Philosophy Package 2

Xperiment is the fourth book in the Royal Fireworks philosophy curriculum. It features a boy named X who becomes involved with a group of children who struggle to find the meaning of justice in the small society that they have created for themselves. The kids explore the philosophical concepts of selective rule-breaking, thought-experimenting, and proposing alternative theories. The story introduces philosophies about human nature, civilization, and government by such philosophers as Plato, Aristotle, Rousseau, Locke, Hobbes, and Hume. Children are introduced to these concepts in an interesting and engaging way that makes them accessible and that highlights them as real-world issues.

Xperiment explores the question What is justice? Justice has always been controversial among philosophers because it is the glue that holds society together. Society needs leaders and laws. But what justifies one person telling other people what to do? This is a vivid question for children dealing with bullies, teachers, and parents, as well as for adults who vote in political elections. The Guidebook explores several of the most important and influential political theories ever written, which are reflected in the story about X and his schoolmates.

The Guidebook is the manual for implementing Xperiment, but it is called a “Guidebook” instead of a “Teacher Manual” in recognition of the fact that the material within its pages may be of interest to the children themselves, especially if they are motivated to delve more deeply into the content. It provides a summary of the plot developments for each chapter, a philosophical basis for the key concepts of the chapters, discussion questions, and web links to videos for further exploration of the content.

Finding Faith is the fifth book in the philosophy curriculum. It features four of the characters from the fourth and sixth books, all brought together on a search to find a missing puppy named Faith. Their explorations take them from an amusement park to a hotel to a casino, and everywhere they go, people who discover that they are looking for "faith" have something to say about what faith and a belief in God mean to them. The kids exercise the skills of following complex arguments, suspending judgment, and having the courage of their convictions—as well as demonstrating the open-mindedness to consider other viewpoints. 

The four main philosophers presented in this book—Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, and Pascal—are classic in the original sense: judged as having the highest value over the test of time. The characters in the story discuss and evaluate their views from atheist, Christian, and Buddhist perspectives, and throughout, they offer readers different perspectives using convincing arguments that will help to teach tolerance for the beliefs of others.

Finding Faith is a chapter book that explores arguments for and against the existence of God. Some people may regard religion as a touchy subject, inappropriate for children to discuss. Any child studying philosophy, however, must discuss this subject, for philosophers have been arguing about God since the very beginning. The book offers religious perspectives in a non-dogmatic way that will allow readers of every belief system, including atheism, to feel respected and validated.

The Guidebook is the manual for implementing Finding Faith, but it is called a “Guidebook” instead of a “Teacher Manual” in recognition of the fact that the material within its pages may be of interest to the children themselves, especially if they are motivated to delve more deeply into the content. It provides a summary of the plot developments for each chapter, a philosophical basis for the key concepts of the chapters, discussion questions, and for some chapters, suggestions for further exploration or for activities to extend the learning.

Will Power is the sixth book in the Royal Fireworks philosophy curriculum. It features two kids, Will and Foo, who find themselves in a race against time to stop a man who has developed a frequency that will reveal the human brain to be a machine. In fact, he has already zapped Will, and Will and Foo must stop him before he can broadcast his frequency to the rest of humankind. In the process, they struggle with the question of free will, as discussed by such philosophers as Albert Einstein, Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epicurus, Lucretius, and Sartre. They also explore the philosophical skills of making careful observations, defending a position, and tolerating ambiguity.

Will Power is a chapter book that explores the question of free will and the concept of fate. Are we free to make our own paths in life, or are our lives predetermined? Is our fate set, or do we create our own fate? And how much responsibility do we bear for our actions if our fate is set for us and we have no free will? Where does science fit into these concepts? This book introduces children to these questions and more in the context of an exciting, thought-provoking novel.

The Guidebook is the manual for implementing Will Power, but it is called a “Guidebook” instead of a “Teacher Manual” in recognition of the fact that the material within its pages may be of interest to the children themselves, especially if they are motivated to delve more deeply into the content. It provides a summary of the plot developments for each chapter, a philosophical basis for the key concepts of the chapters, discussion questions, and for some chapters, suggestions for further exploration or for activities to extend the learning.