou uma experiência, com ênfase no papel do facilitador enquanto um orientador munido de ferramentas que permitem o trabalho filosófico, independentemente do conteúdo.
Maria João Couto lançou a questão da formação dos formadores da filosofia para crianças, algo que preocupa cada vez mais quem, como eu, está no terreno a desenvolver trabalho e investigação nesta área.
também partilhei algumas ideias no twitter, com as tags #3CIF e #socportfilos
agora é hora de escrever e preparar o artigo para publicação.
Damon Young is an Australian philosopher and author. His eleven books of nonfiction and children’s fiction are published internationally in English and translation. His latest for adults is The Art of Reading. His latest for children is My Mum is a Magician.
I met Damon on Twitter and I invited him to be a part of these interviews around P4C.
If you want to take a look at all the investigators and facilitators, all around the world, that have been sharing toughts about P4C, just take a look at this blog post.
Can you recall the first time you heard about philosophy for children (p4c)?
Perhaps in around 2005?
How did you started working with p4c?
I was a research fellow in aesthetics at the University of Melbourne, and part of my brief was working with art museums and galleries. Through this, I was often invited to work with high school students on art education. While the emphasis was on art appreciation, this led quite spontaneously to philosophical discussion: on what art is, for example, and what questions it prompts (e.g. ontological, ethical, political).
Do you think p4c is necessary to children? Why?
Yes, philosophy—as a practice, not as an academic specialisation—is vital for a good life. If we can’t ask basic questions about our existence, how can we live well and ethically? By introducing children to philosophy early, we give them two important things: the ability to ask these questions without being intimidated or muddled, and the ability to enjoy doing this. Philosophy is a means to the end of a better life, but it’s also an end in itself.
Nowadays children ( @ Portugal) have a lot of activities at school and after school. Why should we take philosophy to schools?
Schools ought to teach philosophy for the reasons given above. But why schools? Two suggestions. First, because schools can provide a systematic syllabus, taught by professional educators. It might be that good teachers are better at introducing students to philosophy than academic professors. (Not the “might”. I’d like to see some evidence either way.)Teachers are also more likely to be sensitive to the various needs and contexts of students. Second, schools are one way to overcome poverty and marginalisation. Philosophy is often the province of the rich and educated, but schools can help to broaden access.
What makes a question a philosophical question – from a p4c point of view?
My basic guide is this: will it help a child to question what’s taken-for-granted, with reason, goodwill, and an eye for evidence?
What’s the biggest challenge p4c faces, nowadays?
For me, the greatest frustration is adults’ need to manage and control kids. Everything, including philosophy, becomes a kind of widget for producing obedient labourers.
Can you give the teachers and the parents some kind of advice to help them deal with the children’s questions?
My only suggestion is to be honest. Don’t manufacture ideas or feelings. Give kids the benefit of your experiences and education. Oh, and don’t be afraid to laugh at the world and yourself.
Did the children ever surprised you with a question? Can you share that question with us?
A little boy once asked me if Batman even wanted to be happy, and this struck me as psychologically very observant.
Searchinf for #p4c, on Twitter, has helped me find so many people that dedicate their time doing, studying philsophy for children. The Lipman's program well knowed as P4C has been adapted and used with teenagers and even grown ups. Zoran Kojcic has been applying P4C with teenagers - and that's why I invited him to share some toughts with us.
First of all, a short bio so you can get to know Zoran:
Zoran Kojcic (1986), philosopher and author, holds MA degrees in Philosophy and Croatian Philology from University of Osijek, Croatia. He is certified Philosophical Counsellor, board member of Petit Philosophy Association and member of Croatian Philosophical Association. Since 2011 Zoran teaches Literature and Ethics in high schools and also works as coordinator on several international projects. Zoran presented papers on more than 15 international conferences and published popular and scientific papers on Philosophy of Education and Philosophical Practice worldwide. Zoran is also the author of philosophical novel 'Walk through…' (Presing Publishing, 2014). He is a PhD candidate in Philosophy at Sofia University in Bulgaria, doing a research on philosophical counselling practice.
And now, time for Q & A!
Can you recall the first time you heard about philosophy for children (p4c)?
