Philosophy for teens

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hicetnunc

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I am looking for good books for teenagers (14-19) that teach good, wholesome, Thomistic philosophy (either explicitly, or implicitly, and either fiction or non-fiction). There doesn’t seem to be a lot out there, but I’d be very grateful for any suggestions you have! I figured if anyone knows, it will be some of you good and faithdul people here, who post so much thoughtful material on philosophy, which in itself could be put into a book.

Not having read many books oriented to this age group, I’m rather at a loss. I’m confirmation sponsor to a 15 year old boy who is a voracious reader and hungry for St Thomas!

Many thanks!
 
Professor Kreeft wrote a book titled Socratic Logic: A Logic Text using Socratic Method, Platonic Questions, and Aristotelian Principles.

Some of it is probably suitable only for freshman college students, but some other chapters might be suitable for secondary school.
 
Rete said:
Professor Kreeft wrote a book titled Socratic Logic: A Logic Text using Socratic Method, Platonic Questions, and Aristotelian Principles.

Some of it is probably suitable only for freshman college students, but some other chapters might be suitable for secondary school.
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Many thanks Rete; while I am a big fan of Prof Kreeft, I have not read this particular book. Having only now just looked it up on Amazon, I now have it on order.
 
Just make sure it’s appropriate for that age group. I only really know appropriateness for college courses. It might be a bit too difficult.
 
Rete said:
Just make sure it’s appropriate for that age group. I only really know appropriateness for college courses. It might be a bit too difficult.
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Will do. I will read it myself first, but already it seems approprate, since he’s a very gifted lad. Many thanks for the suggestion.
 
How about Aquinas by Edward Feser? I like that it was reasonably short which made it less intimidating to me at least and also is something that you can reread easily. Even if it is more advanced than what a high school student would typically read I don’t think that’s a problem because it’s good to challenge people, especially young people. They’re expected to be fluent in math, English, science, etc. so why not philosophy and logic as well?
 
balto said:
How about Aquinas by Edward Feser? I like that it was reasonably short which made it less intimidating to me at least and also is something that you can reread easily. Even if it is more advanced than what a high school student would typically read I don’t think that’s a problem because it’s good to challenge people, especially young people. They’re expected to be fluent in math, English, science, etc. so why not philosophy and logic as well?
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Many thanks Balto. This is another book I haven’t read, even though it is referenced frequently here on CAF. I totally agree with you about the expectations we have of our young people in school vis a vis other subject areas; this is a major problem with the high school curriculum in the UK (as I suppose it is in the US). In the last year, I find more and more young people seeking a deeper access to the faith (coincidentally with the conclusion of the Year of Faith). It is now high time I read Feser, and so is another book I have added to my March reading list.
 
balto said:
How about Aquinas by Edward Feser? I like that it was reasonably short which made it less intimidating to me at least and also is something that you can reread easily. Even if it is more advanced than what a high school student would typically read I don’t think that’s a problem because it’s good to challenge people, especially young people. They’re expected to be fluent in math, English, science, etc. so why not philosophy and logic as well?
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Well, I’m not sure I would recommend that. Feser is good, but I think more groundwork in philosophy would be advisable for a fifteen year old. Maybe in three years he would be ready for Feser if he has prepared himself by reading philosophy.

I also would suggest reading Plato’s The Republic. It’s readable as a foundation for political philosophy. Learning the art of dialectical thinking that is best learned from a master like Socrates will serve him to think analytically when approaching other philosophers. He will not only learn to analyze, but learn to disagree … maybe even with a master like Socrates. If you read The Republic with him, you’ll have a basis for many interesting discussions since we live in a republic and the problems of political philosophy we confront today are very similar to the problems Socrates addressed.
 
Charlemagne_III said:
Well, I’m not sure I would recommend that. Feser is good, but I think more groundwork in philosophy would be advisable for a fifteen year old. Maybe in three years he would be ready for Feser if he has prepared himself by reading philosophy.
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Perhaps you are right, if the student in question is unfamiliar with formal rational arguments. The thing is though that many people already think very rationally and don’t need these kinds of introductions. I never had any formal teaching in logic or philosophy (a shame I know) but was able to pick a lot of this up on my own just by diving into it, so I think it can be done. I guess that hicetnunc would know what’s best for the 15 year old in question and what kind of mentoring is needed. From the OP it seems that the will to learn is definitely present, which is what is most important. I think that Feser meant for Aquinas to be an introduction to St. Thomas and his underlying philosophy, including background on important Platonic and Aristotelian metaphysics, so I found it to be very accessible. Just a suggestion anyway.
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hicetnunc:
Many thanks Balto. This is another book I haven’t read, even though it is referenced frequently here on CAF. I totally agree with you about the expectations we have of our young people in school vis a vis other subject areas; this is a major problem with the high school curriculum in the UK (as I suppose it is in the US). In the last year, I find more and more young people seeking a deeper access to the faith (coincidentally with the conclusion of the Year of Faith). It is now high time I read Feser, and so is another book I have added to my March reading list.
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Another one to add to the list is Peter Kreeft’s A Summa of the Summa. Now you probably would need to have at least a basic background on Aquinas and his thinking before going for this, but Prof. Kreeft gives you Aquinas’ actual writing with footnotes to explain a lot of it. Reading the actual primary source is probably something everybody should do when they feel comfortable. It’s also 500+ pages, which is a lot, but given the volume of Aquinas’ work I guess this is the “condensed” version.
 
I think it really depends upon your audience. I’m 17, and have read Feser’s Aquinas and am working on Kreeft’s Socratic Logic, so they are not entirely unavailable to your target age-group. That being said, I have an interest in such things, and those who do not may not be able to get as much out of such books. Frankly, Thomistic philosophy is rather complicated (at least to us Moderns), so I don’t think there is any “easy” introduction out there.
Further, I think starting them on Aquinas without introduction into at least some basic philosophy and logic would be a bad idea. I think maybe getting Trent Horns new book on atheism would be beneficial in the sense that they aren’t going into Thomistic philosophy cold.
Just my two cents
 
ccmnxc said:
I think it really depends upon your audience. I’m 17, and have read Feser’s Aquinas and am working on Kreeft’s Socratic Logic, so they are not entirely unavailable to your target age-group. That being said, I have an interest in such things, and those who do not may not be able to get as much out of such books. Frankly, Thomistic philosophy is rather complicated (at least to us Moderns), so I don’t think there is any “easy” introduction out there.
Further, I think starting them on Aquinas without introduction into at least some basic philosophy and logic would be a bad idea. I think maybe getting Trent Horns new book on atheism would be beneficial in the sense that they aren’t going into Thomistic philosophy cold.
Just my two cents
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And a good two cents it is. I think you right; what I am seeking is not so much an explicit Thomistic philosophy, but something infused with it, so Trent Horn’s book and ones like it might be just the ticket. Good philosophy is good philosophy, and is packaged and delivered in many different ways.

Cheers!
 
Haldane’s An Intelligent Person’s Guide to Religion is pretty accessible. As is McInerny’s Ethica Thomistica.

(Regarding Feser, I’d say that Aquinas is about as readable an introduction to Thomas Aquinas as you can get. His Philosophy of Mind is also very readable and will get you thinking.)
 
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