The Necessity of Mediation of Art in Teaching Philosophy to Children

The mediation of art in Teaching Philosophy for Children (P4C) introduces it as a mediator for acquiring thinking and wisdom. Considering this hypothesis، the aim of the present study has been to explain the nature of this mediation and to suggest the mediation of art in teaching philosophical thinking to children as a requirement. An important factor that assigns the main role to art as a mediator، introduces it as the essence of teaching philosophy، and considers it essential for the fulfillment of the procedure of teaching philosophy is the subject and status of childhood. For this reason، the pioneers of P4C have chosen literature as a way for communicating with children. Although P4C has mostly dealt with the functions and tasks that literature can perform in communicating with children، recently it has been replaced by other ways of communication. Therefore، it is necessary to consider the mediation of art as a replacement for literature. Also، the researchers believe that a review of the way P4C can benefit from art illuminates its fundamental and theoretical position; therefore، the present study attempts to define the place of art in P4C. Furthermore، by employing a theoretical approach، the study tries to portray the relation of art to the fundamental and remarkable subjects of the field including philosophy، thinking، dialogue، psychology، sociology، as well as childhood and education، and describe the necessity of its mediation in these domains. As a result، philosophical inquiry and artistic inquiry with children are proposed to be necessarily inevitable.