I was introduced to P4C when I was studying for my Masters degree in Philosophy, in 2010, by my professor Bruno Curko from Croatia. He and some others have already formed Petit Philosophy, first association for P4C in Croatia and have already started implementing workshops in schools in 2009. In Croatia, students have Philosophy as a subject in high schools, but not in elementary schools, so this concept was really interesting to me at that time.
How did you started working with p4c?
Right after I graduated, in 2011, I started working in high school and also joined Petit Philosophy, which is also where I work until this day. We applied for many different projects and grants, mainly covering ethics and civil education, and we tried to combine philosophy with other subjects in schools. First bigger project I worked on combined philosophy with literature, art, music and film and it offered our students opportunity to explore all those approaches.
Do you think p4c is necessary to children? Why?
We still don't know whether it is necessary, but we have seen in practice that it offers them tools which later help them think for themselves and think more clearly. I can speak from experience that many students which are engaged in some form of P4C show broader understanding of issues in hand and more abilities in recognizing the problem, analyzing the situation and orienting themselves toward solutions, which often tend to be sustainable, empathic and rational. Tools which philosophy uses provide students with interesting skill set for the future and for variety of different professions as well as for more humane interactions with others within society.
Nowadays children ( @ Portugal) have a lot of activities at school and after school. Why should we take philosophy to schools?
An individual should develop itself as a whole person. This means development of both body and mind. We can take our kids to play tennis or football, but we should also make sure that they equally develop their minds. Lately, I am working on Foucault's and Ancient Greek concept of taking care of the self – firstly, Socrates spoke of this, Plato also, later Stoics and in contemporary philosophy Foucault reminds us that taking care of the self, of our own self means precisely this – one should work on oneself for his/her entire life and on both ends. Just as well as you train your body, you should train your mind – by reading, thinking, discussing, questioning, philosophizing.
What makes a question a philosophical question – from a p4c point of view?
Plato famously emphasized those questions which make us wonder as the beginning of philosophy. From children's point of view, majority of the world is still a big mystery, and adults often forget that, we forget how magical some routines are.
How do trains or mobile phones work, why the sky doesn't fall down or what drives the image in our cameras. Usually those questions which are yet to reveal something to us, something unknown or unclear, no matter that they might be obvious to others, those questions could instigate some crucial sparks in us, in what we are yet becoming, especially as children who are yet to grow up.
What’s the biggest challenge p4c faces, nowadays?
More locally speaking, in Croatia, we face two big issues. First, religious education and influence of the Church aren't that keen on introducing P4C to schools, just as well as the Government. We tried to offer it as an alternative to religious education in primary schools, but that probably won't ever happen. Second, influence of so called STEM subjects in high schools is big and it threatens to decrease number of humanities subjects, including philosophy.
On a more global level, we need to find better discourse which would introduce philosophy to schools, so that the children could engage in philosophical discussions and dialogue from early age. With right-wing on the rise in US and Europe, this seems really challenging.
Can you give the teachers and the parents some kid of advice to help them deal with the children's questions?
Never hide your own ignorance. Don't be that person who thinks they know everything. If children ask you a question and you don't know the answer, invite them to figure it out themselves, inspire them to investigate, motivate them to explore. In fact, let's make it as an advice also to politicians – instead of avoiding the answer when they don't know something, they should admit their ignorance. That's not a hard thing to do and people usually appreciate your honesty, just as the children do. Oh, and always motivate children to ask more and more questions!
Did the children ever surprised you with a question? Can you share that question with us?
Sure, they do that often. Few years ago I worked in a school, with children with special needs, but not in a really considerate school toward their class and their needs. It was first time for me, and some colleagues told me not to expect anything from them. As it turned out, they were quite interested in ethics. As we talked more and more, one student asked me how does a person become a philosopher. Surely, she asked the question for herself, for some reason she wanted to be a philosopher and to deal with all those questions we examined. It was a hard question for me to answer, knowing that in Croatia from special education class, she most probably couldn't become a philosopher in most regular academic way, not to mention that I was also shocked she even would consider of being one. Later we discussed that not all philosophers went to school, let alone obtained a degree.
When it comes to philosophy, you really don't need any school to tell you you're a philosopher, you can be lover of wisdom no matter what.
