"ככל שהחינוך יעיל יותר כן מתמסרים בני האדם בתשוקה גדולה יותר לאזיקים המונעים מהם להיות מה שיכולים היו להיות ומסתירים מהם את אלימותם של מנגנוני העיצוב של מה שהינם" (אילן גור-זאב, 1999: 11)

The more effective education becomes, the more people seek comfort under the fetters that prevent them from what they could have become and hide from them the violence of the mechanisms that shape what they are (Ilan Gur-Ze’ev, 1999: 11).

1 במאי 2025

The Connection Between Brain Hemispheres and Philosophy for/with Children




By Arie Kizel


One of the most fascinating insights from modern neuroscience is the distinction between the two halves of the brain—the right and left hemispheres—which represent two different ways of perceiving reality. Dr. Iain McGilchrist, a neurologist, philosopher, and psychiatrist, offers a radical and profound interpretation of these differences in his book "The Master and His Emissary." According to him, this isn't merely a functional division of labor between two halves, but rather two fundamental approaches to the world: one rational, structural, seeking control and precision (the left brain); the other intuitive, open, experiential, and relational (the right brain).
McGilchrist argues that Western culture throughout its history has increasingly emphasized the dominance of the left brain—focused on measurement, criticism, and technical thinking—at the expense of the complete human experience. In the metaphor found in his book's title, he describes a "wise master" who sends his emissary to manage his affairs, but eventually the emissary takes over and forgets his place. This, McGilchrist claims, is exactly how left-brain thinking has dominated culture, weakening the role of imagination, human connection, art, and meaning.
Within this context, the emergence of the educational movement "Philosophy for/with Children" is nothing short of revolutionary. Unlike conventional curricula, which often emphasize measurable goals, performance, and correct answers, Philosophy for/with Children centers on questioning, wonder, and dwelling in not knowing (Kizel, 2024). Children explore the world as a learning process (Kizel, 2023). This approach opens a wide door to the right hemisphere—to holistic, intuitive, emotional, and metaphorical thinking.
Philosophy for/with Children is based on the knowledge that children are capable of valuable philosophical thinking. It encourages:

  • Open and collaborative discussion
  • Asking deep questions
  • Critical, creative, and caring thinking
  • Mutual respect for different opinions
  • Developing observation and reflection skills
  • The ability to reason and make corrections within a philosophical community of inquiry


Intersections: The Divided Brain and Philosophy for/with Children

Balance Between Two Forms of Thinking

One significant connection between McGilchrist's theory and Philosophy for/with Children is the emphasis on balance between different types of thinking: Philosophy for/with Children encourages children to develop both analytical thinking and creative, holistic thinking. McGilchrist argues that for optimal mental and cultural health, we need cooperation between the hemispheres. In this sense, Philosophy for/with Children can be seen as a practice that promotes the kind of balance McGilchrist views as essential.


Listening and Observing Before Categorizing
McGilchrist identifies the left hemisphere's tendency to catalog and classify before deep understanding. Similarly, Philosophy for/with Children encourages children to suspend judgment, truly listen to others, and observe phenomena before rushing to conclusions. The practice invites children to develop what McGilchrist would identify as "open attention" associated with the right hemisphere.

Understanding Context and the Big Picture
One characteristic of the right hemisphere according to McGilchrist is the ability to see things in their broader context:
Philosophy for/with Children invites children to see connections between different ideas and create links to real life. It encourages systems thinking that views things in a wider context rather than isolating them.

Direct Experience Versus Representations
McGilchrist distinguishes between direct experience of the world (right hemisphere) and focus on abstract representations (left hemisphere): Philosophy for/with Children encourages children to connect with their personal experiences and give them meaning, not just analyze abstract ideas. Philosophy for/with Children balances thinking about concepts (left) with connecting to personal experience (right).

Practical Applications: How to Integrate McGilchrist's Insights into Philosophy for/with Children?

Practices of Attention and Observation:
Inspired by McGilchrist, attention and observation exercises can be incorporated into Philosophy for/with Children:

  • Starting meetings with a minute of silence and observation
  • Deep listening exercises
  • Extended observation of objects or images before discussing them

Balance Between Analysis and Synthesis:
Incorporating activities that encourage both analytical breakdown and holistic synthesis:

  • Breaking down a question into its components
  • Gathering ideas back into a comprehensive picture
  • Looking for connections between seemingly different ideas

Space for Paradoxes and Ambiguity:
The right hemisphere is capable of containing contradictions and ambiguities:

  • Encouraging questions without clear answers
  • Exploring dilemmas with no perfect solution
  • Recognizing multiple valid perspectives

Connection to Body and Emotion:
Contrary to the Cartesian split between body and mind that McGilchrist criticizes:

  • Incorporating movement and play into philosophical discussions
  • Encouraging children to notice bodily sensations when thinking about complex questions
  • Exploring the connection between emotions and ideas

McGilchrist's insights are particularly relevant in our digital age:
The digital world encourages left hemisphere tendencies - breaking down into information, speed, immediacy, algorithms.
Philosophy with Children can provide a vital counterbalance:

  • Encourages slowing down and deep thinking
  • Nurtures genuine human connection
  • Builds the ability to rest in ambiguity instead of seeking immediate answers

Recent research supports the connection between McGilchrist's ideas and Philosophy for/with Children:
Studies in education indicate that philosophical communities of inquiry improve not only critical thinking but also empathy and emotional resilience—abilities associated with the right hemisphere.
Recent brain research shows that attention and observation, central practices in Philosophy with Children, change brain activity in ways that align with what McGilchrist would identify as a healthy balance between the hemispheres.
Of course, there is no intention to dismiss the contribution of the left hemisphere. In philosophical activity, especially when well-structured, children also develop skills of analysis, distinction, reasoning, and logic. However, the power of Philosophy for/with Children lies in creating a dynamic balance between the two types of thinking: it allows a child to ask a question from an inner experience, express emotion and imagination—and then enter into dialogue with others, listen, argue, refine. Each meeting becomes an active brain arena where both hemispheres maintain a harmonious dialogue rather than a power struggle.
The "philosophical community of inquiry"—the central operational model of Philosophy for/with Children—creates an environment where children don't just solve problems but live within the questions. They learn to consider different opinions, sense complexity, identify hidden assumptions, and develop openness. This is ongoing training not only in cognitive skills—but in developing an open, curious, sensitive, and moral consciousness. This is a consciousness that McGilchrist attributes existential importance to: a consciousness capable of containing complexity, resisting oversimplification, and reconnecting people to the world and to others.
Therefore, Philosophy for/with Children can be seen not just as an educational practice—but as a profound cultural act. Within an education system that sometimes sanctifies efficiency, measurement, and control—philosophy returns the human, the dialogical, the living to the center. It creates a space where the human brain functions as it was meant to: through conversation between its two voices—the one that distinguishes, and the one that connects.
Thus, by listening to children's questions, we learn not only about them—but also about the possibility of restoring the balance we've lost.

References:
Kizel, A. (2023). Philosophy, Inquiry and Children: Community of Thinkers in Education. Berlin: LIT Verlag.
Kizel, A. (2024). Enabling Students' Voices and Identities: Philosophical Inquiry in a Time of Discord. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books
 
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