Truth & philosophy for kids?

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My son, age 8, is very bright and a natural skeptic. He asked me recently (in a conversation about religious matters) how we really know what’s true. Instead of quoting the Baltimore Catechism (“Because the Church says so!”), I told him that’s a great question, maybe the most important question, and we would work on answering that, and it’s not quick easy answer.

I see him as very vulnerable in the future to skeptics who challenge him with nre ideas… so I want to make sure they are NOT new ideas to him. He’s going to a new public charter school this year (with a “classical” curriculum ala Charlotte Mason) but we are homeschooling him in faith formation this year instead of doing the parish program.

So I need recommendations of a book or at least outline of “pre-apologetics”, some sort of intro to critical thinking for kids. Preferably it would be explicitly Catholic but at least compatible with Catholic philosophy and logic. (In fact, a course in logic might be an option, except that even for a bright, math-savvy kid, that’s probably way too much for his age.) I’ve seen the Friendly Defenders cards, but I want to get at something more fundamental before delving into answers to objections. Thanks!
 
I’m interested to see replies. I personally don’t know of any logic/philosophy books for such a young kid.
 
I think that starting with teleology, which can be included in everything, would be good. I heard an ICC talk by Dr Reilly (IIRC), author of Making Gay Ok, which discussed this, so I imagine the book would go into it a lot, and there are lots of other sources as well, many found at Institute of Catholic Culture in audio and in video, like Roots of Modernism by Dr Marshner. I’ll provide links if you need me to.
 
Ginkgo100 said:
My son, age 8, is very bright and a natural skeptic. He asked me recently (in a conversation about religious matters) how we really know what’s true. Instead of quoting the Baltimore Catechism (“Because the Church says so!”), I told him that’s a great question, maybe the most important question, and we would work on answering that, and it’s not quick easy answer.

!
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In a way you have already been answering your own question. For in asking how does one know what is true it means you are thinking about a possible answer. Which means you are engaging your God given intellect. In life we don’t have all the answers. Nor, can we have strict knowledge about the truth about many things. However, we can engage our intellects in order to seek out what is true and separate it from what is false. This is really called philosophy.

Now our intellect can take us only so far. That is where it would be helpful to have some sound external source of knowledge that can help guide us into all truth. Now if God exists as this guiding influence then we can receive much benefit from him. This is where we seek the truth from God. This is where we look at his Revelation to mankind.

Your son may be a little young to read the “Science before Science” by Anthony Rizzi, but he also has books for children that you might want to check out.
 
I must say I’m not sure I know of any good Catholic apologetics materials designed for children, but you might consider this:
Try reading (yourself) some of the best books out there that, step by step, from God’s existence, to Jesus, to the Catholic Church, prove that the Catholic Faith is the one true religion. I would recommend any one (or all) of the following-
Faith and Certitude by Father Thomas Dubay
ignatius.com/Products/FC-P/faith-and-certitude.aspx
Laying the Foundation: A Handbook of Catholic Apologetics and Fundamental Theology by Fr. Joseph Clifford Fenton, forward by Dr. Scott Hahn
emmausroad.org/Laying-the-Foundation-A-Handbook-of-Catholic-Apologetics-and-Fundamental-Theology–P12301.aspx
College Apologetics: Proof of the Truth of the Catholic Faith
amazon.com/College-Apologetics-Proof-Truth-Catholic/dp/0895554453
You might also try:
Catholic Apologetics Today: Answers to Modern Critics by Fr. William G. Most
catholicculture.org/culture/library/most/getwork.cfm?worknum=212
The Belief of Catholics by Msgr. Ronald Knox (this one appears to be available for free online from EWTN)-
ewtn.com/library/CHRIST/BELIEF.TXT
Or
Apologetics: A Philosophic Defense and Explanation of the Catholic Religion by Fr. Paul J. Glen
amazon.com/dp/0895551578/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0895554453&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=ZAZBRBV2Y4ZWBAKW30A7
After reading one of these excellent books, you should hopefully be able to explain to your son (in a somewhat simplified manner) how we know with absolute, 100% certainty that the Catholic Faith is true.

May God bless you and your son!
 
And I forgot to give the author for College Apologetics- Fr. Anthony Alexander
 
Looks like an excellent recommendation fisherman carl 👍
It’s good to have an author like Dr. Rizzi for children.
 
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