Nasty, Brutish, and Short: Adventures in Philosophy with Kids

　　有一些最棒的哲學家，總是聚集在讓你意想不到的場所──譬如幼稚園和兒童遊樂場！
 
　　來自密西根大學法哲學教授，以深刻又新鮮有趣的提問，探討人生乃至世界的大哉問，由全世界第一流哲學家們的思想贊助寫出──這裡面包含了提問最犀利、直覺的「年輕後輩」們！
 

　　「我西要一個鵝鞋阿。」這是2歲的漢克，站在廁所裡。
　　「什麼？」這是朱莉，漢克的媽媽：「……你沖水了嗎？」
　　「我西要一個鵝鞋阿。」
　　「你需要沖水。回去洗手台那邊。」
　　「我西要一個鵝鞋阿！」漢克要求。
　　「史考特！」朱莉大喊。「漢克需要一個哲學家。」
 
　　那位應聲奔向廁所門口，被兒子十萬火急召喚的，是本書作者史考特。在密西根大學法學院擔任教職的他，正是一名哲學家，此生還沒有因為這個身分，被任何人如此迫切地需要過。而事實證明，這個紀錄將繼續保持，因為牙齒卡到東西導致口齒不清的漢克，真正想要的是牙線棒，不是哲學家。
 
　　和牙線棒相比，哲學是一個普遍被認為並不必要的東西，但有趣的是，心心念念要找牙線棒的漢克，和他的哥哥瑞克斯，在日常生活中，卻常常無意間問出讓老爸驚訝不已的深刻問題。
 
　　心理學家曾做過實驗，觀察兒童和父母的對話，發現孩子們平均一分鐘會提出超過兩個問題，其中大約有四分之一，是在問「為什麼」。這個事實雖然令大人們頭腦發脹、想要哀號，但若仔細聆聽孩子們的提問，有許多看似幼稚的想法和疑惑，正是偉大哲學家們窮盡一生，對人生與世界的核心思索。
 
　　從探索道德、自我身分，到理解世界，本書要帶領你從瑞克斯、漢克和老爸史考特充滿笑料的日常對話中，學習小孩們勇敢發問的態度，重新以純真的眼光，思考生活中理所當然的一切概念。這本書不是寫給孩子們的──他們可是比大人們敏銳多了。你可以將這本書裡解為「給大人的幼幼班哲學入門」，但內容絕不含糊，而且超級有趣！踏進小孩們充滿好奇的十萬個為什麼，你會發現，原來人人都能思考哲學問題，而且，哲學居然這麼有意思！

　　(文/博客來編譯)

An NPR Best Book of 2022 * One of Christian Science Monitor’s 10 best books of May

＂This amazing new book . . . takes us on a journey through classic and contemporary philosophy powered by questions like ’What do we have the right to do? When is it okay to do this or that?’ They explore punishment and authority and sex and gender and race and the nature of truth and knowledge and the existence of God and the meaning of life and Scott just does an incredible job.＂ --Ryan Holiday, The Daily Stoic

Some of the best philosophers in the world gather in surprising places--preschools and playgrounds. They debate questions about metaphysics and morality, even though they’ve never heard those words and can’t tie their shoes. They’re kids. And as University of Michigan professor of philosophy and law Scott Hershovitz shows, they can help grown-ups solve some of life’s greatest mysteries.

Hershovitz has two young sons, Rex and Hank. From the time they could talk, he noticed that they raised philosophical questions and tried to answer them. They re-created ancient arguments and advanced entirely new ones. That’s not unusual, Hershovitz says. Every kid is a philosopher.

Powered by questions like: Does Hank have the right to drink soda? Is it ever okay to swear? and, Does the number six exist? the Hershovitzes take us on a fun romp through classic and contemporary philosophy. If we join kids on philosophical adventures, Hershovitz argues, we can become sharper thinkers and recapture their wonder at the world.

Scott Hershovitz is Director of the Law and Ethics Program and professor of law and philosophy at the University of Michigan. He holds a B.A.in philosophy and politics from the University of Georgia; a J.D. from Yale Law School; and D.Phil. from the University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. Professor Hershovitz served as a law clerk for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court and the Hon. William Fletcher of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Hershovitz is married to Julie Kaplan, a social worker, who he met at summer camp. They live in Ann Arbor with their two children, Rex (age twelve) and Hank (age nine).