Now it is a mean between two vices, that which depends on excess and that which depends on defect” (Nicomachean Ethics). On the topic of morality, Aristotle says, “Excellence, then, is a state concerned with choice, lying in a mean relative to us, this being determined by reason and in the way in which the man of practical wisdom would determine it. Although it might sound absurd, there are significant messages of Aristotelian morality found in the stories.

Though generally targeted towards a young audience, Calvin and Hobbes invokes philosophical themes that are complex and often reserved for higher learning. Perhaps one of the most profound things about the philosophy of the comics is its accessibility. In fact, the the stories of the boy and his stuffed tiger contain both underlying philosophical themes as well as explicit and often sophisticated philosophical inquiry. Bill Watterson’s famous comic strip Calvin and Hobbes is no exception. Many forms of entertainment targeted at young children are filled with philosophical implication. This natural tendency to philosophize is found among children far younger than college students and should be cultivated earlier in life. We might find ourselves often using moral reason or questioning our place in the universe. Rather than being limited to the texts of a college philosophy class, this sort of thinking can and should be applied to our everyday lives. This sort of practice can be applied in various areas such as ethics and metaphysics. We might think of philosophy more generally as a way of thinking that involves using abstractions to understand more of the world around us. While this is certainly a valuable type of philosophical education, it does not all there is to the discipline. People assume that you need the capacity and resources to decipher ancient treatises in order to engage with philosophical inquiry. The practice of philosophy is often reserved for the halls of higher learning. Philosophy for Children Teaching Philosophy with Calvin and Hobbes

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