| Video Footage
Your Granny or Your Goldfish?
This short clip was filmed in 1999 with James Nottingham's class of 34 middle school students aged 9 and 10. It features highlights of 2 philosophy for children sessions:
The first began with a mock-conversation between a 6 year old and an adult (full dialogue below) and the question enquired into was "Why would you risk your life to save a stranger?"
The next began with a picture drawn by Keith Haring (featured in the book, 'I wish I didn't have to sleep') and the question chosen from this was, "Is there a God?".
The programme was made on behalf of Channel 4 television in the UK and is transmitted regularly as part of the Channel 4 Schools broadcasts. It also features on the Sapere training video (www.sapere.org.uk)
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The following dialogue comes from a conversation that took place between a 6-year old girl, called Charlotte, and her teacher.
Teacher: Do you have a pet?
Charlotte: Yes. I have a cat and a guinea pig. And a goldfish. The cat is called Zephyr and the guinea pig is called Gip.
Teacher: Do you like them?
Charlotte: Of course. Everyone likes their pets.
Teacher: How would you feel if something awful happened to one of your pets?
Charlotte: Really sad. I had a rabbit once, but a dog got in and ate it. I cried.
Teacher: Have you heard of Africa?
Charlotte: It’s a long way away. They have jungles there, and wild animals.
Teacher: There are people there as well. Millions of them.
Charlotte: I know.
Teacher: Would you care if someone in Africa were hit by a bus?
Charlotte: Not much. It probably happens all the time.
Teacher: Would you rather someone you didn’t know in Africa was hit by a bus, or your goldfish died?
Charlotte: I’d rather someone was hit by a bus.
Teacher: How about 10 people killed in a bus crash?
Charlotte: I still don’t want my fish to die.
Teacher: What if the choice is between your goldfish and a thousand people killed in an earthquake? What if you were magic, and had to choose?
Charlotte: Maybe the people are more important.
Teacher: What if its between the people and Zephyr?
Charlotte: No way. I love Zephyr.
Teacher: What if its either ten people in Australia killed in a bushfire or Zephyr hit by a car?
Charlotte: People I don’t know?
Teacher: Yes. You don’t know any of them.
Charlotte: Then I’d pick Zephyr not to be hit by a car.
Teacher: What if its between Zephyr and grandma?
Charlotte: Um. Grandma’s very old. She might die anyway.
Teacher: What if its either grandma dies in 6 months before she would have, or Zephyr is hit by a car?
Charlotte: Are you going to tell grandma what I said?
Teacher: I don’t know. Probably not.
Charlotte: I think grandma is more important.
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